Starting A New School
Take Your Vision and Make it a Reality
Investigators
Gain access to our experience with more than 30 school start-up projects. If you are in the early stages of considering whether to start your new school, what the obstacles may be, what the regulations might be, what the cost might be, we offer enlightening and prescriptive yet very affordable resources as your first step.
Do It Yourself Resources
Whether you are just starting to look into this exciting idea or are ready to move forward, ISPG has the experience and resources that can help turn your dream into a reality!
Founders
Ready to move forward and start your new school? ISPG has catalogued for you the best practices of starting a new school compiled from our work on over 30 projects spanning 25 years. This is a complete how to package, including step by step instructions on what needs to be accomplished, what challenges you may be able to avoid saving thousands if not hundreds of thousands of dollars, in every aspect of a new school formation process.
A Snapshot into Starting a School
Project Management Services
For those who have a broad vision of starting a new school but lack the resources to do it alone, ISPG has been the project managers for more than 30 new school start-ups including international schools, boarding schools, language immersion, and faith-based schools from ECE to 12th grade in the United States, Canada, and abroad.
Financially viable
Void of costly errors and missteps
On time and on budget
Stay within the financial reach of the founders
Exceed the expectations of the community
A long-term legacy of the founders’ vision
ISPG and its Associates provides school start-up services to private schools throughout North America. Our experience of helping numerous other founders form their schools guides us in understanding the critical functions of starting a school and will provide you and your group with the strategies and tactics that will contribute to making your project:
Some of Our School Formation Projects
Full formation services in 2025 for two faith-based schools in Florida
Formation, property procurement services in 2025 for two faith-based schools in Virginia.
Business Plan development for a proposed new Christian high school to open in 2023 in Wisconsin
Full formation services in 2022 for a neuro-diverse school in Tampa, Florida
Full formation services in 2022 for a 9-12th grade Christian school in Los Angeles, California
Full formation services in 2022 for a 6th-12th grade day and boarding school Christian school in Atlanta, Georgia
Full formation services in 2021 for a K-8th grade STEAM school in California
Full formation services in 2020 for a K-8th grade school in Wisconsin
Full formation services in 2018 for a 6th-12th grade IB school
Negotiation and purchase for a 25 acre boarding school for a Chinese client
Formation services for a Hollywood celebrity couple’s school in Los Angeles, California
Location search for a Chinese/Canadian consortium’s high school
Full formation services in 2018 for a Mandarin/Spanish immersion school in Miami
Business plan development for a faith-based school in Miami
Business plan development for a K-12th grade school in Kuala Lumpur
Business plan development for a K-8th school in New York City
Full formation services for a school in Alabama
Business plan development for a school in Austin, Texas
Formation services for a fine arts school in Vancouver, BC
Financial Plan
The most important part of starting a new school is to have a well informed foundational Financial Plan.
Most of the new schools that are struggling after the first year or two are as a result of having a Financial Plan that lacks the insider metrics that private school specialists possess. This leads to overspending and overestimating revenues both of which creates a financial crisis for the new school.
ISPG creates a Financial Plan that captures all of the specific costs of starting a school based upon our work with numerous other projects, expected revenues derived from market research and our experience in attracting enrollment and constructing a revenue model that maximizes revenue opportunities, and operating expenses that eliminates wasteful spending on unnecessary equipment, fixtures, and people. The Financial Plan is the foundational document guiding you confidently through the first four years of your new school’s life . It includes:
Vision and Mission statement
Start-up costs pre-opening - Equipment, staffing, marketing, educational program resources, facilities expenses, licensing, accreditations
Consolidated financial projections for the first three years’ of operations
A comprehensive market review
Staff and faculty requirements, market researched salaries
Tuition and fees
Student enrollment in specific grades
Detailed list of revenue items that will fund the school’s operations
Detailed list of expenses required to operate the school for the first three years
Detailed schedules for FF&E, capital costs, facility expenses, HR requirements, operating projections
Risks and Limitations
“Mr. Sumida presented as always, a professional appearance and was clear and concise in his presentations to parents.
Urban Academy has since purchased a beautiful heritage building that we will move into in 2007.”
Laura D. Board Chair, JK-12th enrollment 125
“After renting a school vacated by the local school district, our parent board decided to purchase the building as it came up for sale. Great idea, but how to do that with $50,000 only.
Enter Reed Sumida, who led the Board and parent group through the purchase of the school.
I heartily recommend Reed Sumida to you as a person knowledgeable and experienced in such large undertakings involving financial institutions and the commitments involved there.”
Bonnie W, Principal, Montessori School
ISPG Quick Tip – If you want to significantly increase the likelihood of making your school dream a reality, the first stage of your school formation has to have these three vital components:
A vision for the school shared by others who will dedicate their time and energy within your founding group.
Financial resources sufficient to fund the development of your school’s business and financial plan.
A driving passion that will see you through the challenging process of achieving your objective.
Whether you are looking to start a Pre-School, PreK-5th grade school, K-12th grade school or some other configuration, ISPG Associates have real-world experience based in our vast educational and business sector experiences to help you to achieve your vision.
Email info@ispginc.com call 1-800-505-8929, or reach out via our Inquire Now form to discuss your school’s needs or to obtain additional information.