Homeschool families exploring community-based educational opportunities will often come across microschools and homeschool co-ops. They are the most accessible forms of homeschooling for parents/families who have heavy workloads and cannot homeschool full time. The right learning environment plays a big role in helping homeschool students thrive, from socialization to classes that bring magic to education, so it’s a decision not to be taken lightly.
In this article, we’ll explore key differences and similarities between microschools and homeschool co-ops to help you decide which option may be the best fit for your family.
What are Microschools?
Microschools have skyrocketed over the past five years as many homeschoolers use them as a hybrid option. They are generally private with either a paid teaching staff or sometimes led by parents. They are typically tuition based and serve 16 mixed-age students or fewer.
Microschools operate in a legal gray area, often outside of the traditional K-12 system and are subject to a patchwork of state and local policies. Microschools are still fairly new so regulation is catching up. This means that depending on the state you live in, you may find that microschools are designated as a private school, charter school, as a homeschool co-op, or have no designation at all. Microschools can look very different from one another seeing as they are built around the learners they serve.
Breaking Down Common Microschools Terms:
Pod-Based Microschools
These are often parent-led and may be more informal than a private microschool. Review your states’ policies and regulations to ensure that you are following all guidelines if you are starting your own pod-based microschool.
Private Microschools
Private microschools are generally tuition-based and led by a full-time educator. These schools will vary in their educational approaches and accreditation.
Charter or Public Microschools
While most microschools are private, some operate under charter or public school systems. Funding may come from government voucher programs rather than tuition. Charter microschools maintain a small and personalized learning environment.
Faith-Based Microschools
Faith-based microschools incorporate faith into their curriculum, and may incorporate other features, like being private, Montessori, and/or pod-based.
Therapeutic or Special Needs Microschools
Therapeutic microschools center their students’ special needs into their approach and curriculum, and may incorporate other features, like being faith-based, Montessori, and/or private.
Montessori or Waldorf Microschools
Both Montessori and Waldorf follow an educational philosophy of experiential learning each with unique characteristics.
Affiliate Microschools
Affiliate schools are private microschools that are connected to a larger network of microschools, and can provide additional resources beyond what a single microschool might offer.
School choice programs over the past ten years have skyrocketed, accelerating the growth of microschools. Depending on your state, you may be able to receive voucher funding to cover tuition. Review your state school voucher program to see if you qualify for voucher funds.
There are as many types of microschools as there are homeschool students. Learn more about different microschools and how to start your own microschool on the National Microschooling Center’s website.
What is a Homeschool Co-op?
Homeschool co-ops have been around longer than microschools. The roots of homeschool co-ops can be traced back to the early homeschooling movement and were inspired by John Holt in the 1970s.
Generally, homeschool co-ops are understood to be a group of homeschool families educating their children together. Co-ops are as varied as homeschooling is, but all co-ops aim to provide homeschoolers with shared learning and socialization through classes or activities, and are often used as a supplement to their homeschool education.
Some co-ops will meet once a week, while others may break up classes over multiple days, although generally co-ops will meet 1-2 times a week. Generally, parents will split teaching/activity responsibilities or, the co-op will hire educators with backgrounds in the subject area that they teach. Generally, there are multiple classes and are broken up by some range of age. Some will have an eclectic mix of classes while some may have standard subjects like a school.
Tip: Search for your location + homeschool groups and you will likely see multiple local co-op results, or use this search engine to search for co-ops near you.
What are the Differences?
Choosing between a microschool and a homeschool co-op depends on your family’s needs, schedule, and learning goals. Some families prefer the structure of a microschool, while others enjoy the flexibility and affordability of a homeschool co-op.
In addition to homeschooling families, Homeschool Boss is proud to provide MAP® Growth™ testing for small homeschooling groups, co-ops, and microschools at an affordable rate.
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