A school that feels designed just for them — because it is.
Microschools are small, public, and personal. They serve students who are deeply known, taught by educators with the freedom to teach differently, and shaped by the families and communities they belong to.
This is what they make possible.
The promises, in practice
JOY
“They're learning so much and having so much fun doing it.”
Eighty-six percent of Nature's Gift families say their child is more excited about learning than at the start of the year. Students frequently describe their days as "the best ever" — and ask to come on weekends.
This is what's possible when learning feels like play.
CONNECTION
“My child talks about how much he enjoys being able to build and create outdoor things with his friends no matter their age.”
Mixed-age classrooms, small group sizes, and relationships with consistent teachers shape every day at Nature's Gift. Thirty-one percent of families specifically named sense of belonging as a top impact area.
This is what's possible when every student is deeply known.
SUCCESS
“Our kids feel empowered to own their day and learning. We rarely need to prompt them to complete their work.”
Real-world readiness starts with intrinsic motivation — the ability to direct your own learning, push yourself, and follow through without being pushed. Families describe their children becoming more independent, more self-directed, and more confident taking on hard things on their own.
This is what's possible when students learn to lead themselves.
GROWTH
“Her reading and math abilities have grown exponentially. I'm thrilled.”
Students at Nature's Gift learn at their own pace, in mixed-age groups, with educators who design around how each child actually learns. Families describe growth in reading, math, confidence, independence, and social skills — often in the same child, in the same year.
This is what's possible when students progress based on mastery, not the calendar.
Meet Indiana Microschool Collaborative
George Philhower and Erin Wolski on what makes Nature's Gift Microschool work — and why the model can travel anywhere.
What’s possible when you start small
A microschool is more than a smaller school. It's a place to design something specific — built around the students you most want to reach, the outcomes you most want to see, and the community you're already part of.
Some examples of what microschools can be:
Athletics & Performance
Flexible academics for student-athletes and performers — built around their training without leaving their team.
Career-Connected Learning
Real-world apprenticeships, dual-credit pathways, and exposure to careers in healthcare, skilled trades, agriculture, and beyond.
STEM & Innovation
A site built around project-based learning, hands-on engineering, and career-connected experiences with industry partners like PLTW.
Place-Based & Outdoor
Learning rooted in a specific landscape, ecosystem, or community — like Nature's Gift Microschool, part of the IMC network.
Arts & Design
A studio-school model for students whose growth is shaped by music, visual art, theater, design, or media.
Personalized Learning Hub
A flexible setting for students seeking mastery-paced learning, more autonomy, or a different rhythm than traditional classrooms offer.
These are starting points. The model is yours to shape.
Why now
From 85% to below 80%.
The share of US K-12 students in traditional public schools has dropped sharply since 2020 — and hasn't rebounded.
Source: Brookings Institution, "Declining Public School Enrollment," August 2025
Public education is in a moment of real change.
Families are looking for school models that better fit their children.
Educators are looking for the freedom to teach the way they know works.
Districts are facing enrollment shifts, growing competition from non-public options, and rising expectations for personalization.
Microschools meet that moment. They give districts, charters, and communities a way to test new models, retain families who'd otherwise leave for homeschool or ESA programs, and build something genuinely future-ready — at a scale where the work is manageable and the learning is real.
This isn't about replacing traditional schools. It's about making room for what comes next, inside the public system.
Even if you’re not launching now
You don't have to launch a microschool tomorrow to be part of this work. The Microschool Collaborative network is also a place to learn, share, and stay close to what's emerging in public education.
READ
The full model, freely available — what we provide, what districts retain, how launch works, and what partnership costs.
LEARN
Meet the first MCI network in action. Watch the video or visit Indiana Microschool Collaborative to see how the model runs in practice.
CONNECT
Tell us about your context — your students, your goals, your timeline. We'll follow up. No pitch, no pressure, no commitment.