Being small learning environments is a big part of microschooling’s identity (and appeal), with a median average enrollment of 16 students. Is this small size chiefly because of the intent of their founders, or would they be larger if they had the right opportunity?
New research published by the National Microschooling Center compares microschools’ present size with their operating capacity at their facility. In fact, it finds that only a fraction are currently operating at capacity. Nearly a third are operating at 50% of capacity or less, as the graphic above illustrates.
With more microschools operating in commercial spaces than any others (nearly half), it makes sense that they sign leases at least somewhat aspirationally, with room to add more children if that is their plan. A similar observation can be made for the one in four microschools operating in houses of worship.
This seemingly aligns with the strong prevalence of marketing help as one of the top two areas the National Microschooling Center reports currently-operating microschool founders seek help with.
So these findings will probably come as little surprise to most founders or others familiar with the microschooling sector. With microschooling still in its early-adoption stage in most of the country, many families are only hearing about microschools for the first time. It then becomes incumbent upon microschool leaders and others familiar with the sector to work together to increase understanding about what they have to offer, and why so many microschooling families across the country find microschools to be such a valued option for meeting their children's educational needs.