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