Licensing a New Sector of Schools The Yoga Experience Creating a win/win/win relationship

Patrick Sweeney Wisconsin Educational Approval Board Scott Anderson Alignment 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.

1234 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 to July  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 know A 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 #2 Be 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 #1 Program 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 #2 During the approval process, allow schools to stay open

Pat #2: Timeline to complete approval 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 schools Regulators 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?