Top Ten Year Zero Compliance Action Items This document outlines the most common action schools experience during their planning year. Knowing these items will help you plan accordingly to be successful! Please visit for more information. Action Item Why it Matters What to Do Understand the The Action checklist indicates the Familiarize yourself with this list and refer back baseline items that must be completed to to it at least once a month during your planning open your school. year to ensure you’re on track for opening—and The major hurdles that new schools reach out to the Institute if any items aren’t clear! encounter are obtaining a facility, hiring a Start facility planning immediately! Obtaining and school leader, and hiring staff including a renovating a space is a big project that requires school nurse. planning several months in advance of opening. Set up the Education It’s required, but more importantly, good Once the NYS Board of Regents issues your charter, Corporation’s Board of board governance sets the groundwork for you need to officially meet and organize your Trustees and maintain effective management of your board, adopt by-laws, set the number of trustees, compliance with the NY organization. elect officers, form committees, and potentially add Open Meetings Law and new members. Public Officers Law Complete both federal It’s required by statute, but more Be sure to complete applications for both federal and state tax-exempt importantly, it saves you money. and tax-exempt status. By statute, this must status within one year of be completed within one year of receiving your receiving charter charter. Start staff and student This one’s pretty obvious—if you don’t You should identify and hire a head of school at recruitment early on have enough staff you can’t run your 6 full months before opening. school, and if you don’t have enough Hire certified teachers or teachers who meet the students, you won’t have enough money. exemption qualifications in Education Law § The Student Application is due to the 2854(3)(a-1). Institute by January 2nd, and the Student You should start recruiting students as early as Recruitment Summary is due by January possible to ensure you meet enrollment targets. 15th.
Top Ten Year Zero Compliance Action Items This document outlines the most common action schools experience during their planning year. Knowing these items will help you plan accordingly to be successful! Please visit for more information. Action Item Why it Matters What to Do Understand the The Action checklist indicates the baseline items that must be completed to open your school. The major hurdles that new schools encounter are obtaining a facility, hiring a school leader, and hiring staff including a school nurse. Familiarize yourself with this list and refer back to it at least once a month during your planning year to ensure you’re on track for opening—and reach out to the Institute if any items aren’t clear! Start facility planning immediately! Obtaining and renovating a space is a big project that requires planning several months in advance of opening. Set up the Education Corporation’s Board of Trustees and maintain compliance with the NY Open Meetings Law and Public Officers Law It’s required, but more importantly, good board governance sets the groundwork for effective management of your organization. Once the NYS Board of Regents issues your charter, you need to officially meet and organize your board, adopt by-laws, set the number of trustees, elect officers, form committees, and potentially add new members. Complete both federal and state tax-exempt status within one year of receiving charter It’s required by statute, but more importantly, it saves you money. Be sure to complete applications for both federal and tax-exempt status. By statute, this must be completed within one year of receiving your charter. Start staff and student recruitment early on This one’s pretty obvious—if you don’t have enough staff you can’t run your school, and if you don’t have enough students, you won’t have enough money. The Student Application is due to the Institute by January 2nd, and the Student Recruitment Summary is due by January 15th. You should identify and hire a head of school at 6 full months before opening. Hire certified teachers or teachers who meet the exemption qualifications in Education Law § 2854(3)(a-1). You should start recruiting students as early as possible to ensure you meet enrollment targets.
Year-Zero-Top-Ten-Action-Items.docx