What to Consider When Starting a Prenda Microschool

Thinking about starting a microschool in your community? 

Prenda specializes in helping caring, inspriing adults start microschools, largely made possible through universal ESA funding in certain states. We also help individuals start direct-pay microschools in states without public funding availability. 

Microschools are small learning environments led by caring adults we call guides. While not all microschools are Prenda-powered and led by a Prenda guide, Prenda is the leader in the microschool in the microchool movement, having launched over 1,000 microschools nationwide. 

Whether you’re thinking about starting a microschool in the Prenda network or independently, read on for 7 important considerations and processes as you begin your microschooling journey

1. Get clear on your "why" and your vision

Starting a microschool (while much easier with Prenda) can be difficult work. You'll need to overcome a number of obstacles and persevere through some ups and downs. Having a clear vision of what you are creating and holding on to the purpose that drives you will be paramount. What change are you seeking to make? What problems are you trying to solve? Take a minute to consider what drives you, write it down, and reflect on it often.

Now let's talk through some logistics that often trip people up as they scale their "microschool mountain." Don't worry, we've handled all of these issues and can help you navigate all of these questions.

2. Safety and Other Protections

One of your main roles as a microschool founder will be to make sure your students are safe.

At Prenda, we prioritize safety by requiring all microschool guides to pass a federal background check. Additionally, adults residing in the microschool location, such as spouses and adult children, must complete a background check. 

And although not mandatory, many of our guides have CPR and first aid training and other safety certifications that address parent concerns.

As you market your microschool to parents, it's beneficial to highlight your safety credentials. Our microschool directory allows guides to promote their certifications, giving parents peace of mind:

💡 Prenda strongly advises that parents conduct their due diligence when finding a microschool, as background checks are only one aspect of child safety. Prenda does not guarantee the safety of children in any microschool. Guides and parents should work together to ensure student safety.

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3. Microschool LLCs and Insurance 

While optional, microschool guides often establish a limited liability company (LLC) for their microschool and purchase liability insurance for additional protections. These additional components are not required or provided by Prenda but you can seek out advise from our experienced guide community.

While obtaining liability insurance for microschools can be challenging due to their relatively new emergence, Prenda guides have successfully obtained affordable and comprehensive coverage. Details about these providers are often shared in the Prenda Community, an exclusive and extensive network for microschools guides to connect and share information:

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Connect with the Prenda Community to discover recommended insurance providers and gain insights into other successful microschool operatios.

👀 Psst…want a sneak peek into the Prenda Community? Read on for information on how to access our free course, The Beginner’s Guide to Microschooling, where you’ll be able to meet others like you early in their journey. Or go here if you simply can’t wait. 

4. Daily Microschool Operations 

Before you market your microschool, consider your desired day-to-day microschool operations.

Prenda guides typically operate Monday through Thursday, with 4-5 hour school days spread over a 10-month calendar. Prenda allows flexibility; schedules may vary based on guide preferences. This flexibility includes virtual and hybrid components to accommodate diverse learning and logistical needs. The schedule choice is yours but we highly recommend consulting parents and adjusting your schedule based on family needs.

To provide parents with upfront information, we include microschool schedules and other details in a dedicated section of each profile on our microschool directory. This way, parents can understand the daily operations before committing to a microschool:

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Make sure to establish clear guidelines and transparent operations, communicating them to current and prospective parents. 

5. Pricing Microschool Fees

Prenda guides choose their per-student rate, putting each microschool founder in the driver's seat deciding their own income. We call this a "guide fee."

The average guide fee is around $4,000-$5,000 per student. If you partner with Prenda, there is a $2,199 per student fee that is added to your guide fee. This makes the total cost to parents about $6,200-$7,200 per student per year. Does that sound like a lot? It's actually quite reasonble when you compare it to what public schools spend on each student, private schools, and day care costs. And remember, YOU ARE 💯 WORTH IT. We're going to say that again: you are creating an ideal learning environment for the kids in your community and you are worth every penny. Plus, 99% of students who enroll in Prenda microschools use state funded school choice scholarships and pay no out-of-pocket cost for their microschool experience.

