60+ Sample School Contracts

What Is a School Contract?

A school contract is any contract that is related to the school. In the simplest definition, it is an agreement enforceable by law in which two or more persons’ consent is required. Of those two, one will draft it and the other will accept it. Usually, it is the school that gives the contract to the individual offering his or her services. The terms and conditions are modified depending on the specific agreement between the contractor and the client.

What are the Types of a School Contracts?

There are as many types of school contracts as there are many types of schools. The following are prime examples, each with its own explanation:

Driving School Contract: If your service involves providing driving lessons, then this type of contract is what you might need. This contract is applicable and a must-have to all institutions that provide driving lessons. Teaching students how to drive is not an easy job, even for school teachers. It secures the terms and agreement with the school, along with what the instructors’ specific responsibilities are.Tutoring Contract: This type of contract refers to those individuals who render tutoring to students. This contract can also refer to an after-school tutor or a high school tutor, as long as it involves tutoring. Many tutors have been used to improve students’ grades. According to NAIS, in 2004–2005, 30% of students in Buckingham, Browne, & Nichols School (BB&N)—a pre-K-12 school in Cambridge, Massachusetts—used private paid tutoring. The students have used tutors for most of their career at the school are 10%. The 10th, 11th, and 12th grades are the highest percentage of students being tutored by grade which reached an average of 35% – 40% followed by the 2nd and 6th grades which have an average of 35%, 7th grade has an average of 32%, and the other grades are significantly lower which only reaches the average of 20%-25%.School Photography Contract: When the school decides to advertise their institute, they will need a bunch of wonderful pictures to post on their websites and social media. The school should provide a contract for both parties’ terms and agreement. The templates above will surely provide what you need. The number of photographers employed in 2019 is 133,500 according to the U.S Bureau of labor statistics and some of them are school photographers.School Teacher Contract: Not to be confused between the school tutor and the school teacher. The school teachers need to sign a contract as they work full-time in the school. They are the ones who follow the curriculum vitae in a structured learning environment. On the other hand, tutors are best known for helping a student understand certain lessons and giving additional or special instruction.Summer School Contract: Summer school is a program that provides activities and lessons to students during the summer vacation. It is sponsored by a school or a school district, or maybe provided by a private company. This type of school program has shown great beneficial effects on educational progress. Implementing a summer school program also needs a contract. Consider also making a summer schedule to keep the program flowing.Virtual School Contract: Virtual learning has been a trend since 2020 due to the pandemic. According to Statista, the K-12 virtual schools in the United States have declined since September 2020. The schools which were teaching students virtually had an average of 62.4% due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It gradually declined to 36.4% by February 2021. Therefore, nowadays, students need to be taught inside their homes with the use of their computers and the internet. Even if it is virtual, a contract is still necessary.

These six examples are only a few of them and there are still more to mention. To put it simply, every contract that involves a school is considered a school contract.

How to Make a School Contract

When it comes to making a school contract, there are two ways—one is by starting from scratch. The other way is to start with a template. Depending on the services to be rendered, the terms will vary. If you seem to be in a hurry or you just want less hassle, then a ready-made template will suit you the best. In this article, we also provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to make a school contract, in addition to a few useful tips.

1. Meet and Discuss Terms With the Other Party

The first thing you should do is schedule a meeting with the other party. This is so that both of you can iron out whatever terms and conditions you would want for your school contract. Once all of the essential parts of the contract have been agreed upon, you may prepare for the next part of the process, which is writing everything down. For those making use of templates, you can simply edit what’s already there and replace them with the specifics that you and the other party have already agreed to.

2. Get Everything in Writing

After having a chat with your client, you should start preparing your writing instruments as you will write those things on your notes into a proper and legal contract. If you’re having problems with how to write it, you can refer to the other school contracts that can be found on the internet, especially on this site. Among the things to consider in the contract are the clauses that play a very important part. It is basically a specific provision that states you and your client’s duties, rights, and privileges under the terms and conditions of the contract. It also specifies the terms on how to deal when unforeseen natural disasters occurred. For more information about this, please refer down below as we give you some examples of it which might give you some ideas. The other thing that shows an important part of the contract is the details and basic information of both the school and the client.

