I would like to start a private Montessori school, ideally going up to 8th grade and probably starting with kindergarten rather than preschool. I like and believe in the Montessori education system and I am clear about what I would like the school to offer families in terms of education, programs/activities, environment, etc. I don't know what the revenue model is for a private school, how hard it is to hire and retain good teachers and staff, and how to navigate the regulatory requirements. I do have a good sense already about how to market the school (local events, local family magazines, networking, etc.) and how to maintain quality (training, parental feedback, classroom observation, etc.), so I'm less concerned about those aspects. In my area of Southern California, I've seen a lot of private schools, including Montessori schools, fill up with pupils, so I presume there is high demand for this type of quality education but I don't know how well the schools do financially.
Are you pursuing a for-profit or non-profit model for your school? Do you have an education background? Are you certified to run Montessori school?
Initial recommendations:
•Investigate the California Department of Education requirements for operating an educational institution.
•Investigate the requirements for the two accrediting bodies for Montessori: AMS <http://amshq.org/School-Resources/AMS-School-Accreditation> and AMI <http://amiusa.org/>. While not required, private schools are reputation-based and accreditation plays into your brand equity.
•Investigate the requirements for the regional independent school accrediting body. While not required, many Montessori schools struggle to keep enrollment through elementary and middle school as parents expectations shift to college preparation, which Montessori does not have strong brand recognition for, and adopt a academic rigor / progressive education model of education accredited by a regional independent schools association for credibility.
While starting with kindergarten frees you from the state early childhood childcare regulations, which can be onerous, it also cuts off your funnel. As a school brand, Montessori is precisely strongest at the very early ages, so you may have a challenge attracting families who already started their child with a Montessori school that has a preschool. Many Montessori school start with 18-month infant & parent programs.
Best regards,
Keith Gillette
Answered 9 years ago
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