Right after “How much will it cost?” the next big question schools ask is:
“How long will it take to launch our new website?”

It’s a fair question, and one we get all the time.

While the short answer is “it depends,” this guide offers the longer, better answer: a clear timeline for what a successful school website redesign actually looks like, from contract to launch. Whether you're building a custom site or choosing a theme, this step-by-step timeline will help your school stay realistic, proactive, and prepared.

But first, let’s get something out of the way: You don’t need to launch your new website over summer break.

Yes, it feels like a natural deadline. But in reality? No one remembers when you launched. They remember how it looks and how easy it is to use. Don’t rush the process for the sake of timing. A well-executed launch beats a fast one every time.

And here's another friendly note: if your team signs a contract and immediately asks if the site can be live next month, the answer is almost always no. Not because we don’t want to move fast, but because your school deserves a thoughtful, strategic, and realistic timeline.

So, how long does a school website redesign really take?

For most custom designs: around nine months. But whether you’re working with a theme or going fully custom, this timeline breaks down what needs to happen—and how to keep the project on track.

How long does a website redesign take?

On average, a successful custom website design process will take about 7-9 months. 

And while every company’s website redesign process will differ, if you want to do it right, it is going to take some time from initial concept to launch.

And of course, it does depend. Nine months isn't the only timeline. For example, a theme design at Finalsite, which is a template that has already been designed, will make for a quicker project.

Here’s how our recommended 9-month process will go.

Phase 1: Research. Planning & Kickoff (1-3 months)

Phase 2: Discovery & Design Foundation (1 month)

Phase 3: Design and Build (3 months)

Phase 4: Final Prep, Launch & Go-Live (2 months)

Phase 1: Research, Planning & Kickoff (Months 1–3)

This first phase lays the groundwork for everything that follows. It includes choosing your website provider, aligning key stakeholders, getting the contract approved, and beginning the behind-the-scenes work that will make the next steps go faster.

The average time for this phase is about 3 months—but depending on your internal approval process, it can go quicker or take longer.

Research & Choose a Website Partner

Take the time to evaluate vendors, request demos, review portfolios, and talk to other schools. Make sure you choose a provider that offers not just strong design, but strategic support, a CMS built for schools, and long-term service.

Things to ask during your search:

• Does the provider work exclusively with schools?
• Do they offer a platform and support, not just design?
• Can they provide references from similar schools or districts?

Once you're confident in your decision, you’ll move on to the contract phase.

Sign the Contract (and Expect a Few Hurdles)

Signing the contract often takes longer than expected—especially if multiple stakeholders, board members, or attorneys need to review it.

To speed up the process:

• Find out if board approval is required, and when those meetings happen.
• Ask if your business office or legal team needs a sample contract in advance.
• Identify who gives final approval and if there's a spending threshold that triggers more reviews.

It’s helpful to have a kickoff meeting (even pre-contract) with internal decision-makers to explain the value, scope, and goals of the project.

Gather Your Materials

Use this early phase to start gathering content and organizing your assets. It will save you time later.

To-dos for your team:

• Draft your sitemap: Are any pages outdated? Can sections be consolidated?
• Identify your website team: Include at least one communicator and one person familiar with managing the website. They don’t need to be IT—but they need to have time.
• Collect branding elements: Logos, color guides, fonts, and visual guidelines should be organized and ready to share.
• Check accessibility: Address any color contrast issues early (e.g., red on green text).
• Evaluate photography: Update your image library with high-quality, authentic photos—especially of people, not just places.
• Plan for video: If you want homepage video, begin gathering or filming now—it often takes longer than expected.

Gather website examples you like: Identify sites and features that inspire you, and share them with your team and vendor.

Learn the Process

This is a good time to read up and get familiar with the redesign journey ahead. Here are some recommended resources to review:

• 5 Things You Should Have Ready Before Your Redesign
• What Can I Expect from the Finalsite Redesign Process
• What Makes a Good School Website

You’ll also start receiving training videos, blog posts, and checklists from your provider. Open them, share them, and use them—they’ll make the next phases much smoother. 

Phase 2: Discovery & Design Foundation (Month 4)

Once the contract is signed and your team is aligned, it’s time to kick things off. This phase sets the creative direction for the entire project and gives your team a clear path forward.

Kick Off the Project

The first official step is the kickoff meeting—where your internal team meets your project manager and the broader support team from your website provider. You’ll walk through the process, review the timeline, and define who’s responsible for what.

What happens in the kickoff meeting:

• Meet your project manager and Finalsite team
• Review your shared project timeline
• Identify roles and responsibilities
• Outline communication and meeting cadence
• Confirm your target launch date and milestones

Tip: Keep your internal committee small and focused to avoid decision delays!

Share Your School’s Identity

Shortly after kickoff, your provider will likely send a survey or worksheet to help their designers understand your school’s story, goals, and personality.

