Choosing where your child goes to school is one of the biggest decisions you face. While it may feel intimidating to navigate your school choice options in D.C. and make a choice, you can do it! And remember, every child is unique. So, the “best” school for your child may look different than the “best” school for your neighbor’s child.
First off, families in Washington, D.C. can choose for their children to attend traditional public schools. Traditional public schools are free to attend, open to all students, operated by school districts, and funded by federal, state, and local government. In D.C., 38.5% of all K-12 students attend a traditional public school.
The District of Columbia operates as a single school district. In D.C., families can apply to traditional public schools outside of the school assigned to them. D.C. uses a lottery system called My School DC. Families can apply to up to 12 schools out of nearly all of D.C.’s traditional public schools and public charter schools through the common lottery application. The lottery system then matches open seats with applicants. Nearly three-quarters of students in the district attend a school other than their neighborhood school.
Did you know that, on average, D.C. spends $24,535 per public school student each year? Find out more about public schools in D.C. at the D.C. State Board of Education website.
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DC Charter Schools
Besides traditional public schools, you can also choose public charter schools in D.C. These schools are tuition-free public schools that have extra freedom to innovate and are accountable to authorizers for student achievement. Each public charter school has a charter which explains the school’s purpose and what specific community need it serves. For example, that could be providing a STEAM program or offering a rigorous, literacy-based curriculum. If there are more families seeking admittance to a charter school than there are seats, the school typically uses a lottery system to determine admittance.
Magnet schools are another free public school option. These schools allow kids to narrow in on a specific learning track, such as engineering or the performing arts; all the subjects at a magnet school are taught through the lenses of that specific track. If your child applies to and is accepted into a public magnet school, they can attend that school rather than their assigned public school.
D.C. has a handful of public magnet schools or magnet programs. Duke Ellington School of the Arts, for instance, offers a unique dual enrollment curriculum where students receive professional arts training as well as academic preparation.
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DC Private Schools
In addition, you can choose D.C. private schools, nonpublic schools that charge tuition. Private schools come in all shapes and forms, from religious schools to schools designed for children with special needs.
There are about 100 private schools in the District of Columbia. The average tuition for private schools in D.C. is $27,647 for elementary schools and $30,948 for high schools.
While the cost of private school tuition may seem like a barrier, D.C. students whose families meet certain income limits may qualify for a state-run scholarship program which is currently serving 1.7% of the K-12 student population. The establishment of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program was even the subject of a feature film, Miss Virginia!
Whether your child wants to accelerate learning or needs a quieter environment in which to focus, you may be interested in trying virtual school. Students in Washington D.C. in any grade can enroll full-time in Friendship Online Academy, an online, tuition-free school. Enrollment in Friendship Public Charter School Online takes place through the My School DC Public School Lottery. The school also offers part-time options.
Additionally, some D.C. high schools offer blended courses.
Homeschooling, the process of parents educating students at home, is permitted in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. As both technology and school choices have spread in D.C., homeschooling is an increasingly popular choice with more support and resources than ever.
All parents in D.C. have the freedom to homeschool their children, provided they meet certain requirements. In D.C., notice of your intent to homeschool must be filed annually to the Office of the State Superintendent of Education by August 15 or 15 days before beginning homeschooling. D.C. requires homeschooling parents to have a high school diploma or its equivalent to homeschool.
Each spring, parents face one of the biggest decisions they can make for their child’s future: What school environment will their child spend about 1,000 hours in next year? Let’s dive in to school choice in Delaware.
Looking for special education options? You can learn what special education services are available in Delaware at the Ultimate Guide to Special Education.
Most children in Delaware (72%) attend traditional public schools. Traditional public schools are free to attend, open to all students, operated by school districts, and funded by federal, state, and local government. Each year, Delaware spends an average of $17,448 per public school pupil. You can search your school’s spending and that of nearby schools at Project Nickel.
You can take advantage of this valuable option by visiting multiple public schools near you and discovering which is the best fit for your family. Traditional public schools aren’t all the same: They may differ in learning methods and one may just “feel different” than another to you.
Families interested in submitting choice applications for participating public school districts in Delaware can do so online at SchoolChoiceDE. The deadline for applications is usually around mid-January for the upcoming school year. In Delaware, districts are required to post their open enrollment policies on their website, so you may also want to check out your district’s website!
Families have another public school choice in charter schools; these are tuition-free public schools that have extra freedom to innovate with earning methods. Sometimes charter schools are compared to sailboats; they aren’t built to serve as many people as luxury liners are, but it is easier to adjust the sails and change directions with the wind. The innovations charter schools offer can complement traditional public school’s stability.
Each school has a charter which explains the school’s purpose and what specific community need it serves, whether that be providing a language immersion program or offering a rigorous, literacy-based curriculum. If there are more families seeking admittance to a charter school than there are seats, a lottery system is usually used to determine admittance.
