Good news, it’s rare for West Virginia education service providers (ESPs) to need complicated licenses and permits to conduct their business in our state. Combine that with West Virginia’s thriving economy, diverse workforce, education innovation culture, and the Hope Scholarship, and it’s clear — West Virginia is a great place to launch your ESP.
If you’re planning to make tutoring a part of your ESP, the state of West Virginia doesn’t require any special license or permit (including ESA families) beyond a valid accredited high school diploma or GED. In order for ESA families to pay for your services, you’ll need to register your ESP with MyScholarShop.
Microschools are a great way to put your education chops into immediate action and grow as a business owner — they’re small, scalable, and enriched by innovative ideas.
Microschools and learning pods are among the freshest ideas improving the way West Virginians learn. Microschools have their own special state statutes. Class sizes are generally accepted to be half as large as West Virginia’s average public or charter K12 classroom and much more tailored for the students they serve. Usually, around 10 students max. West Virginia doesn’t require microschools to file for any special registration, license, or permit. Microschools are a great way to put your education chops into immediate action and grow as a business owner — they’re small, scalable, and enriched by innovative ideas.
If you’re interested in starting a traditional private school, West Virginia is a great place to launch. West Virginia law has requirements for private schools, but none of these include special accreditation, registration, or licensing. If you’re serious about taking on this challenge, West Virginia is the place to do it. If you’re interested, reach out to us via chat, email, or a free thirty-minute consultation with one of our Innovation Hub experts. If you’re launching a private school, check out our friends at Herzog Schoolbox who specialize in launching private schools. If you’re interested in starting a new charter school, the West Virginia Professional Charter School Board has a ton of great information to help you launch on the right foot.
A couple of last, important things to consider before you go. First, when you’re launching any ESP business, you’ll want to connect with your insurance broker (the same one that covers your house or healthcare works) about business and liability insurance to see what’s right for your business. Second, though it’s rare, counties and cities can have specific licensing requirements. We highly recommend using West Virginia Secretary of State’s online “New Business Startup Wizard” to double check your legal requirements for licensing, registration, and tax requirements.
Have a question we haven’t covered? Innovation Hub is committed to helping you launch faster, launch right, and connect with West Virginia families. Open up a chat with us or request a 30 minute free consultation. We’re here to help!