What is a Microschool and How Do I Start One in Arizona?

Microschools are shaking up the education world in the best way possible! 🎉

These small, community-based schools prioritize personalized learning, flexible pacing, and student empowerment—giving kids an education that actually fits their needs. Unlike traditional schools, microschools offer a more dynamic, hands-on approach where kids can thrive socially and academically.

Microschools are growing fast, and Prenda is at the forefront of this movement! As one of the nation’s largest and most trusted microschool networks, Prenda makes it easy and fun to start your own microschool whether you have a professional education background or not (homeschool mamas and public school parents- you’re perfect, let’s do this!). While you can absolutely start a microschool independently, it’s a lot harder to do on your own. That’s why we built Prenda—to get all the tricky stuff out. of. your. way. So you can focus on creating a rigorous, yet whimsical, learning environment. 🤯Yes, it’s possible.

This guide will walk you through Prenda’s simple 10-step process for launching a microschool in Arizona—plus, we’ll cover Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program so your students can pay your microschool feels with little to no out-of-pocket cost. Yay! 

So grab your favorite snack, take a deep breath, and let’s dive into how you can start your microschool adventure in Arizona! It’s going to be amazing. You’re going to be amazing. 🚀

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Step 1: Get Informed and Determine Your Vision

You're already doing step 1! 🎉 Reading up on microschools in your area is essential. We recommend checking out these informative articles:

• What Are Microschools? (EdChoice)
• What’s a Microschool and Why Focusing on how Kids Learn is Changing Education. (Stand Together)
• The Rise of Millennial-Powered Microschools (Getting Smart) 

Consider your "why" and what type of learning environment you want to create. A significant part of this decision is your educational pedagogy and approach. At Prenda, we believe in empowering students to become self-directed learners who have strong skills and an intrinsic drive to pursue their goals. 

That said, there are many wonderful and beautiful ways to approach educating children. If Prenda's learning approach doesn't match your vision, that's completely okay! We want the future to be full of diverse educational options that meet everyone's unique needs. So even if you want to go it alone, we hope this process overview is a support to you in your journey! 🧳

Step 2: Set Up Your Microschool

To get started, simply click "Start My Microschool" on prenda.com (or open that there link in a new tab…go on now, you got this). Starting this process in no way commits you to starting a microschool IRL. You can explore this whole idea with no commitment and no cost. You’ve got nothing to lose! 

After you click Start My Microschool, you'll be asked some get-to-know-you questions to help tailor the process to your needs. Follow the prompts to create and account and don’t forget to verify your email. Make sure you use the email address you want for all your Prenda communications and microschool business correspondence. Check your email and verify your account. Easy peasy! 📧

Step 3: Choose Who You Want to Serve

Will you open your school to other people's children (the norm), or do you want to start with just your own kids in more of a homeschool setting with Prenda's support? This decision will shape your microschool's structure and growth potential. If you just want to homeschool with Prenda, welcome aboard! But if you want to earn an income as a microschool guide in your community, you’ll select the “Multi-family Microschool” option. 

Step 4: Select Your Funding Source

In Arizona, you have two primary funding options: direct pay or the Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Program (ESA).

The ESA program works by redirecting state education dollars to parents, allowing them to decide what type of education works best for their student. The average award amount varies depending on your school district but is approximately $7,000 per student per year. Prenda acts as the vendor and manages all the invoicing and payment collection, so guides (that's what we call our microschool teachers!) don't have to worry about it.

