Hire an instructor for your school who meets your state’s requirements. Many states require that instructors have an educational and/or substance abuse counseling background. For example, the state of Nevada requires that instructors have “a minimum of 2 years of education or experience in a field directly related to the problems of driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor or controlled substances.” (See Reference 2).
Evaluate the need for a DUI school in your area. Ask an adult probation officer to tell you approximately how many people in your community that judges send to DUI school. Find out if the DUI schools that currently exist are meeting the community’s needs.
Research the state-mandated curriculum is for DUI schools in your state. Call your state department of public safety to obtain this information. They will either have it or will be able to refer you to the appropriate division.
Fill out the state application and get your school credentialed. Many states also have registries that list all of the approved DUI schools in the state. You need to follow your state’s specific procedure in order to get on the list, since a large portion of your business will come from referrals originating from it.
Locate a building that is in a central location in the community your school will be serving. The building should lend itself to becoming a learning environment. It should also be close to a public transportation line, as many of the individuals attending your school may have had their licenses suspended.
Promote your school. Let judges and probation officers know about your school and any special teaching methodologies that you use. Support your methodology with recent research. Work on making your school the best in your community, and word of mouth will take care of the rest.