Be The
Group Project
Kip Deist
Michael Burke
MGT 573
Be The
Our long-term objective: To establish ongoing education
programs that address the changing personal and developmental needs of our
youths with a specific orientation towards establishing effective solutions to
prepare the way for successful community awareness and participation. These
programs will be delivered through the development and opening of a charter
school in August of 2003. The objective of this project is to define and assess
the requirements for the development of a charter school. The result will be
the opening of the school.
This
school will implement the developing pedagogy, the art and science of teaching,
to determine true educational validity in today's environment, while meeting
all required Arizona State Standards. Educational programs, based on
internal/external learning processes, will facilitate youth to maintain a
balance of scientific, social, and environmental harmony. This key area is
where self-awareness and critical thinking must be applied, integrating the
inner and outer experiences of the participants, which helps each student
achieve success. Critical thinking and socialization skills development are
real-world tie-ins to our curriculum. Inclusion of ‘alternative’ curriculum
facilitates diverse learner and special needs students’ success. Until a
student is available emotionally, they often have difficulty learning. Our
holistic approach also contains specific curricula developed to address students
from dysfunctional environments.
Diverse
learning ability and cognitive skills are a primary focus of this type of
environment and will be incorporated in the design and infrastructure of the
facility. Many pieces of these educational processes have been developed
individually in alternative, charter, or private schools to date. We shall
bring these necessary tools together to facilitate a resurgence of true
scientific inquiry, engaging mind, body and spirit in the process of education.
It is obvious that our previous educational environments have been successful,
yet with the discoveries regarding learning and interaction with the world
around us, the current systems are far behind in the delivery and
implementation of the most recent discoveries. This area is addressed with the
care and concern of progressive parenting and leading edge learning
environments.
The
parent organization, Be The Dream, will function as
the non-profit organization responsible for developing the charter and
facilitating the organizational development. The goal of the organization is to
develop educational delivery systems that meet the current and future needs of
students, primarily in the K-12 arena. The creation of a charter school that
demonstrates the application of this goal fits the overall goal of the
organization. This project includes mandatory and alternative curricula that
meet the needs of the individual student, support groups for processing through
educational barriers, and the support staff necessary to administer and
facilitate the educational environment. The integration of arts, science, and
technology provides a balanced approach to meeting the educational goals of the
school.
The
completion of this project is necessary to fulfill the requirements of the business
development for this charter school. Charter schools currently are business
units serving the parents and students. State funding is determined by the
enrollment of these students in the school. Additional funds are necessary to
compliment the enrollment-based funding because charter schools do not receive
the same per student as traditional public schools. The foundation of the
school’s development is the most critical factor. This project will cover
assessment, definition, and evaluation of the approach, risk and rewards of
opening a charter school.
The
Work Breakdown Schedule would be as follows:
Phase 1 – Strategic Plan
Self-Assessment
Define
business vision – Who we are, what we do, who we serve
Identify available skills, information and support
Develop
administrative team – define areas of expertise
Defining the
Research the market and competition
– existing charter schools
Interview owners of similar schools
– potential collaborators
Identify needed resources – facilities,
resources, staff, students
Identify operation cost elements –
high level budget
Evaluate Business Approach
Define new entity requirements –
legal and financial
Identify on-going business purchase
potential – existing charter
Research franchise possibilities –
potential collaborators
Summarize business approach
Evaluate Potential Risks and
Rewards
Assess market size and stability –
student base/location
Estimate the competition – research
and review
Assess needed resources available –
curricula, funding, materials
Evaluate realistic initial market –
initial enrollment target
Determine financial requirements –
facility, materials, and staff
Review personal suitability – skill
set and mind set fit
Evaluate initial profitability –
student to staff ratio
Review
and modify the strategic plan
Confirm
decision to proceed
Phase 2 – Defining the Business
Define
the market
Access available information –
associations, databases, etc.
Create market analysis plan – who,
what, when, where, how
Implement
market analysis plan – focus groups
Identify competition – best
practices and market advantage
Summarize the market – what is
missing?
Identify target market niche
Identify
Needed Materials and Supplies
Select
business approach (from above)
Identify
management staff resources
Identify staffing requirements –
WBS and timeline
Identify needed materials –
hardware, software, supplies
Identify
needed utilities – facilities management
Summarize operating expenses
Evaluate
Potential Risks and Rewards
Assess market size and stability
– analysis of charter environment
Assess needed resources
availability –foundation, private, state
Forecast
financial returns – conservative and potential
Review and modify the business opportunity
Confirm decision to proceed
Phase 3 – Action Plan
Develop
Detailed 5-Year Plan
Describe the
vision and opportunity
List assumptions
Describe the market
Describe the new business
Describe the strengths
weaknesses, assets, and threats
Estimate the enrollment
Estimate the additional funding
Forecast operating costs
Establish marketing strategy
Forecast revenue
Summarize pro-forma financial
statement
Develop break-even analysis
Develop cash-flow projection
Identify licensing and permitting
requirements
Develop
start up plan
Develop sales and marketing
strategy
Describe risks and opportunities
Publish the business plan
Confirm decision to proceed
Phase 4 – Proceed With Start Up Plan
Choose a location –
lease or build
Establish
Business Structure
Choose a
name
Identify implications
Research name
availability
Choose
a Bank
Establish
accounts
Establish line of credit
Choose legal representation
Select business tax-base category
Choose capital funding sources
Commit capital funding
Establish
the Operating Control Base
Choose and
set up the accounting system
Obtain required licenses and permits
Obtain needed insurance
Establish security plan
Develop Marketing
Program
Establish an advertising program
Develop a logo
Order promotional materials
Provide Physical
Facilities
Secure operation space
Select computer network hardware
Select computer software
Establish utilities
Provide furniture and equipment
Move in
Provide Staffing
Interview and test candidates
Hire staff
Train staff
Start up the
business
Initial budget
concerns include Operations Management, Facility Management, Curriculum Management,
and Student Management. Rough estimates are between $600,000 and $1,400,000.
This budget will be further defined and refined as work is completed on the
project plan and research into its components reveal cost estimates. Enrollment
estimates will determine variations within the budget projections.
In conclusion, the
continued work on this plan will encompass the materials presented in the
course while developing and implementing process and project planning scope and
sequence. We will utilize MS Project and MindManager
as resource tools to develop this project and facilitate the implementation of
the best practices necessary to achieve success.