LiberatED Podcast
Entrepreneurship & Education Choice in North Carolina: “The state scholarships have been really, really important for opening up accessibility.”
Jan 24, 2025
Susan Hawes, the founder and Executive Director of Insight Colearning, shares her transformative journey of establishing a learner-centered micro-high school in Durham, North Carolina. She highlights the impact of North Carolina's universal school choice program, emphasizing how state scholarships have enhanced accessibility for families. The discussion covers the challenges of transitioning from homeschooling to a recognized school, the importance of community relationships, and practical advice for aspiring school founders entering the micro-schooling landscape.
41:58
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Quick takeaways
- Susan Haws' journey to create Insight Co-Learning reflects a response to the limitations of traditional education, emphasizing personalized learning needs.
- Recent universal school-choice legislation in North Carolina has significantly increased accessibility to private schooling through state-funded scholarships, benefiting diverse families.
Deep dives
The Journey to Founding Insight Co-Learning
The founder's journey to opening Insight Co-Learning began with her personal experiences as a teacher and a parent recognizing the limitations of traditional schooling. After initially homeschooling her daughter, they encountered a community center that provided classes for homeschoolers, only to see it close down unexpectedly. This prompted the founder to collaborate with educators to create an alternative program in a yoga studio, which eventually evolved into Insight Co-Learning. This early response to a direct need set the foundation for the school's establishment in 2018, as she aimed to create a supportive learning environment tailored for high schoolers who needed a different educational approach.
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