“A Wright Brothers Moment”
Key takeaways from the third annual National Hybrid Schools Conference
Just two weeks ago, the team at Stand Together Trust attended the National Hybrid Schools Conference. Known by the locals as the “happiest” conference one could attend, this conference is a national gathering of alternative education leaders, primarily folks who are hybrid homeschooling, but also those entrepreneurs who lead microschools, learning pods, homeschool co-ops, and learning centers. Overall, it’s an inspiring place to be; you can hear the passion for lifelong learning and see their dreams becoming reality in how they’re working with learners in the diversity of learning environments.
The theme of this year’s conference was accountability. How do folks know if what is being done in a school is working? What will demonstrate how kids are learning? How are entrepreneurs and families defining success?
VELA hosted a compelling session titled, “Measure What Matters: Learner Outcomes in Nontraditional Education” where VELA Founder Network members from Gather Forest School, Path of Life Learning, and TandemEDU told rich stories about how they give their families an abundance of real time information about the success of their kids from digital tools that provide daily information about projects, to learner portfolios, and even to standardized tests like the MAP. In these alternative learning environments, parents get access to ongoing information about their child’s progress and performance, rather than waiting for delayed state testing results. (You’ll hear a lot more from Stand Together Trust’s Senior Fellows on these questions in future posts!)
Here are some key takeaways from the event:
New policies do not come without risk. There was conversation around education savings accounts, and their ability to open up new opportunities for alternative schools, but also pose a risk for enrollment and oversight. Entrepreneurs discussed the pros and cons of available funds to their school models, and explored how they could accept these funds in states with available options.
Entrepreneurship in any field is a challenge. This group talked about both the pain in a small business opening and then closing. yes. every kid. foundation shared learnings from their Education Entrepreneur Freedom Index around frequent regulatory challenges folks face. But it’s not all doom and gloom. Much like in the business world, when education entrepreneurs close a microschool or hybrid school, their talents are often pivoted to serve communities in other creative ways.
Data and research on alternative environments is more readily available. While this sector will never fully solve the knowledge problem, there are different groups and organizations sharing what alternative and hybrid schools are contributing to society, their communities, and guiding their students on. Dr. Angela Watson at Johns Hopkins University previewed her Homeschool Hub. Don and Ashley Soifer at the National Microschooling Center shared results of the 2024 American Microschool Sector Analysis. Matt Lee at Kennesaw State previewed findings from research on student outcomes.
One entrepreneur shared how this moment in education is a “Wright Brothers moment.” It is one where many entrepreneurs are building the plane as they fly it, learning in real time, and innovating to continually improve results. They’re hyper focused and tuned into ensuring students are thriving and families are satisfied. Unlocking the potential of kids across the country is no small feat, but this group is inspired.
If any group can figure out how to build a plane that flies folks around the globe or into outer space, it’s this motivated group of hybrid school leaders gathered at the conference. We’re so grateful to partner with folks like Ben Scafidi and Eric Wearne at the Education Economics Center who do the research, convene the thought leaders and educators to have the practical conversations, and leave educators inspired to keep on keeping on their entrepreneurial journeys.
P.S. Eric Wearne, who hosted this conference, also writes a Substack Restarting School. Check it out!