Study Recommends Easing Barriers to Innovative Learning Models

Above, a  Montessori classroom in Indiana.(creative commons image)

Despite Massachusetts families’ strong interest in alternative to traditional educational models, entrepreneurs seeking to establish innovative learning environments face significant challenges, according to a new study published by Pioneer Institute.Across the country, the creation of small learning environments such as microschools, hybrid schools, learning pods and homeschool coops is on the rise, but the data suggest that Massachusetts lags many states in the growth of this new education sector.

“The number of students in and on waitlists for charter and virtual schools, as well as the high percentage of children attending private schools, seem to indicate an appetite for alternatives to public schooling,” said Lynn Swanson, who authored “Massachusetts Can Do More to Encourage Education Entrepreneurship” with Amar Kumar and Bill Heuer.Both supply- and demand-side barriers inhibit the growth of educational innovation in Massachusetts.

• On the supply side, a number of these entities are impacted by strict childcare licensing regulations. Co-author Amar Kumar received approval to operate his Newton-based microschool under an established exemption to the childcare regulations. But when he later applied to expand the ages he could serve, he was told he would need to submit another application – if denied, it would also void the original approval.
• Zoning ordinances can also be problematic. While non-profit private schools are given a degree of protection from local zoning laws, some level of review – potentially a site plan review and traffic study – could still be required. Such requirements can be inordinately expensive for programs that often educate fewer than 30 students.
• Similarly, building and fire codes designed for schools with hundreds of students are often inappropriate for schools that may only serve 15 or 20 students.
• On the demand side, non-academic activities such as interscholastic athletics that public and larger private schools offer can be a disincentive for students to enroll. Local school committees, for example, must approve homeschoolers who seek to participate in public school athletics.
• Funding and affordability issues can also create barriers, as programs that are so small don’t generate much tuition revenue. According to KaiPod Learning, which helps entrepreneurs open microschools, start-up costs are $5,000 to $10,000, and operating costs are significantly higher.

“One-size-fits-all education doesn’t work for a growing number of children—as can be seen in Massachusetts’ steep decline in academic performance and the traditional public schools’ response to the pandemic,” said Jim Stergios, the Institute’s executive director. “Massachusetts families want more choices, but red tape is holding them back We’re seeing promising models of individualized learning take off around the nation, and it’s time Massachusetts made space for them, too.

”The authors’ supply-side recommendations include making childcare regulations easier to navigate, easing the private school approval process, right-sizing zoning requirements and facilitating alternative ways to achieve fire safety.On the demand side, Swanson, Kumar and Heuer also recommend funding formulas under which money follows the child and creating policies that recognize the existence of educational options beyond traditional public and private schools.