Microschools are making a big impact

Last week, our Program Director Katarina Smith predicted that homeschooling will rise in 2024. 

Why?

Because homeschooling is no longer defined as simply schooling from home.

She’s referring to the growing trend of microschooling. 

With 24% of you responding to our poll saying that you would consider microschooling, I thought we should shine some light on this topic. 👇

📚 What is Microschooling?

Microschooling is like the trendy boutique of the education world. 

It's a small, intimate learning environment, often with fewer than 15 students, led by educators who are more like mentors.

“This doesn’t feel like school,” noted one student from a microschool that opened last year in New Hampshire.

That’s the point.

Think of it as the middle ground between traditional schooling and homeschooling. 

The concept has been around for a while, but the pandemic catapulted microschooling into the mainstream — currently in the US, there are ~125k microschools serving ~1.5m students.

But size aside, perhaps the biggest difference from traditional public or private schools is flexibility, with 46% of microschools offering hybrid / part-time options for students.

📈 It’s gaining popularity

Microschooling parents are pretty passionate about this method of learning.

“Most of my families want their kids to be happy,” claims Felicia Wright, founder of a microschool in Nevada. “That is the motivation for almost every kid that walks through, they have experienced some kind of trauma with school or they just completely hate it.”

There are a few compelling reasons why microschools fit the bill for many families:

🌟 Personalized learning

The hallmark of microschools is that they adapt their teaching methods to suit each student, which can lead to more effective learning and a deeper understanding of the material.

“I think of it much more of an active-learner paradigm than a passive, factory model for instruction,” says Don Soifer, head of the National Microschooling Center.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Community and collaboration

Despite the small size, microschools offer a community feel. “It truly feels like one big family,” says one microschool parent. 

Students learn to collaborate, share, and respect each other's ideas. It's a nurturing environment designed to build confidence and social skills.

💡Creative Curriculum

Microschools often explore a more diverse and creative curriculum, making learning more engaging and relevant to real-world scenarios.

📅 Flexibility

Many microschools offer flexible schedules, which can be a godsend for busy families. If the rigid schedule of traditional schools has been a pain point, microschooling could be an option.

⚖️ What does this mean for you?

If you're a parent who's never considered anything outside of traditional schooling, microschooling might sound a little… crunchy. 🌱

But it’s moving into the mainstream.

“Microschooling is an incredibly diversified movement, whose families come from all different backgrounds,” says Don Soifer.

It might seem exclusive, but it's becoming more accessible. With various models popping up, there's likely a microschool that fits your budget and your family's needs.

Hey, it never hurts to have options.