Streamline Your School Contracts: A Guide to Onboarding with Ease

What is onboarding? Onboarding is the process that takes place between a contract being signed and the start of billable services. It's about obtaining everything you need from your school to hit the ground running as a contract business.

The onboarding process is crucial for ensuring your direct contract services kick off in an organized and streamlined manner, whether for you or for the hires you place at the school.

Top Tips:

1. Create a Checklist
   Create a checklist of everything needed to start services. Prioritize the most critical information, such as the schedule and access to IEPs. Keep less urgent information, such as where to send monthly invoices, close at hand but not as immediately necessary.

2. Organize Information
   Even if you are staffing the district yourself, you may need support one day. Placing all school information in a folder allows for quick access and easy distribution if you need to hire for this school in the future.

3. If Virtual, Test the Platform
   The number one pain point with virtual services is tech issues during the first week. Issues like the platform being blocked by firewalls, poor service, or platform downloads can all be avoided with a quick test beforehand.

4. If Recruiting, Onboard What You Can
   During peak times, there may be a delay between signing the contract and having a provider ready. You can onboard the district while waiting for your provider to start, within reason. This will help a delay once your provider is able to start.

5. Keep Communication Going
   I send weekly checklists detailing what is still needed. School staff are incredibly busy during this time of year and can easily forget that you need access to their master schedule. Remember, you’re not badgering them; you’re supporting them!

6. Create a Rinse and Repeat System
   Save your emails as templates for future onboarding. A streamlined onboarding process will support your business with administrative duties in the future. Need help creating and prioritizing your checklists and templates? Check out our "Onboarding with Ease" mini-course: Onboarding with Ease.

By following these tips, you can ensure a smooth and efficient onboarding process for your district, setting the stage for successful and effective service delivery.

Happy Contracting!
❤️ Elise