Is Prenda worth it? YES. We provide SO MUCH VALUE to you as a microschool guide and to your students and the best part is we don't charge anything until you have students enrolled. There is no "start up fee." No "support fee." No "consultation fee." We provide step-by-step training, one-on-one consulting and guidance, personal coaching services, and access to a very experienced guide community with zero upfront cost to you. We also provide all your curriculum, academic coaching, and access to an amazing microschool management system that helps you run a professional, polished microschool year-round. And did we mention that we handle all your invoicing and payment collection as well? While it might sound too good to be true, rest assured, it is real. 😊 For a full breakdown of what Prenda offers you and your students, download our Curriculum Overview and Guide Tools PDFs.

How should you choose your guide fee? Consider all costs related to your school and your desired annual income. Work backward to determine better how to price your per-student rate. Things like rent, wear and tear, supplies and field trips, and insurance costs (if applicable), among other considerations, should be factored into setting your guide fee. You can play around with our compensation calculator to see how much you could earn and how many students you'd want to take on.

If you decide not to open a microschool powered by Prenda and rely on ESA funds for compensation, you will need to navigate your state's vendor requirements (in some states this is as easy as filling out a form, in others there are educational requirements and a lot of hoops to jump through). Looking at your state's vendor requirements will help you determine if you meet the eligibility criteria to receive payment directly through parents' ESA funds. In some states, you need to become an official private school to offer education services to children who you are not the legal guardian of.

6. Marketing Your Microschool

To attract parents, it is crucial to market your microschool effectively. Prenda guides are listed in our microschool directory, and we encourage guides to create compelling profiles. 

If you look at a few guide profiles, you’ll notice most have an array of photos, operating hours, microschool details, and thoughtful bios:

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Such transparency builds interest and trust in potential parents. Guides who take the time to complete their profiles tend to have higher engagement rates, as parents are more likely to reach out to them if they include photos and a bio.

We also enable connection between parents and guides on Facebook:

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Guides can also market their microschools through standalone business pages on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram or by creating microschool websites.

While word-of-mouth efforts play a significant role in attracting families, we provide our guides with a range of branded marketing materials to support their promotional efforts.

These materials include resources for events, bulletin board promotions, yard signs, and more. By equipping guides with these materials, we empower them to effectively reach out to their communities and generate interest in their microschools.

We've found that successful microschools often have nearby microschools, fostering a supportive environment for growth and learning. Our local Community builder programs (part of Prenda Community) allow guides in the same area to connect, share experiences, and refer families to each other. 

7. Curating Curriculum for Your Microschool

At Prenda, our operational software supports a student-centered learning model based on Prenda's four modes of learning: Connect, Conquer, Create, and Collaborate. 

Guides have access to over 20 mastery-based digital learning tools like iReady, Lexia, and Zearn, as well as the dashboard needed to obtain the progress insights of their students:

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Guides curate the curriculum based on student needs and interests. Physical workbooks and project-based curriculum round out the educational experience and ensure that students are making strong progress academically and learning in way that fits their needs.

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Microschool guides using ESA or private (direct pay) funds also can supplement their day with any outside curriculum of their choice, provided that curriculum is made known to parents. 

Starting a Microschool

If you're interested in starting a microschool, whether a Prenda microschool or a non-Prenda microschool, this information will guide you in the right direction. We offer a free course with more in-depth information that is available to the public:

You can sign up for The Beginner's Guide to Microschooling. 

If you’re ready to launch a microschool or want to explore our software and support systems future, click here to get started!

You will be prompted to provide some basic details and start your self-guided microschool checklist. The Prenda team will reach out to you soon after you get started to make sure you've got everything you need to succeed.

Our supportive staff, thriving microschool guide community, and comprehensive software are here to help you launch your microschool successfully.

If you'd like more information about starting a microschool, drop your email in below and get immediate access to a free overview webinar that will walk you through how it all works.

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