Families interested in submitting choice applications for participating charter schools in Delaware can do so online at SchoolChoiceDE. To learn more, you can also check out The Delaware Charter Schools Network.
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Delaware Magnet Schools
Magnet schools are free public schools that allow kids to narrow in on a specific learning track, such as engineering or the performing arts. At a magnet school, all the subjects are taught through the lenses of that specific track. In Delaware, 1.6% of all K-12 students attend a public magnet school.
Delaware has a few magnet schools scattered throughout the state; these could be a great option if there is one near you and your child learns best by focusing in on a subject they are passionate about. Cab Calloway School of the Arts in the Red Clay Consolidated School District, for instance, allows students to major in dance, digital media, vocal music, theatre arts, and more. Conrad Schools of Science, also in the Red Clay Consolidated School District, offers a life science magnet. In the Indian River School district, Southern Delaware School of the Arts seeks to facilitate student learning through the arts.
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Delaware Private Schools
You can also choose private school! Private schools come in all shapes and forms, from schools that help pass on a family’s faith tradition to schools designed for children with special needs. You probably know that private schools are nonpublic schools that charge tuition. But did you know that, since 2018, the federal government allows parents to save for K-12 private school tuition using tax-preferred 529 savings accounts?
There are about 130 private schools across the state of Delaware serving 12.6% of all K-12 students. The average tuition for private schools in the state is $10,186 for elementary schools and $11,694 for high schools. Unfortunately, in Delaware there are no state-run scholarship options for private schools, but private scholarships may be available, such as through the Delaware KIDS Fund.
Most states have free online school programs. Delaware does not have an official state online school, but the Christina School District in New Castle County offers a fully virtual academy. Families outside of the district may be able to use open enrollment to attend the school.
Delaware parents can also choose homeschooling, the process of parents educating students at home. Homeschooling is permitted in all 50 states.
In Delaware, 2.2% of all K-12 students are homeschooled. The state requires notice of your intent to homeschool before establishing yourself as a homeschool and annually before October 5th. The state also requires that your homeschool submit an end-of-year attendance report. You should also notify your public school of your intent to withdraw.
You are not required to teach specific subjects or use specific standardized tests if you choose to homeschool in Delaware. Keep in mind that children who are homeschooled may face roadblocks if they want to participate in public school sports. But you can always look for other sports leagues and activities near you. In Delaware, if you decide to switch back to public school, it is up to the school to decide what grade to place your child in.
Increasingly, Delaware families are mixing and matching school options to come up with new ways to personalize education. Microschools are one of these ways. A microschool refers to students gathering together in a small group – with adult supervision – to learn, explore, and socialize. Microschools can take a variety of shapes and legal forms, from homeschoolers coming together at an enrichment center to a private school committed to small classrooms. What microschools share in common is a commitment to small-group learning, close-knit relationships, and emphasizing children as individual learners.
Here are a few examples of innovative learning arrangements in Delaware:
One of Delaware’s newest private schools is Cedar Creek, an Acton Academy school that focuses on curiosity, independence, and lifelong learning.
R.O.O.T.S. (Reaching Outside of Traditional Schooling) is a family-founded initiative to teach self-sufficiency and altruism in the Georgetown community. The program is located on a family homestead and teaches life-skills workshops.
Remember, microschooling is more a mentality than a specific legal distinction in most cases. Often, a family participates in a microschool while legally homeschooling, or being enrolled in a private or online school.
Deciding where to send your child to school is one of the biggest decisions you face as a parent. Navigating your choices for K-12 education starts with knowing school choice options are available to you in Connecticut. There may be more options than you realize! Once you’re equipped with knowing your options, you can make the best choice for your family.
Looking for special education options? You can learn what special education services are available in Connecticut at the Ultimate Guide to Special Education.
Most children in Connecticut (77.3%) attend traditional public schools. Traditional public schools are free to attend, open to all students, operated by school districts, and funded by federal, state, and local government. Did you know that Connecticut spends an average of $22,769 per public school student each year? You can search your school’s spending and that of nearby schools at Project Nickel.
Connecticut has restricted open enrollment for public school. What this means is that parents in some Connecticut cities may be able to choose traditional public schools outside of their districts. This applies in Hartford, Bridgeport, New Haven, and New London, and may apply in other cities. Transfers within districts are sometimes an option as well. As a real-world example, you may wish to view the transfer application for switching schools within Norwalk Public Schools. Local boards of education decide whether to provide transportation for students participating in open enrollment.
If you live in an area of Connecticut with open enrollment, take advantage of this option by visiting multiple public schools near you and discovering which is the best fit for your family. Traditional public schools aren’t all the same: They may differ in learning methods and one may just “feel different” than another to you.
If you would like to participate in open enrollment, contact your local district for more information. Connecticut prohibits districts from charging tuition for transfer students, so open enrollment is always a free option for families.
