Ashley Soifer and Microschooling

This week on The Learning Curve, cohosts Cara and Gerard speak with Ashley Soifer, Chief Innovation Officer of the National Microschooling Center. They discuss the rapid growth of these innovative schooling options, in which families and innovators are using a wide array of education choices that offer parents flexibility and greater control over how, where, what, and when their children learn. Soifer discusses how microschools predate the pandemic, saw rapid expansion during COVID-19, and are here to stay. She also touches on the role of technology in homeschooling, microschooling, and pod models, and how families, including many parents of color, are taking advantage of these exciting new approaches to K-12 education.

Stories of the Week:

Cara discussed a story in The 74 about the surprising findings of one journalist who worked closely with parents in New York City, many of whom were low-income families of color, to learn what their education priorities really are—and found that transportation, safety, afterschool programming, and special needs are ranked ahead of academics. Gerard discussed a story in USA Today about the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously siding with a deaf Michigan student whose family sought to sue for damages over profound lapses in his education, "a case that experts say could give parents of students with disabilities more leverage as they negotiate for the education of their children."

Guest

Ashley Soifer is the Chief Innovation Officer of the National Microschooling Center, where she leads microschool supports, the development of new programs, and parent and leader outreach. She guides the Center’s movement-building work with parents, educators, and community members, including helping organizations and individuals launch microschools. Ashley has served as the Chief of Staff at Nevada Action for School Options, a nonprofit organization that supports the growth of diverse choices of rich, high-quality, and personalized educational opportunities for all students across Nevada. In this role, Ashley led efforts in building and managing the Southern Nevada Urban Micro Academy, the first of its kind public-private partnership with the City of North Las Vegas. She and her husband, Don, are raising three microschooling children in Las Vegas.

Tweet of the Week