Licensing a New Sector of Schools

The Yoga Experience

Creating a win/win/win relationship

Patrick SweeneyWisconsin Educational Approval Board

Scott AndersonAlignment Yoga & CenterLine Services

Zero Sum Game

Win - Win - Win Regulators - Schools - Consumers

When should states regulate a new sector?

Wisconsin criteria make it clear when the state should regulate a new sector.

1 2 3 4

Four criteria

Meets legal definition

1

High risk to consumers

2

Industry standard exists

3

Warrants state resources

4

9 Wisconsin EAB-approved Yoga Teacher Training Schools and all have different Styles/Approaches

172 Number of students enrolled last program year: June 30 2008 to July 1 2009

230 Hours Average program length $3,500 Average tuition $600,000 Approximate total tuition Consumers

spent on Yoga Teacher Training

At least 170,000 people

in Wisconsin practicing yoga

What are yoga school founders like?

Important for state regulators to knowA Yoga Teacher Training program helps solve common yoga studio problems; it may generate a significant portion of the studio’s revenue and build a pool of teachers

Yoga Alliance

Our mission is to lead the yoga community, set standards, foster integrity, provide resources, and uphold the teachings of yoga.

Yoga Alliance® registers both individual yoga teachers and yoga teacher training programs (schools) who have complied with minimum educational standards established by the organization.

Standards for program and school approval

Number and definition of contact hours

Standards for program and school approval

Example of flexibility in the standards [anatomy and physiology]

The Yoga Alliance standards are so flexible that yoga teacher training programs have ample room to focus on areas that are important to their lineage of yoga

Best practices for contacting new sector businesses

Pat - 3 | Scott - 3

Pat #1 Tone of the letter

Best practice

Letter received

DENIAL

REASONING for non-compliance

DIALOGUE

Scott #1:Be prepared for a pragmatic and systematic dialogue with studio owners

Pat #2Be prepared to establish communication and trust by allaying unfounded fears

Emphasize potential for win/win/win outcome

Scott #2:

Pat #3:Meeting about approval process with individuals or groups

Scott #3:Refer then to someone who has done it before, to examples and community resources

Best practices to tailor approval process to sector

Pat - 3 | Scott - 3

Pat #1Program approval = Yoga alliance approval

Scott #1:

Understand the unique characteristics of the audience

Pat #2:Catalog/Communicating Expectations: from Yoga School to Private School

Scott #2During the approval process, allow schools to stay open

Pat #2:Timeline to completeapproval process

Scott #3:

Offer alternatives to surety bond such as an escrow account or letter of credit

Suggestions for creating a Win/Win/Win Regulators reach out to established

schoolsRegulators should begin communication

in an open but firm tone Approval process relies on industry

standards (Yoga Alliance)Approval process must be tailored to

sector

Win-Win-Win

CONSUMERS

Questions?