3. Keep It Simple

Instead of having legalese or fancy words to make your contract a contract, keep it concise, short, and clear so that both of the parties understand the terms clearly. Make sure to organize the order and the lists if there are any. Misunderstanding the terms might give you a headache if the situation when you and your client start to argue happened. Remember to always check the grammar, punctuation, and fonts as it can affect the reader’s way of understanding somehow.

4. Recheck the Contract

For some reason, It is really important for you to really need to check the terms and conditions that are written in the contract to avoid some errors. Edit it immediately if mistakes are spotted. Afterward, make sure to see your client ahead of and discuss the agreement. The school is obliged to explain the terms again for their clients to have a clear understanding. Afterward, both parties should sign as you both agreed on the same terms as most contractors used to do. Take note: if you want to change one or some of the terms, make sure to negotiate with the contractor before signing so it can be changed immediately. Otherwise, you will regret it.

What are the Clauses to Be Included in the Contract?

Clauses are very important in contracts. They are certain provisions that state the duties and responsibilities of both parties including the liability if certain situations occurred. Regardless of the type of contract, these are the few of the most important clauses to be included that you should know. 

1. Termination Clause

Termination is one of the most common clauses that most contracts have. It is when the contract is terminated or ended. It automatically takes effect when the contract is expired or when certain action/s are completed. It can also happen for some other reasons such as when unforeseen natural disasters occurred and neither party is held liable for these types of causes. In contracts, criteria or statements must be added to whether it is appropriate to terminate the contract.

2. Indemnification Clause

This clause plays a very important role in the contract. This is a contractual agreement of both parties that sets out to protect one party from the liability of a scenario when a third party or third entity is harmed in any possible way. This type of clause will only apply to liability for claims that the third party had brought. This clause also clarifies the agreement if one party agrees to provide indemnification agreements to the other party.

3. Confidentiality

This clause can be seen often in most of the contracts that you have signed. It is also known as a nondisclosure agreement. This refers to if one party wants to prevent the other party from leaking the information to any third party without any proper authorization.

4. Cancellation

This clause describes certain instances in which each party may cancel the agreement. There are also terms included if one party decides to cancel. This is commonly found in many contracts including the ones you have signed. The contract can only be canceled if the particular reasons met the conditions that both parties agreed.

5. Payments

This section is also one of the most common of all where most contracts have. This clause addresses the methods your clients give payment to your service. Whether the client gives you an advance payment or your pay will be every milestone, it is stated in this section if a certain action is completed. It also includes the dates when you will get paid including the amount.

6. Time Is of the Essence

If one party failed to perform by the time and date specified will result in a material breach of the contract. This clause simply means that one party must achieve their contractual obligations at the required specific date and time. Most contracts have this clause as it is also important for the client to get their job done as soon as possible.

FAQs

Are school contracts legally binding?

The relationship between the students, parents, and the school is based on a bunch of documents, including the enrollment agreement, student/parent handbook, the code of conduct, and more. However, the enrollment agreement is the only legal contract.

Can teachers get out of contracts?

Yes, a teacher may breach a contract by resigning before the end of the contract—which is usually at the end of the school year. Asking formally to be released from it is a proper way to get out of contract. There are certain situations that the school considers granting their release requests especially to emergency needs such as medical or family issues.

How do you review an agreement?

To review your agreement, make sure you understand the things you expect and the things you don’t want to include in the contract. You should also consider reviewing the contract’s action sections to make sure the terms are written properly. Overall, read everything and make sure that everything follows your agreement. If some important terms are missing, make sure to negotiate with the contractor or if you want to request some changes.

What is a social contract in school?

It is an agreement that is negotiated between the students and teachers which addresses the classroom principles, rules, and consequences for their classroom behavior. This is different from the classroom rules. These types of contracts ensure clarity of the rules and the consequences that are not punishments. It also protects the dignity of students and increases communication.

Contracts have played an important role in everything that involves agreement whether you are from a small entity or a big international company. If you want to protect yourself from being scammed or from fraud, the best option is you should make them sign a contract at the time both of you agreed on the terms. Handshakes and words from mouth alone do not make your agreement true,

Contracts are not only limited to school contracts. If you wonder what else contracts are present, you can check out our site for more contracts that you might need in the future. There are tons that you can use including insurance receipts, business brochures, authority letters, and construction proposals. Make sure to take your time scrolling down and clicking on our site to choose the best templates you will use.