Topic: Micro Schools

Carrie McDonald challenges the narrative of "pandemic learning loss," arguing that content easily forgotten was never authentically learned. She suggests that the COVID-19 remote learning period allowed parents to see low-quality curricula firsthand, leading to the rise of micro schools and learning pods. An example from Wichita, Kansas, illustrates how a former public school teacher transitioned a tutoring center into a full-time micro school during the pandemic response.

Jill Perez, a former public school teacher in New Jersey, founded a micro school after her pandemic pod became highly popular. Operating as a Private Membership Association (PMA), the school recruited burnt-out teachers from New York City by offering them professional creative freedom. The success of the model allowed Perez to purchase a permanent building and expand her enrollment to 45 students.