All K-12 students in Arizona are eligible for this scholarship, and funding is universally given to anyone who applies. This makes Arizona one of the most microschool-friendly states in the country! 🌵

For more detailed information about Arizona's ESA program, check out:

• A Quick Guide to Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Account
• Arizona ESA Details Document

Step 5: Paperwork and Safety Check

At this stage you'll sign something called the "Prenda Platform Agreement." 📜 This is a simple agreement between you and Prenda that just describes the relationship between Prenda and anyone using our products and services—stuff like intellectual property use. You should know that when you use Prenda to power your microschool, you are not an employee or independent contractor. You own and operate your own independent microschool and choose to utilize Prenda's services to assist you. Signing the Prenda Platform Agreement does not commit you to running a microschool. After you sign the agreement, you'll initiate a background check for you and for any other adults that will be present during school hours. Prenda handles all the logistics and the expense of providing background checks, all you have to do is fill out your information which takes about 2 minutes. ✅

Step 6: Find a Location and Decide How Much You Will Charge

As a microschool founder, you're responsible for finding your own location. The location needs to be safe for kids and have internet access. Think about creating an environment where kids can feel comfortable, be creative, and play. Many Prenda microschools operate out of homes, giving them an intimate, cozy vibe. Others use dance studios, tutoring centers, or even barns and outdoor spaces! 🏡 Here are just a few of the locations where people have run Prenda microschools...

Once you have a location, it's time to decide what your income will be. Prenda guides set their own per-student rate, allowing each microschool founder to control their income. This "guide fee" is typically around $4,000 per student in Arizona. In addition, Prenda charges a $2,199 per-student fee, bringing the total cost for families to about $6,200 per year. 😳 While this may seem high, it's actually much less than public school per student spending, private school tuition, and other child-focused services like daycare. Plus, 99% of Prenda students use state-funded school choice scholarships, covering the cost entirely. Check out Prenda's income calculator to see how much you could earn as a microschool guide.

Is Prenda worth the money? YES! We provide comprehensive training, one-on-one coaching, and access to a supportive guide community—all at no upfront cost. Our package includes K-8th curriculum for all subjects, academic coaching, and a microschool management system that makes running your school so easy. We even handle invoicing and payment collection, so you can focus on creating an exceptional learning environment. And instead of nickel and diming you with start up fees, service charges, and coaching expenses, we provide all our services with no upfront cost to you. All of our service fees are baked into that per student Prenda fee, so we only make money when you successfully launch your microschool. Pretty sweet deal, eh? We’re in your corner, no matter what. 🚩 Check out our Curriculum Overview and Guide Toolkit for a deeper dive into what you get. 

Step 7: Build Your Microschool Profile and Start Outreach

Once you have a location and your guide fee is set, you can use Prenda's profile builder to create your microschool profile. This profile gets linked to Prenda's microschool marketplace, which is a map of all the microschools. This makes it easy for prospective parents to find you! You can also use your profile link to text to friends or post on social media. 

Check out the map of existing microschools here: Find a Microschool

As you find interested families, all you have to do is send them an invite to join your school. They'll fill out a quick form, and bam—you'll see them pop up in your Prenda account, ready for school!

Step 8: Prenda Guide Certification Training

This step-by-step training will teach you more about Prenda's learning system and how kids will learn at your microschool. You'll also get sample schedules and a detailed checklist of things to help prepare you and your students for a successful year. This information will equip you to talk to parents and grow your school. 📚

At Prenda, we provide a research-aligned learning approach that allows every student to progress at their own pace without creating detrimental academic learning gaps or limiting beliefs about themselves as learners. Learning at Prenda is hands-on and focused on building real-world skills and academic mastery. 💡It's rigorous, but fun! 

Step 9: Your Kick-off Party

Hold a school kick-off party with new students and families to get to know each other. Prenda provides details on how to run a successful school kick-off and orientation party so everyone is set up and ready for the first day. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Creating a sense of belonging from day one sets the tone for a thriving microschool community. 

Step 10: Start School!

What an exciting day this will be! 🎊 Microschool life is truly magical—kids get to be kids while still learning the skills they need to prepare them for the world, all without losing their love of learning. You get to watch them grow, inspire them, coach them, and cheer them on. The Prenda team will continue to support you year-round. If you have any questions or run into any issues, both our team and our guide community are here to help. You’re never alone.

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Want to learn more about how this all works? Drop your email to get immediate access to our free overview webinar "Microschooling 101."

And if you want to hear the story of Prenda's founding and get a better sense of how the microschooling movement is revolutionizing education, check out this video...

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