Kerry McDonald: Are Microschools the Future of American Education?

Oct 12, 2023

Kerry McDonald, a well-versed advocate for alternative education, discusses the history of American education, rise of homeschooling/micro-schooling, and the impact of COVID-19. The episode explores the challenges faced by education entrepreneurs, the concept of micro schools and their different approach, and available financial resources for alternative education.

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Introduction

00:00 • 4min

Exploring the Landscape of Alternative Education and Micro-Schooling

03:47 • 2min

The Role of Entrepreneurs in Driving Innovation in Education

05:22 • 3min

The History of Compulsory Education and its Impact on Innovation

08:04 • 19min

Regulatory Challenges for Education Entrepreneurs

27:18 • 28min

Micro Schools: A Different Approach to Education

55:46 • 26min

Exploring Financial Resources for Microschools and Alternative Education

01:22:09 • 3min

Exploring Further with the Interviewee

01:25:21 • 2min

Today I’m speaking with Kerry McDonald. Kerry is a fellow at the Foundation for Economic Education, a writer for Forbes and The 74, host of the LiberatED Podcast, and author of Unschooled. Kerry is one of the most well versed people I know when it comes to what is happening in the alternative education movement. In this episode, we talk about the history of education in America, the inception of the public school system, and how we slowly forgot that we knew how to educate ourselves. We also talk about the rise of the homeschooling/micro-schooling movement and the momentum we are seeing in alternative education since the pandemic, exploring the different types and micro-schools, how they are funded, and how the school-choice movement is propelling change in the education system. Kerry is doing incrediblly important work in the education space and provides a compelling and enlightening viewpoint on the future of learning in a landscape of educational freedom. Chapters: 0:00 - Kerry McDonald 6:00 - How Entrepreneurs are driving the engine of change in education 8:00 - Why is it so hard to innovate in the education space from a legal standpoint? 15:40 - How did public school become mandatory? 22:30 - How the sentiments in the public have changed surrounding education 27:00 - Roadblocks that arise when starting a micro-school 33:30 - Are micro-school regulations side-effects or purposefully implemented 39:00 - Does a lack of regulation lead to poor educational outcomes? 52:00 - What does the ideal education landscape look like? 57:30 - What exactly is a micro-school? What makes it different? 1:07:30 - Are micro-schools and alternative education models available for low income families? 1:14:00 - What cultural narratives need to be changed to continue the momentum of school-choice 1:22:00 - Financial resources for parents looking to pull their kids from public school 1:25:00 - How to connect with Kerry If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Engaged Detroit Connect with Guest: Podcast | liberatedpodcast.com Twitter | @kerry_edu Connect with Hannah Frankman: Twitter | @hannahfrankman Website | http://hannahfrankman.com Follow along for conversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.