A recent Gallup poll found that only 35% of Americans are satisfied with the quality of K-12 education. That’s the lowest rating in over two decades. What’s worse is that public education ranks near the bottom of nearly every major issue Americans were asked about—below immigration, healthcare, and even the environment. That’s not just alarming; it’s tragic. The question is, how long do we have to wait for something better? Whatever the answer, a lot of parents are no longer willing to wait. They’re taking action, and the results are super interesting.
Meredith Olson is the president of VELA a nonprofit that funds and supports everyday entrepreneurs—parents, teachers, and community leaders alike—who are building nontraditional alternatives to K-12 education in neighborhoods all over the country. I’m talking about micro schools, hybrid homeschooling, and/or learning cooperatives, some with classrooms that look more like barns. Today, VELA supports a network of more than 4,200 innovative education models serving more than 6 million families across the country. They’ve awarded more than $24 million in grants, helping people take their kid’s education into their own hands, literally. It’s disruptive. It’s innovative. And it’s working.
If you’re among the millions of voters and taxpayers hoping for better public education, watch this video:
https://bit.ly/TWIHI451MeredithOlson.
And if you like what you see, visit VELA’s website and download the app:
https://bit.ly/3KljqiQ
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