Planning and Resources

School-Based Enterprises

"As much as possible, the School-Based Enterprise functions as a real, living business."

What are School-Based Enterprises?

School-Based Enterprises are high school courses that function as actual businesses serving the larger school or community. Common examples of these programs include bookstores, child-care centers, restaurants, print shops, construction enterprises, and auto repair centers.

School-Based Enterprises are a very popular kind of school-to-work program. They are found in high schools across the nation, and they currently involve hundreds of thousands of students.

These programs generally involve two components: Classroom studies allow participants to explore the theoretical operation of their business. At the same time, students gain work experience and build valuable job skills by actually working in the business and taking responsibility for its day-to-day management. In this way, the program directly links school-based and work-based learning.

How are School-Based Enterprises structured?

School-Based Enterprises are often available as a single course or group of courses. In many cases, students receive academic credit for their involvement in the enterprise. These credits can be used toward completing graduation requirements.

Of course, academics are only part of the story. As much as possible, the school-based enterprise functions as a real, living business. The products or services that the students produce are sold, and any income generated may be paid to students in the form of wages. In other cases, income is reinvested in the enterprise. Either way, students learn about the financial aspects of running a business and are encouraged to develop a sense of entrepreneurship.

What are the major benefits of School-Based Enterprises?

These programs create a strong and direct link between school-based and work-based learning. It is very clear to student participants how their classroom studies apply to a workplace setting, which can foster learning. Students also acquire valuable job skills by participating directly in a going concern.

Another important feature of School-Based Enterprises is that they give students a large measure of responsibility for the enterprise. Through running a business, students can be instilled with great feelings of pride, accomplishment and confidence—feelings that can help trigger success in future academic and vocational endeavors.

Links

For information about School-Based Enterprises and other entrepreneurial opportunities, see this list of abstracts on entrepreneurship in education.

"Who's Minding the Store? A Guide for Educators Working with School-Based Enterprises"
This article can serve as a guide to educators who are working with School-Based Enterprises.