12 Steps To Become a Charter school

What are Charter schools? Simply put, they are schools that are run independently of the government. However, these schools are still highly expected to meet the requirements and standards of the local and state government. This type of educational system provides parents with something quite different from what they get from the public school system.

The charter schools are independently funded through students’ enrollment fees, levies, as well as other fees that are expected to be paid. Charter schools are beginning to gain more grounds in different countries of the world. This read would deal solely on how to start a charter school

So, if you think you might be interested in starting a charter school, then you may consider following all of the rules that would be reeled out in a few minutes. If you are ready; then here are steps to take to start your own charter school.
Starting a Charter school – Sample Business Plan Template

1. Have the Passion

It isn’t enough that you just take up the ambition of wanting to start a charter school. It is extremely expedient that you first search inward to be sure that you want to do this. How may you be able to do this? You have got to first have a penchant for teaching children. Having this in place means that you have already laid a foundation and are keen to follow through on your interest.

2. Undertake Some Research

Here, you would need to do a no holds barred research. With this, you are able to garner a whole lot of information, from having to undertake a thorough and exhaustive research. Begin to search for information about existing charter schools, how they are run, when they were established, the cost of starting one, all the licenses that is required and what have you. You can pull this off by looking through the various resources that are available on the internet and also through books

3. Visit Other Charter Schools

Nothing beats having a firsthand experience on the things that you are willing to learn of. For that reason, you must pay some visits to the various charter schools that are located near you or in your city. Why is this important? This is important so that you can ask all the questions that needs to be answered on starting a charter school, as well as knowing how the daily activities are run, the number of students, how many students are enrolled per term or session as well as how the teachers being employed are managed.

4. Research on Your Country’s State Laws

You have got to make another critical visit, and this time around it is a visit to the state or local body in your country that is involved with the laws and policies of charter schools as well as how the charter school applications are got. This is one significant step that you must take as failure to do this would be tantamount to putting the cart before the horse.

5. Get members Of Your Board Together

As it is with most countries of the world, starting a charter school would to a large extent require that you have some founding committee members or board members of your team. This is because no man is an island, as well as the fact that you would need some professionals in the educational field to be on your team. Be sure that these members are people who have good and in-depth backgrounds in law, accounting, education as well as business.

6. Register Your School Name

Now that you might have gotten all the information that you would need in other to launch out your charter school business, and then now is a good time to go and get the necessary documentation done. Have a school name; be sure that it is something that can be readily approved by the educational board. For a cue, you may consider checking out the names of other charter schools so that they give you a background approach on how to choose yours. After this has been done and your name approved, then you may go ahead with other things, including the licensing process.

7. Develop a Mission Statement for Your Charter School

Since, you got into this business by passion, and then coming up with a mission statement for your charter school would not in any way be a herculean task. As a matter of fact, it would come easy. Your mission statement would be one of the things- if not the sole reason that would guide you in drawing up a proper business plan. Charter schools are basically geared towards fostering creativity and innovation, and as such you must be willing to do this for your community.

8. Write a Business Plan

Now that things are taking shape, the next port of call would be to draw up your business plan. You may need an expert to help you write one professionally. This is needful as the expert would be able to fix in a whole lot of information; like how much may be needed, your short term and long term projections as well as other relevant information that would serve as a present and future template.

9. Secure a Facility

First off, since you know this is a school, then it means that you would need a facility that would fit the purpose of a school. You have got to ensure that you give your realtor the appropriate details to work with. This means that you have got to let your realtor know that the space has to be one that can accommodate all the possible structures that are needed in a school.

10. Equip the School

After you must have acquired the property needed for the charter school, then the next appropriate thing to do would be to purchase all the furniture, equipment and fittings that you would need to make the school habitable and conducive for learning.

11. Hire Employees

Now that all is set, the next thing go do would be to hire teachers, Be sure that you hire teachers who are able to take up the task of imparting knowledge. You may think to hire both the experienced and the inexperienced ones so that you save some cost.

12. Open School

Now, this is the stage where you open your school up to the community. Be sure that your school is affordable since it is meant for the general public. Make all the necessary awareness concerning have kids attend your school.

These are the steps that must be followed strictly to start an enjoyable and enriching charter school. Be sure to advertise your new school to all and sundry and soon you would become a household name.