LEARN BUSINESS BY RUNNING AN ACTUAL BUSINESS!

What better way to learn about entrepreneurship, marketing, management, finance, and hospitality than to actually operate a business? That’s what our DECA teacher advisors and student members get to do when they run an actual business in the school setting. It’s an entrepreneurship laboratory and the educational and financial results are real!

A school-based enterprise (SBE) is an entrepreneurial operation in a school setting that provides goods/services to meet the needs of the market. SBEs are managed and operated by students as hands-on learning laboratories that integrate National Curriculum Standards in marketing, finance, hospitality or management.

SBEs provide realistic and practical learning experiences that reinforce classroom instruction. SBEs can sell to consumers through a permanent location, a mobile kiosk or through Internet marketing. Products may include spirit wear, food and beverage items, school supplies, signs and banners and more, while other SBEs provide services such as creative design, advertising sales and more.

LEARN BUSINESS BY RUNNING AN ACTUAL BUSINESS!

What better way to learn about entrepreneurship, marketing, management, finance, and hospitality than to actually operate a business? That’s what our DECA teacher advisors and student members get to do when they run an actual business in the school setting. It’s an entrepreneurship laboratory and the educational and financial results are real!

A school-based enterprise (SBE) is an entrepreneurial operation in a school setting that provides goods/services to meet the needs of the market. SBEs are managed and operated by students as hands-on learning laboratories that integrate National Curriculum Standards in marketing, finance, hospitality or management.

SBEs provide realistic and practical learning experiences that reinforce classroom instruction. SBEs can sell to consumers through a permanent location, a mobile kiosk or through Internet marketing. Products may include spirit wear, food and beverage items, school supplies, signs and banners and more, while other SBEs provide services such as creative design, advertising sales and more.

School-based Enterprise: an educational platform

School-based enterprises are effective educational tools in helping to prepare students for the transition from school to work or college. For many students, they provide the first work experience; for others, they provide an opportunity to build management, supervision and leadership skills. While some in the education community have only recently discovered the value of school-based enterprises, educators and DECA advisors have used them as a powerful teaching tool for more than four decades.

DECA provides an incredible array of training, materials, and support for DECA chapters who use School-based Enterprise as an educational platform including:

  • Chapter and Individual Certifications
  • DECA Approved Vendor Partners
  • DECA SBE Competition among other SBE programs around the world
  • DECA Advisor Scholarships
  • School-based Enterprise Academy at the DECA International Career Development Conference
  • SBE Classroom Resources including lesson plans, e-learning, guides, instructional units, exams and textbooks

HELPFUL RESOURCES

The chapter certification guidelines and competition guidelines for the 2022-23 school year are available.

The USDA released a tool to help school staff determine if certain foods meet the nutrition requirements to be sold in school fundraisers and students stores on campus.