Education entrepreneurs throughout Utah were facing regulatory barriers from local governments, impeding their creation and growth. In one case, a microschool founder in St. George spent over $100,000 in legal fees and attorney costs trying to battle the city to let him operate.
Because microschools are a new concept, city and county bureaucrats didn’t know how to regulate these new models of learning. Are they a traditional school? Not really because the student body is so small. Are they a daycare or preschool? No, they aren’t that either because the children are school age.
We proposed a new, first-of-its-kind law to fix the problem—and it does two basic things. First, it permits microschools and similar businesses in all areas of a city or county. This is the same rule that applies to public and charter schools in the state. That means that these cool schools can be in your neighborhood.
Second, it makes the building requirements make sense for these new models. Building codes for public schools are designed for schools with a high population density and are more restrictive than typical commercial buildings. Instead, this bill allows these schools to operate in commercial buildings, or if the school is really small, to operate out of a home.
Removing these barriers for microschools gives Utah a thriving and diverse learning environment for kids. Families can find the education that works best for their child, and teachers can create the schools of their dreams. Now we’re helping other states pass laws just like this to open up opportunity for more education entrepreneurs.
