Base rent is rarely where schools get hurt.
The damage usually hides in the fine print — who pays for a new roof, whether the space is even legal as a school, what happens if the landlord delivers late and you miss your opening.
This checklist walks you through the 13 red flags that matter most. For each one, you'll mark whether your lease clearly addresses it. At the end you'll get a plain-language risk readout you can take straight to your attorney or board.
This is not legal advice. It's a leadership tool to help you ask better questions before you commit. Always have a real estate attorney review any lease.