You’ll be asked to share:

• Your school’s mission, values, and voice
• Design preferences and visual branding
• Examples of websites or features you admire
• Any must-have functionality or pages

This phase is also where tools like Google Analytics come in handy. Reviewing your top-visited pages will help guide content priorities and navigation planning.

Begin CMS Training Early

Training is key to a successful launch—so start early.

Finalsite offers a full learning platform with interactive tutorials, searchable videos, and exercises to help your team feel confident using the Composer CMS. You'll also have access to a resource library and knowledge checks to track progress.

Why training matters now:

• It helps your team understand what’s possible with the CMS
• You can ask better questions during design and build
• It reduces launch stress later by building confidence early

Schools that engage in CMS training early tend to launch faster and more smoothly.

Phase 2 is all about laying the groundwork. By getting aligned on goals, sharing your school’s identity, and training your team, you’ll make the next steps in the redesign process much easier—and more enjoyable.

Step 3. Design and Build

This is where your vision starts to take shape. From homepage concepts to content loading, this phase brings your ideas to life. It’s also when the project can gain momentum—or stall—depending on your team’s capacity and planning.

Design the Website

Thanks to the work you completed in Phase 2—like surveys, branding, and gathering inspiration—your designers are ready to get to work. They’ll take your input and begin creating homepage and interior page designs aligned with your school’s identity and goals.

What to expect:

• Design mockups for review and feedback
• A round or two of revisions
• Approval process to lock in visuals before development begins

Build the Website

Once the design is approved, developers begin coding your website inside the CMS. At Finalsite, this means your layouts, navigation, and homepage elements are built inside Composer.

This step also includes:

• Front-end development and styling
• Functionality setup
• Quality assurance testing

You’ll start to see a real, working version of your new website. But don’t get distracted because content is now the priority.

Keep Reading: Confessions of a School Website Designer

Add & Optimize Content

This is the most time-intensive part of the project and often the most underestimated.

Many schools plan to copy and paste old content into their new site, but this is your opportunity to rethink what you say, how you say it, and how it looks on the page.

Content best practices:

• Shorten paragraphs and use plain language
• Break up text with headlines, icons, and list items
• Replace bulky paragraphs with infographics, images, or quick stats
• Prioritize mobile readability—over 50% of traffic comes from mobile devices

Pro tip: Use CMS features like tabs, accordions, and sidebars to make content easier to scan without creating extra pages.

Integrate Systems & Data

If your school is planning to connect the website with systems like your:

• Student Information System (SIS)
• Admissions or inquiry tools
• Directory or calendar systems

...this is the time to get it set up. The Finalsite team will work with your tech lead to ensure clean data integration and a seamless experience.

Phase 4: Final Prep, Launch & Go-Live (Months 8–9)

Final Content Polishing
Even after weeks of editing and loading, your content still needs a final pass. This is when layout decisions, missing pages, and consistency issues surface—and need to be resolved before launch.

Your final content checklist:

• Double-check navigation and links
• Make sure every key page has strong imagery and clear calls to action
• Review for consistent formatting (headlines, spacing, lists)
• Confirm accessibility best practices (color contrast, image alt text, readable fonts)
• Proofread for typos and outdated content

Don’t forget: Less is more. Streamline your site for clarity and better engagement.

Review Layouts and Page Design

This is your last chance to make layout improvements:

• Are you using tabs or accordions to simplify long pages?
• Are your most important pages easy to scan on mobile?
• Is your homepage clear about who you are and what to do next?

Finalsite’s Composer layouts offer flexibility—but using them strategically is what takes your site from “good” to “amazing.”

Test Integrations and Functionality

Make sure all data integrations and dynamic tools are working, such as:

• SIS integrations (calendars, directories, portals)
• Admissions or inquiry form functionality
• External link tracking and form submissions
• Search and navigation tools

Your project team and QA specialists will test these systems—but internal testing on your end helps catch last-minute issues.

Prepare for Launch

You’re almost there. These final tasks make sure your launch goes smoothly:

• Confirm domain transition steps and timeline
• Schedule launch communications to staff and families
• Create a “What’s New” post or quick guide for site visitors
• Take screenshots of your old site for archival or to compare later

Launch Your New Site!

Once your site is live, celebrate the milestone! You've completed one of the biggest digital projects your school can take on, and it’s worth recognizing.

Be proud of the work. Share the launch on social media, send an announcement to families, highlight the features that matter most. And take a breath—you did it!

Key Takeaway

The best school website launches happen when teams stay focused, flexible, and collaborative. With Finalsite’s support, you’ll never be left guessing. And once your site is live, our partnership continues—with training, updates, and strategy to keep your site performing its best.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Angelo graduated valedictorian from St. Paul's School in Baltimore, MD and from Princeton University. Despite getting his degree in creative writing and English Literature, it generally takes some doing to keep him from programming and breaking websites. Just after graduating, he started Silverpoint, and grew it to over 300 schools worldwide before merging with Finalsite in 2013.