Teacher Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

What a good one includes

• A detailed breakdown of instructional responsibilities, specifying who leads each lesson, manages grading, and handles student assessments.
• A clear financial split agreement that outlines how tuition or contract revenue is divided, when payments are distributed, and how shared expenses are approved and reimbursed.
• An intellectual property clause defining who owns the newly created lesson plans, curricula, and digital learning assets both during and after the partnership.
• Defined communication protocols outlining who acts as the primary contact for parent inquiries, administrative updates, and student emergencies.
• A structured scheduling and cancellation policy that details how makeup sessions, teacher absences, and holiday breaks are managed without disrupting student learning.
• A straightforward termination clause specifying the notice period required to end the partnership and the process for transitioning students smoothly.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Failing to define who owns the curriculum and teaching materials created during the collaboration, which often leads to ownership disputes if the partnership dissolves.
• Leaving the division of administrative work like marketing, scheduling, and billing vague, resulting in one partner carrying an unfair operational burden.
• Neglecting to establish a clear policy for teacher absences, which leaves the remaining partner scrambling to cover classes without agreed-upon compensation or support.
• Omitting a formal process for handling parent or student complaints, creating inconsistent student experiences and potential reputational damage.

Frequently asked questions