How to Start an Online School
Online schools are opening every day to a waiting audience of students who love the idea of being able to get instruction when and where they choose. These on-the-go multi-taskers are always looking for a great new place to learn online, and you might have the answer to their search. But before you start grading assignments, you'll need to decide upon a name for your school, establish the institution, obtain accreditation and follow the other steps included in this article to complete the process. Just don't forget to budget for reunions when you're up and running!
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Instructions
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Raise funds. Luckily, your needs won't be as daunting as a bricks and mortar facility that must be heated, cooled and maintained and that carries the burdens of taxes and more. Stay as liquid as possible in the beginning so you can easily handle fees associated with filing for accreditations, instructor payrolls, postage, material, advertising and marketing.
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Contact your state to learn what licensing requirements are necessary for your school's launch. Most states will require you to submit curricula before they issue a license. Some schools have chosen not to be licensed, but be forewarned that if you are not a licensed institution of higher learning, you can't call it a "degree-granting" facility.
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Draft a business plan that includes a working budget, time lines, charter requirements, accreditation standards, faculty guidelines and marketing plans. Don't be shy about asking people already in the field of education for their recommendations. You'll get terrific advice and avoid pitfalls by walking in the footsteps of those who have already been down this path.
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Establish governance by drafting a mission statement, setting policies, outlining class offerings, establishing admissions parameters and determining how large a faculty you will need to get started.
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Advertise for and hire faculty. Faculty picks will be determined by the disciplines your school offers. For instance, technical colleges need educators well versed in software development, programming and other computer-related topics. Arts and science programs require academicians well versed in history, sociology, anthropology and economics. Use standard online job search sites or post to those specializing in academic careers.
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Launch a website. If you are software-savvy, programs like Front Page and Dreamweaver are popular picks and were created for people with more interest in communicating than tech-speak. If website design isn't your thing and you have no partner on board to handle this important step, hire a web designer to create your wireframe, then work with them on links, drill-down menus and other enhancements.
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Hire full-time faculty or adjunct instructors. Adjuncts typically have full-time jobs and teach to make extra money or to enhance their credibility. They are compensated according to the number of courses they teach and are rarely offered benefits. Staff is entitled to benefits and other considerations.
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Charge faculty with responsibility for writing your curricula. From lesson plans to measurable objectives, curricula writing classes are required for education majors at universities and faculty members are most comfortable teaching the curricula they author. Encourage curricula sharing among your faculty to team build and share ideas.
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Graduate your first student! This is a requirement for getting accreditation for your school. Regional accreditation commissions, funded and operated by the Department of Education, will help you through this process. Typically, the accreditation process takes a year to complete and will cost at least $25,000, so keep the checkbook handy.
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Put into place a monitoring system to keep operations, student recruitment, faculty evaluation and school operation on track. Assess strengths and weaknesses on a regular timetable and make adjustments as necessary.
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If, after reading this, you decide you can't do it on your own, there are companies across the globe willing to do the job for you. The most credible ones are expensive, but they know their way around a textbook or two, so let them launch the school and you can be in charge of mailing out diplomas.
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Tips & Warnings
You will need government recognition in the form of accreditation before you can add ".edu" to your website, so start with ".com" and switch over once you qualify.
