Parents are demanding more individualized education options, and entrepreneurs are responding by launching more microschools, according to The 74.
Microschools and similar creative schooling options gained increased popularity in the wake of the pandemic, and they continue to gain traction.
New data from VELA, a philanthropic nonprofit organization and entrepreneur community, reveals that more than 90 percent of the unconventional learning environments it surveyed had more learners last fall than they did at their launch date, and the median compound rate of growth for these programs was 25% a year.
Entrepreneurs are stepping in to meet that demand. Many are former public school teachers who grew tired of one-size-fits-all standardized schooling and wanted to create an alternative. According to its 2024 sector analysis, the National Microschooling Centers estimates that more 70% of today’s microschool founders are current or former licensed educators.
Some of the new school founders say support from KaiPod Catalyst has helped as they move from teachers to teacher-entrepreneurs. “Something that stopped me from starting a microschool earlier was the lack of mentorship,” says Amanda Lucas, who taught in private and charter schools throughout New York City for about a decade.
Her microschool, Lucas Literacy Lab, launched on September 4th in a leased, home-like space in Old Bridge, New Jersey. She currently has 10 enrolled students, ages 6 to 13, with two additional teachers. Her full-time program costs $15,000 a year, with various part-time enrollment options.
Lucas expects to expand given the increased number of inquiries she has been receiving from interested families. She plans to remain a microschool for homeschoolers, rather than become a recognized private school. “Private schools, like charter schools, don’t give you all of the freedom that a microschool does,” says Lucas. “I want full autonomy, and I want absolute freedom in education. I also really believe in homeschooling and if we have too many students, I won’t be able to tailor the education the way that I want to.”
Bottom line: New schools are blooming across the country, offering the personalization, freedom, and flexibility to enable students and teachers to flourish.
The 74
