9 Principles for Microschooling

Earlier this year, 27 microschool founders from around the country assembled for a retreat to reflect on the microschooling movement’s present and future, organized by the National Microschooling Center. Their microschools, from more than twenty states around the country, broadly reflect the movement’s rich diversity and pluralism.

This Statement of Principles emerged as a product of that retreat. Its signatories include those microschools and others, some 100 at time of publication. It represents principles which these microschools embrace as guiding precepts in the work each leads for the learners and families who comprise their communities. It is their hope that this document will inspire the microschooling movement to achieve its greatest potential as a place where learners thrive while preparing for future success.

Microschool leaders wishing to sign onto this document, or discuss it, please email info@microschoolingcenter.org. 

Nine Principles for Microschooling 

March 2024

EVERY CHILD IS SUPPORTED TO THRIVE. Different learning models attract families to seek microschools which represent the best fit for their child’s needs, among other factors. The microschooling movement supports families to make deliberate, well-informed choices, while working to make all feel welcomed so that every child is extended a meaningful opportunity to thrive as a valued member of the microschooling community.

FAMILIES ARE HONORED AS ACTIVE PARTNERS in their children’s learning trajectory. Microschool families can be confident that the priorities and values which compelled this decision will be respected, and that as partners they will share in consequential decisions for their child’s learning to equip them to succeed in their future.

WE ARE PASSIONATELY COMMITTED TO INSTILLING A LOVE FOR LEARNING for the children we serve. Microschools are safe places, physically and emotionally, where a love for learning is nurtured and supported. 

MICROSCHOOLS EXEMPLIFY RESPONSIVENESS to the evolving needs of their students, families, and their societal context. Their agility and nimbleness enable them to adapt effectively and allow for a dynamic educational model that is finely attuned to the evolving requirements of its community, ensuring a tailored and impactful learning experience. 

MICROSCHOOLS TRULY PERSONALIZE LEARNING FOR EACH CHILD, by tailoring instruction to meet each student's unique needs and interests fosters individual growth and engagement. As innovative small learning environments, microschools can individualize each child’s path for learning to degrees larger institutions cannot, so that every child can experience thriving academically and nonacademically.

EXERCISING MEANINGFUL FLEXIBILITY CAN BE INTEGRAL TO PROVIDING A PERSONALIZED EXPERIENCE. Modifying and adapting curriculum to accommodate diverse learning needs, paces, and interests empowers students to take ownership of their learning. Flexibility in scheduling ensures learning can maintain its important priority in the lives of those it serves, accommodates diverse student needs, and promotes work-life balance for educators and families. 

MICROSCHOOLS ARE COMMUNITIES BUILT UPON AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIPS. As communities where understanding and trust from all are valued,children and educators alike share agency allowing them to ensure a relevant and meaningful experience for all where agreed-upon values and principles of mutual respect are upheld and prioritized.

WE ARE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO PRIORITIZING SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT to foster resilience, empathy, and self-awareness, laying the foundation for academic success and personal well-being. Microschools strive to offer balanced learning experiences where academic growth and well-rounded human function are each prioritized.

MICROSCHOOL FOUNDERS WORK COOPERATIVELY WITHIN THEIR ECOSYSTEMS, supporting each other to overcome challenges and sharing understandings and introductions to help families make the best match of microschools for their needs.

Signed:

ACRES (Brookland, Arkansas)

Acton Academy Cache Valley (Cache Valley, Utah)

Acton Academy Fort Lauderdale (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)

Acton Academy Venice Beach (Venice Beach, California)

Arise Microschool (Topeka, Kansas)

Ascend Microschool (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Baker Creek Academy (Eager, Arizona)

Beginning of Wisdom Learning Center (Kennesaw, Georgia)

Black Mothers Forum (Phoenix, Arizona)

Bloom Academy (Las Vegas, Nevada)

Burbrella Learning Academy (Burlington, North Carolina)

Chesterton Academy of St. Scholastica (Fort Wayne, Indiana)

Colossal Academy (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)

Columbia Academy for Learning and Enrichment (Columbia, Missouri)

Connecting Youth Achievement Center (Crown Point, Indiana)

DC Wildflower Public Charter School (District of Columbia)

Dessalines STEAM Academy (Brockton, Massachusetts)

Desert Peach Montessori (Reno, Nevada)

Discovery Learners’ Academy (Chattanooga, Tennessee)

Duara: A Nature Circle (Fort Wayne, Indiana)

Endeavor Academy (Mesa, Arizona)

Ellemercito Academy (Downey, California)

Excel STEM Center (McKinney, Texas)

Eyes and Brains Stem Center (Elkins, West Virginia)

The Field Academy (Denver, Colorado)

The Forest School, An Acton Academy (Trilith, Georgia)

FUE Academy (Mount Hope, West Virginia)

Harper Learning Academy (Byram, Mississippi)

Hedge School Cooperative (Driftwood, Texas)

High Point Phoenix (Phoenix, Arizona)

A Home for School (Moncks Corner, South Carolina)

Hope Academy (Carson City, Nevada)

iCubed Learning (Chandler, Arizona)

Integrative Learning Academy (Peoria, Arizona)

ISchool (Carson City, Nevada)

KaiPod Learning Microschools

Kind Academy (Florida, Georgia, New Jersey and Texas)

Kingdom Academy (Kingman, Arizona)

Kingdom Leadership Academy (Gulfport, Mississippi)

Kipe Academy (Polk City, Florida)

Kreative Confidence Microschool (Mesa, Arizona)

Lab School of Memphis (Memphis, Tennessee)

Leading Little Arrows (Arlington, Texas)

The Learning Outpost (Las Vegas, Nevada)

Lightbulb Literacy (Knightstown, Indiana)

Masterpiece Academy (Omaha, Nebraska)

Miami Microlearn Hub (Miami, Florida)

Microschool Florida

Mindful Hearts K-4 Learning Center (San Tan Valley, Arizona)

Mission Possible Montessori (Las Vegas, Nevada)

Nevada School of Inquiry (Las Vegas, Nevada)

NextGen Learning Center (Londonderry, New Hampshire)

North Star Microschool (Longmont, Colorado)

Onward Learning (Martin, South Dakota)

Open Minds Microschool (Tucson, Arizona)

Paladin (St. Louis, Missouri)

Pass Pod (Atlanta, Georgia)

Path of Life Learning (Yorktown, Virginia)

Primer Microschools (Florida and Arizona)

Purdue Polytechnic High School Lab School (Indianapolis, Indiana)

Richmond Primary School (Richmond, Virginia)

Riverside Education (Brookville, Indiana)

Rooted Life Academy (Spring Hill, Kansas)

Schole Center for Innovative Education (Arlington, Virginia)

Serenity in Chaos (Mesa, Arizona)

Skola Microschool (Roseville MN)

SOAR Academy (Augusta, Georgia)

Solstice Hybrid Academy (Norfolk, Virginia)

Spark Community Schools (Phoenix, Arizona)

Spectacular Start (Atlanta, Georgia)

Steps Learning Center (Orlando, Florida)

Streams of Hope (Fort Wayne, Indiana)

The Success Center (Goose Creek, South Carolina)

Tapestry Academy (Boca Raton, Florida)

Templeton Academies (Nashville, Tennessee and Washington, DC)

Three Chords Academy (Carrollton, Georgia)

WIN Academy (South Charleston, West Virginia)

Yirah School House (Knoxville, Iowa)