Follow Our Checklist to Start Your Own Educational Facility

Use all of this research to build a business plan. Writing a business plan isn’t easy, but it’s a critical step to make sure that your business starts on the right foot. It will help you in planning for startup costs and advertising, detailing how you will pay for licensing fees and salaries, developing policies and procedures, and planning for the launch of your business.

The Small Business Association offers excellent resources for starting a business and writing your business plan, including how to start a quality educational facility.

When you are starting a school, preschool, or childcare business, you can expand or renovate an existing facility, open a small home-based program, or find a new site. Whichever option you choose, you must evaluate the site and neighborhood, verify it with your city’s zoning laws, and know the school and preschool licensing guidelines.

It is important to check your state standards to learn how much space you will need based on the number of children you plan to accept. Depending on the type and size of your school and the state where it is located, you’ll need to apply for different types of insurance such as general liability insurance, property insurance, professional liability insurance, and workers’ compensation insurance.

Transform your center into a place that is safe, clean, comfortable, and inviting to parents and children. You need to purchase the following materials:

• Child-Size Tables and Chairs
• Nap Mats
• Art Materials
• Educational Toys and Games
• Books
• Outdoor Play Equipment
• Furniture
• Educational Supplies

Don’t forget safety equipment such as fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, and locking medicine cabinets.

Your business plan should include a mission statement that will serve as a guide for your curriculum and program philosophy. Whether you want to adopt an existing pedagogy or create your own written framework, it is important to provide a learning environment where children can enhance their knowledge and skills. You also have a choice of joining a group or adopting a useful learning philosophy, such as Reggio Emilia.

A school, preschool or early childhood learning center is only as good as its teachers. Therefore, you need to hire the right personnel. You must identify how many staff members you will need depending on your state’s ratio requirements, the age range of your students, and your educational approach. It is important to seek staff who share your program’s philosophy and goals.

Consider hiring staff that pass the minimum qualifications and those who are willing to undergo cardiopulmonary resuscitation, first aid, and other basic safety and health training to achieve the Child Development Associate credential awarded by the Council for Professional Recognition.

Verify your teachers’ educational background and references by conducting criminal background checks and fingerprint scanning. You must consider recruiting staff who can help you with everything from administration, housekeeping, cooking, and transportation.

There are many resources to help you start and run a preschool successfully. You need an electronic billing system, a learning documentation, and a parent engagement software like Procare.

Procare helps parents and teachers unite to support the children’s learning development. Teachers save time by documenting the learning process and then sharing it with parents in one click.

Check out the QRIS (Quality Rating Improvement Systems) movement in your state. Here’s the listing by state. By earning a QRIS rating, you will get listed in the state register which brings you credibility. The process usually takes two to three years, but once you get started, most states will list your preschool. The parents will give you credit for being in the QRIS program.

Once you have prepared a well-thought-out curriculum, you can seek accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Only one in 10 preschools in the US is accredited. It’s not an easy undertaking. However, accreditation will help show parents that you are committed to providing a stellar program.

The 10 NAEYC Early Learning Standards and Criteria include the following:

• Relationships
• Curriculum
• Teaching
• Assessment of Child Progress
• Health
• Staff Competencies, Preparation, and Support
• Families
• Community Relationships
• Leadership and Management

It’s time to let the families know about your program. Prepare marketing materials complete with the details about your curriculum and philosophy as well as your background, your fees, and hours.

Develop a dynamic online presence for your business. Consider using Yelp or Google where you can get a free listing categorized by school, childcare, or preschool. There are also other social media sites that you can use such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.

Starting a blog on your website can be time-consuming, but it can be useful for your business. This is where you can communicate your values or educate parents on the theory behind your philosophy.

Promote your educational facility and program at libraries, grocery stores, pediatrician offices, and community events. Make sure that your program is registered at the local Child Care Resource and Referral agency. Lastly, you can host a grand opening event to attract families and seek applicants.