How is Prenda tuition-free? Tuition-free microschools in Colorado are made available through our partnership with Education reEnvisioned BOCES. Prenda is considered a homeschool enrichment program in Colorado, although students are receiving a complete K-8 education experience. ‍

2022-2023 New Student Enrollment

How do I enroll my child to start attending Prenda? Simply create an account in Prenda’s enrollment portal and start the four-step enrollment process for each child. We will let you know via email when your registration is complete or if we need any additional information. Typically, it takes 1-2 weeks to process and finalize. 

Note: If the school year that you are enrolling for has not started yet, you may not receive a final confirmation until closer to the start of the school year.

1. Confirm that your child is new to Prenda

2. Select your program and funding source

• Prenda Microschool, Prenda Familyschool, or Prenda Platform
• Education reEnvisioned BOCES or monthly subscription

3. Choose your microschool/Guide. You can come back to this later if you don’t have a microschool picked out yet, but your student’s enrollment cannot be finalized without it. Many new microschools will start to become available in April and throughout the summer. 

4. Submit the online enrollment form. Be sure to have all of your student’s documents ready!

2022-2023 Returning Student Enrollment

Enrollment for returning students for the 22-23 school year in Colorado is open from May 2022 to June 30th, 2022. Due to the fact that microschools fill up quickly, we recommend that parents start the enrollment process as soon as possible. 

Any students who have not completed returning student enrollment by June 30th, 2022 will be withdrawn from the Prenda program. A new student enrollment form can be submitted anytime after that if you decide to enroll in Prenda again. 

How do I enroll my child to continue attending Prenda? Simply create an account in Prenda’s enrollment portal and start the four-step enrollment process for each child. We will let you know via email when your registration is complete or if we need any additional information. Typically, it takes 1-2 weeks to process and finalize. ‍

Note: If the school year that you are enrolling for has not started yet, you may not receive a final confirmation until closer to the start of the school year.

1. Confirm that your child is currently enrolled with  Prenda

2. Select your program and funding source (link to tab)

• Prenda Microschool, Prenda Familyschool, or Prenda Platform
• Education reEnvisioned BOCES or monthly subscription

3. Choose your microschool/Guide. You can skip this step and come back to it later if you don’t have a microschool picked out yet, but your student’s enrollment cannot be finalized without it. Many new microschools will start to become available in April and throughout the summer. 

4. Submit the online enrollment form. You may need to have some/all of your student’s documents available depending on what may be changing from last school year to 22-23. For example if your family moved, you will need to provide a new proof of residence. 

Enrollment FAQs

When can I select a microschool? You can start exploring the microschool map whenever you’d like. You’ll receive a link to the map via email after you start the enrollment process or by filling out the request for information form. ‍

Microschools for the 2022-2023 school year will begin showing up on the map May 2022 and in the following summer months as new microschools open. Before this time, you can get a headstart on your student’s enrollment, but will need to come back to finish the enrollment process. 

When will school start? Prenda Guides set their own first day of school, so this is a great question to ask as you are connecting with Guides on the microschool map. Microschools will open for learning anytime after August 1, 2022.  ‍

Do I need to complete a separate enrollment form for each of my children? Yes, but you will only need to create one account in the enrollment portal. You’ll add basic information and upload documents for each child you are enrolling. ‍

What documents will I need for enrollment? In addition to submitting the documents below, you will need to submit an intent to homeschool form to your district of residence 14 days before the start of the homeschool enrichment program. 

• Online enrollment form
• Child’s proof of age, such as a state-issued birth certificate
• Proof of residence, such as a utility bill
• Immunization records, medical exemption form, or non-medical exemption form
• Custody documentation, if applicable
  

What is the cut-off date for Kindergarten? Kindergarten students must turn five before August 31 of the current school year in order to be enrolled in Prenda. 

Typically microschools observe a four-day school week from Monday through Thursday. Schedules are set by each Guide and can vary, but generally follow local district calendars. Guides provide an annual minimum of 688 in-class hours for Grades K-8.

Tip for parents: When you visit microschools, ask each Guide what school hours and days they have set. You can also ask if they follow a particular school district’s calendar, or if they have set their own. 

Guides are focused on getting to know each child, identifying their learning needs, implementing accommodations/modifications, and working with certified teachers and a team at Prenda to ensure that they continue to progress as learners. 

Does Prenda provide special education services? Prenda does not provide special education services for enrolled students in Colorado, however, our Exceptional Student Services team will work with Guides to create a Prenda Support Plan when necessary. 

Students participate in i-Ready, an adaptive online assessment tool that measures what they know and what they need to learn next. This information is used to help Guides determine a learning plan that best meets the needs of each child. 

Guides are also able to stay highly tuned into student progress because of the small and personalized learning environment. They regularly communicate with parents to share successes, challenges, and plans for continued progress. Every Guide is supported by a certified teacher and a team of individuals at Prenda that help monitor student progress and create learning plans to meet the needs of every child. ‍

What is an adaptive online assessment tool? Rather than presenting all students with the same set of questions, this tool adjusts based on responses entered. When a student demonstrates understanding of a particular topic, the questions become more challenging. Conversely, if a student is struggling with a concept the questions adapt to help determine what they do know. At the end of the day, the goal is for students to always be working at their learning frontier—that sweet spot between too easy and too difficult. This tool helps students do just that. 

