Episode 83: Partnering for Innovation. A Conversation with Amy McGrath.

We challenge the assumption that boredom is a student problem and show how design, mentorship and partnerships can make school feel alive. Amy McGrath shares the path from Florida Virtual to ASU Prep’s Digital Plus microschools, mastery learning and the new Tempe Levitt Lab.

• student-centered models that treat boredom as a design signal
• lessons from Florida Virtual and one-to-one mentorship
• hybrid learning that mixes digital core with in-person projects
• ASU Prep Digital Plus hubs and personalized learning guides
• partnerships with Khan Academy, Steve Levitt and John Williams
• wonder sessions and Socratic seminars that deepen curiosity
• mastery, alternative credentials and university collaboration
• practical steps to start, fund and pilot new models
• mentorship that tells the truth and removes drag

About our guest
Amy McGrath is the VP of Educational Outreach and Student Services at Arizona State University, Managing Director of ASU Preparatory Academy, and Chair of the Board for ASU Prep Global. She leads the design and national scaling of innovative learning models in partnership with over 350 school districts via ASU Prep Global. Amy co-designed Khan World School with Sal Khan and is passionate about using emerging technologies to boost engagement and learning. Her past roles include leading product development for 600,000+ learners at Florida Virtual School and advising international education leaders on blended learning. She writes extensively on the intersection of innovation and opportunity, serves on the boards of the World Series of Entrepreneurship, Class Technologies, and Trace Academy, and is committed to redesigning the student experience from the inside out. Amy holds a Bachelor's in Social Science Education and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from the University of South Florida.

Resources in this Episode
Levitt Lab
Dreamscape Learn
Khan World School
Florida Virtual School
Julie Young

Got a story to share or question you want us to answer? Send us a message!

About the podcast
The KindlED Podcast explores the science of nurturing children's potential and creating empowering learning environments.

Powered by Prenda Microschools, each episode offers actionable insights to help you ignite your child's love of learning. We'll dive into evidence-based tools and techniques that kindle young learners' curiosity, motivation, and well-being.

Got a burning question?
We're all ears! If you have a question or topic you'd love our hosts to tackle, please send it to podcast@prenda.com. Let's dive into the conversation together!

Important links:
• Connect with us on social
• Get our free literacy curriculum

Interested in starting a microschool?
Prenda provides all the tools and support you need to start and run an amazing microschool. Create a free Prenda World account to start designing your future microschool today. More info at ➡️ Prenda.com or if you're ready to get going ➡️ Start My Microschool