Why are Microschools Rare?
Have you ever seen a microschool? Probably not, and for good reason.
Microschools serve between 5 and 20 students, typically in mixed-age classes run by teacher-administrators, and using community parks as outdoor spaces. No public school district will ever build one.
There are many good arguments against microschools:
Specialization is limited (no gym, science lab, dedicated drama teacher etc.)
Teacher/admin profiles are rare (few people want to do both, and on a teacher salary)
Mixed age learners have different needs (you can’t teach the same thing to everyone)
Having kids out in public is a liability risk (it’s safer to keep them in one space)
Managing many small schools at scale is impractical (fewer, larger institutions are easier)
Why would anyone want a microschool? Because, when done right, they are education magic.
The power of microschooling comes from the foundational belief that small class sizes are the #1 driver of student outcomes. This has been shown consistently in study after study. Specialized staff and facilities are nice, but not if they require larger class sizes to cover the cost, especially in elementary years. Microschools run as lean as they can so they can keep class sizes small–and this unlocks a whole new model for education.
Imagine a class with 8 students and 2 teachers.
How is academic teaching different? Not only do students get more attention, you can actually individualized the assignments and level the work bespoke to each student. Acceleration for faster students, more time to review and ensure comprehension for those who need it. Mixed age groups are not a problem, because each student gets what they need.
What about the school culture? You can give students freedom and autonomy without risking chaos, which lets them build their confidence and develop social-emotional skills through lived experience. Teachers spend less energy on classroom management and grading, more goes into planning and delivering great lessons. Less stress and less rigidity means more joy and humanity–that’s what we need to get back into our classrooms.
This is the promise of microschools. Is it hard to pull off? Yes, very hard. Is it worth it? Absolutely.
Sebastian
2/5/2026
