School Choice & Charters Video

How Microschools Can Fit in the Broader K-12 System

By Sam Mallon — June 7, 2024 3:32
Students at The Lab School of Memphis read a book on the playground.

Microschools aren’t a replacement for public schools. Rather, they are one more way to meet the learning needs of an increasingly wide range of students, explains Coi Morefield, the founder of The Lab School of Memphis, a microschool in Tennessee.

Microschools, which have gained popularity in recent years as parents and educators advocate for school choice and individualized learning models, typically support fewer than 150 students and can be supported with public or private funding. The Lab School of Memphis has 45 students in grades K-8 and emphasizes hands-on learning and one-on-one and small group instruction. Its budget is supported with tuition and grants.

To better understand how microschools operate and the challenges they face, watch and listen as Morefield explains how she sees the educational format working within the broader K-12 landscape.

Sam Mallon is a video producer for Education Week.

Coverage of whole-child approaches to learning is supported in part by a grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, at www.chanzuckerberg.com. Education Week retains sole editorial control over the content of this coverage.

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