Article Archive > 2021 Online Teaching Exemption

2021 Online Teaching Exemption

September 22, 2020

Dear Yoga Alliance Members,

In response to overwhelming feedback voiced by you, our members, Yoga Alliance is extending the online teaching exemption through 2021 for Registered Yoga School (RYS) members who apply and meet qualification requirements. These will include: agreeing to new parameters, expectations on incorporating a mix of live and pre-recorded content, Lead Trainer hour requirements, and a commitment to (and transparency around) competency testing. You can anticipate the full details in October, after we have completed gathering and distilling valuable member and community feedback.

All members are invited to provide any additional thoughts with us over the next two-week period. To share your input, please email standards@yogaalliance.org.

We know this update has been of top priority for many members, and your sense of urgency and importance is not lost on us. Rather, we share it with you. Our role as your professional membership entity is to balance the community’s need to work and teach within the new yoga landscape, while adhering to our standards designed to support high quality, safe, accessible, and equitable yoga teaching and teacher training.

Six months ago, it was immediately clear that you needed options to continue your yoga professions and practice outside of traditional classroom spaces. In response, we have been offering online teaching exemptions to RYS members for condensed timeframes. While we have been pleased to hear this has supported many schools in staying open under unique health, safety, and economic circumstances, we also acknowledge it is a challenging way to operate given the advanced planning and marketing required to run a successful RYS program. With this in mind, we want to respect the space and time you've requested to create quality programs and meaningful online teaching offerings via this extension.

Looking forward, we recognize that by the end of 2021, many members will have been operating in a reality of digital yoga teaching for almost two years. This truth impacts our role supporting the global yoga community, and especially the standards Yoga Alliance credentials represent. As such, we are committed to the ongoing critical examination of our standards and how best to support you as we all continue to adapt to new ways of life.

Thank you for your resilience when facing disruption, dedication when facing change, and for your commitment to yoga, always. Again, to provide feedback regarding digital learning, please email standards@yogaalliance.org. We look forward to connecting with you again in October with the full online teaching exemption details.

In yoga,
Your Yoga Alliance