Our CEO Don Soifer's featured presentation at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government's "Charting New Terrain: A Conference on Emerging School Models," September 22, 2022, lays out an ambitious vision for the future and potential for America's fast-growing microschooling sector. He is joined by Derrell Bradford, president of national nonprofit 50CAN and Kelly Smith, Founder and CEO of Prenda Learning.
Among the important trends and observations discussed in this hourlong video include:
- Researchers estimate currently between 1.1 and 2.1 million learners across the United States currently relying on microschools as their primary education source. At approximately 2 percent of American's elementary and secondary learners, this places microschooling's present market share at approximately that of Catholic schools.
- Microschools are carving out new styles of educating which are often impossible in other sectors. Highly diversified leaders have diverse missions and focus on a variety of elements that are crucial to their learners in ways that other sectors are unable to be. Some chose to be completely child-driven, others focus mainly on social-emotional growth, and all make sure the family is an active partner in their child's education.
- Today's microschooling sector seems to align within three distinct varieties: Independent microschooling, Partnership Microschooling, and Provider Networks.
You can watch the conference video here.