Additional testing information can be found on the Colorado Department of Education website.

The application process: 

1. After reading through the Guide requirements, you’re ready to submit your application. You’ll set up a virtual interview then too. 
2. Next, we’ll chat with you, review your application, and let you know if you will be moving forward. 
3. If you do, we’ll help you get started on the necessary paperwork so you can begin onboarding. That’s where the real fun begins! You’ll learn all about our learning model, curriculum, and core values, and prepare to open your microschool. 
4. Finally, you’ll begin what we call the First 20 Days, in which you get step-by-step support during your first 20 days as a Guide and put the learning from onboarding into practice. 
   

How long does it take to go through the application and onboarding process? It depends on how quickly you attend your virtual interview and submit the required documents, including fingerprint clearance. On average, it takes someone about two to three weeks to become a Guide. 

What is the state fingerprinting process, and how long does it take? It generally takes about two weeks for new Guides to receive their fingerprint clearance cards. 

• Experience (paid or unpaid) working with children or home educating children of your own.
• Moderate technology skills, with the ability to pick up new systems quickly.
• Basic understanding of Prenda’s learning model and core values.
• Ability to recruit students from at least two different families after becoming an approved Guide. We can help you with this too! 
• High level of professionalism; including strong communication skills and prioritization of confidentiality.
• Ever-curious, resourceful, creative, and problem-solving nature—a lover of learning that strives for a growth mindset.
• Top-notch organizational skills in order to monitor student progress and oversee day-to-day microschool operations.
• Open to learning about student autonomy, motivation, and connective discipline.
• Ability to arrange a microschool location (home or other suitable space) that meets the location requirements.
• Obtain fingerprint clearance, clear background check, and CPR & first aid certifications.
• Reliable internet access with high-speed streaming.
• 18 years or older, and authorized to work in the U.S.

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Guides are paid per student per year, which amounts to $6,840 - $9,120 per year for a microschool. Keep in mind that this is based on a nine-month schedule with about 20 microschool hours a week and 3-4 students enrolled.

How many hours do Guides work each week? About 20 hours per week, plus additional hours required for SPED services, meetings, and preparation.‍

How many students can enroll in my microschool? Each microschool needs to have three students enrolled from at least two families to begin. Each microschool can have a maximum of four students enrolled if the Guide does not have an active Childcare License. If the Guide has an active Childcare License, the maximum number of students is ten.

Will I get help from Prenda to find students? Yes! Oftentimes, when new Guides share with their network that they are opening a microschool, they have no trouble filling the 3-4 spaces for students. If you need help though, we have a team of people that can connect you with interested parents in your area. ‍

Is there a deadline for enrolling students in Colorado? Yes, enrollment is only open through September 15th, and all microschools must start no later than October 1st. 

All Guides undergo microschool site inspections and background checks, submit character references, obtain fingerprint clearance cards, and complete onboarding with Prenda to set them up for success. 

During onboarding, Guides get a deep dive into our learning model, curriculum, and core values. They get support at every step of the way from Prenda as they prepare to open their microschools and enroll students. Throughout the school year, they can reach out to a team of certified teachers to ask questions, navigate challenges, and feel confident that their students are getting what they need to thrive. 

Why do Guides need a fingerprint clearance card? This card shows that a thorough background check was administered by the state and is typically required by anyone working with children. The safety of our students is a top priority at Prenda, so we ensure that every Guide goes through this process. 

What is the process for getting a fingerprint clearance card? This card can be obtained in-person or online by the Department of Public Services and typically is received in the mail within a few weeks.

Education reEnvisioned BOCES

For more information, visit https://www.edreenvisioned.org/domain/18

Funding type and eligibility

• Tuition-free enrollment is available for any student Kindergarten through 8th Grade students residing in CO through enrollment with our school partner, Education reEnvisioned BOCES.
• Students participating in Prenda through the Education reEnvisioned BOCES are considered homeschool students by the Colorado Department of Education. You are required to submit an Intent to Homeschool notice in Colorado.
• Students can participate in a microschool or familyschool.
  

Special education services

• No special education services are provided to homeschool students through Prenda or our partner schools. If your student requires services, you must arrange them independently. 
  

Grades and report cards

• No educational records (report cards, transcripts, etc) are kept for homeschool students by Prenda.
  

Assessments

• Students are required to participate in Prenda’s benchmark assessments at the beginning, middle and end of the year.
• Students are not required to participate in any state mandated assessments.
  

Attendance

• Students must adhere to the Prenda Attendance Policy.

Prenda Platform (monthly subscription)

For more information, visit https://www.prenda.com/state-offerings/prenda-platform

Funding type and eligibility

• Monthly subscription to the Prenda Platform.
• Prenda Platform students are not enrolled through one of our partner schools, and Prenda is a program/education provider and not a school. 
• Prenda Platform students are strictly given the ability to access the Prenda learning platform.
  

Special education services

• No special education services are provided to Prenda Platform students through Prenda or our partner schools. If your student requires services, you must arrange them independently. 
  

Grades and Report cards

• No educational records (report cards, transcripts, etc) are kept for Prenda Platform students by Prenda.
  

Assessments

• Students are not required by Prenda to participate in beginning, middle, and end of year benchmark assessments.
• Students are not required by Prenda to participate in any state mandated assessments.
  

Attendance

• Students are not required by Prenda to adhere to an attendance policy.