Microschools serve a smaller number of students and are therefore more nimble than larger or more traditional schools. Their size offers opportunities for flexibility, particularly in finding affordable and safe spaces that align with the learning vision. Co-location with existing schools or partner facilities can be a cost-effective solution, especially in the early stages, but it also has trade-offs. Leaders must be intentional about maintaining the microschool’s distinct culture, strategy, and identity to prevent it from being negatively altered by the host, especially when the co-location host is another school. Careful planning around operations and facilities can help ensure that efficiencies don’t come at the expense of innovation and autonomy. 

Guiding Questions

• What are the safety and liability requirements for your school system?
• What are free or low-cost options, including co-location?
  • Do they already meet safety requirements? 
  • If not, what work would we need to do to meet the requirements?
  • For co-location options, whether another school or a partner facility, consider the hours of operation and accessibility to the space as needed.
• What are any space needs aligned to your school vision (e.g., open space for group projects, technology infrastructure, etc.)?
• What must you prioritize now vs. later?

Action Steps

Familiarize yourself with school safety and liability requirements in coordination with your public school system. Even if a space seems ideal—affordable, accessible, and aligned with your instructional vision—it must still meet all applicable safety and liability standards. These considerations should be addressed early, in partnership with the district or authorizing entity, to avoid potential legal or operational issues down the line. Examples of safety and liability requirements include, but are not limited to:

• Fire prevention systems: These include alarms, smoke detectors, sprinklers, marked and accessible emergency exits, and fire extinguishers.
• Fire doors and escape routes: Fire doors must be self-closing and unobstructed. Exit routes must be clearly marked, well-lit, and easily accessible.
• Security and surveillance: To protect the students and staff, access to the school must be controlled, such as through secure and limited entry points or electronic access control systems.
• Health and hygiene: Schools must maintain sanitary conditions to prevent the spread of disease. This includes regularly cleaning restrooms, classrooms, and common areas, including those where food is handled. Standards related to ventilation and air quality may also apply. Schools will be subject to ongoing health and safety inspections.
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Compliance: The school must be accessible to individuals, including visitors, with disabilities. This includes ramps or elevators, accessible restrooms, and doorways and hallways wide enough for wheelchair access.
• Traffic Safety: There must be safe drop-off, pick-up, or walking/bicycle zones.

Explore free and low-cost options, ideally co-location arrangements that already meet safety codes. It can be a huge cost-saving for public microschools to co-locate with community partners, especially those with facilities already up to code. Ideas for co-location:

• Small schools or other microschools (public or private) 
• Community organizations (e.g., churches, community centers)
• Unused spaces within an existing school
• A local business or university, especially if part of your vision is a partnership with them
• If you cannot find a co-location partner and need to seek a separate facility, you will need to revisit your budget and consider fundraising to afford the rent.

Compare available facilities to the needs dictated by your instructional vision. Your plan for how learners spend their time will likely influence the type of space you desire. For instance, if your students are learning online, ensure your space has the necessary infrastructure to support that technology. If your model centers on project-based learning, you may want an ample, open space with modular furniture that can flex to the needs of the day. 

Compromise. You will need to consider many factors we’ve named—budget, accessibility, safety and health regulations, and instructional needs—and no situation will be perfect. As such, you will need to make compromises. You will also likely need to work to improve your facility.  You may find that the space you have is good enough to launch your school, and later, you may invest time and energy into finding a space that works better for your school community.

Tips and Examples

When selecting a location for your microschool, consider both the opportunities and challenges of co-locating within a traditional school building. While having a separate space can help reinforce your microschool’s unique culture and protect against slipping into more conventional practices, many public microschools have found success operating as a school within a school. Shared spaces can offer valuable access to resources, reduce startup costs, and foster collaboration when the vision is clear and well-supported. If co-location is the most viable or strategic option, be intentional about preserving your microschool’s distinct learning model through thoughtful design choices, effective staffing, well-structured scheduling, and ongoing communication with stakeholders.

In Atlanta, the Ferguson School, Lighthouse Prep ATL, the NIA School, and Brave Learning Space are all co-located on the same floor of a local church, which leases rooms to each of these schools. While each microschool operates independently and offers a distinct model, the schools can share costs and, in some cases, personnel resources. They also demonstrate the potential for strategic collaboration, such as building a pipeline that would enable students to transition from one microschool to the next as they grow older. 

Wichita Learning Lab is housed in a space with four microschool tenants, including two public and two private schools.

Opportunity and Access

Since your public microschool may be unable to provide a bus for its students, location is a critical consideration. Your school’s location can have a significant impact on who enrolls and whether the school is truly inclusive. For instance, a school in an inconvenient location may be more accessible to wealthier families with the time and resources (e.g., vehicles) to navigate a long or tricky commute.  Also, as mentioned above, you must ensure that any potential facility is ADA-accessible. Even if you aren’t currently enrolling a student with a physical disability, you need to be prepared for that possibility—and for the possibility of hosting a visitor who does.