Like traditional public schools, charter schools are public, free, and usually have no requirements for entry. What distinguishes charter schools is that they have extra freedom to innovate with curriculum and learning methods and are accountable to authorizing entities (like school districts or colleges) for results.
Each school has a charter which explains the school’s purpose and what specific community need it serves. That could be providing a Spanish immersion program or offering a rigorous, literacy-based curriculum. If there are more families seeking admittance to a charter school than there are seats, a good old-fashioned lottery system is usually used to determine admittance.
New for 2023: While Newark Enrolls has been a common application platform for traditional public schools and charter schools in the past, seven charter networks have now switched to a new enrollment platform called the Newark Common App. Families interested in North Star Academy, KIPP, Great Oaks Legacy, Marion P. Thomas, Achieve Community, People’s Preparatory, and Philip’s Academy should use the Newark Common App moving forward.
Depending on where you live in Connecticut, you may also be able to choose a magnet school. These schools are free public schools that allow kids to focus on specific themes or tracks, like STEM or the performing arts. For example, Breakthrough Magnet School in Hartford has a unique character education curriculum; the school has been recognized two years in a row for exemplary performance by Magnet Schools of America. Meanwhile, the Bristol Arts and Innovation Magnet School has two fully functional theaters and offers pathways in theater and creative construction. A magnet school might be a good option if your child learns best by focusing on a subject they are passionate about.
While magnet schools are a choice many parents haven’t heard of, most families are familiar with private schools. Connecticut’s private schools come in all shapes and forms, from religious schools to schools designed for children with special needs. One innovative private school in Connecticut, Education without Walls, is located on a farm in New Milford and offers courses in computer science, cooking, and improvisation, as well as core subjects.
There are more than 400 private schools across the state of Connecticut that serve 10% of the K-12 student population. The average tuition for private schools in the state is $22,648 for elementary schools and $40,783 for high schools. In Connecticut, there are no state-run scholarships to help families afford private school tuition, but privately-funded scholarships may be available. Additionally, the federal government allows parents to save for K-12 private school tuition using tax-preferred 529 savings accounts.
Also, Connecticut families can choose homeschooling, the process of parents educating students at home. You can homeschool in all 50 states and homeschooling is an increasingly popular choice. As both technology and school choices have spread in Connecticut, there are more support and resources for homeschooling than ever.
In Connecticut, 2.5% of all K-12 students are homeschooled. It is recommended that families file an optional notice of intent to homeschool within 10 days of beginning homeschooling. Notice may be requested by districts annually. It is also recommended that you formally withdraw from your current school so that your student is not marked truant.
Connecticut Microschools and Mix-and-Match Learning
Increasingly, Connecticut families are blending school options to come up with creative new ways to personalize education. Microschools are one of these ways. A microschool refers to students gathering together in a small group – with adult supervision – to learn, explore, and socialize. Microschools can take a variety of shapes and legal forms, from homeschoolers coming together at an enrichment center to a private school committed to small classrooms. What microschools share in common is a commitment to small-group learning, close-knit relationships, and emphasizing children as individual learners.
Here are a few real examples of microschools and related resources in your state:
One example of homeschoolers gathering in a pod-like community is LearnerSpace in Bethel.
From Seeds to Sprouts is a Private Education Association establishing a one-room schoolhouse with collaborative homeschooling. From Seeds to Sprouts is located in Shelton.
Remember, microschooling is more a mentality than a specific legal distinction in most cases. Often, a family participates in a microschool while legally homeschooling, or being enrolled in a private or online school.
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Download the School Choice Snapshot for Connecticut
First off, if you’re making a K-12 education decision for your child, you’re not alone. Tens of thousands of Colorado parents are making similar decisions each year. Secondly, you can do it! In Colorado, you have access to more school choice options than you might realize. Knowing and navigating these options can help you find a great school. And remember, every child is different. So, the best school for your neighbor’s child may be different than the best school for your child.
Looking for special education options? You can learn what special education services are available in Colorado at the Ultimate Guide to Special Education.
Most children in Colorado (76.5%) attend traditional public schools. Traditional public schools are free to attend, open to all students, and operated by school districts. Public schools are funded by federal, state, and local government. Did you know that Colorado spends, on average, $12,255 per public school student each year? You can search your school’s spending and that of nearby schools at Project Nickel.
Colorado has unrestricted open enrollment for public schools. What this means is that you may be able to send your child to any public school in Colorado, regardless of where you live or where the school is located. You can take advantage of this important option by visiting multiple public schools near you and discovering which is the best fit for your family. Since Colorado has a law prohibiting public schools from charging tuition for transfer students, open enrollment is always a free option for families.
Another widespread public school choice in Colorado are charter schools. These schools are tuition-free public schools that have extra freedom to innovate with learning methods. If traditional public schools are a little like luxury liners that are able to serve many people but slower to turn when the wind changes, charter schools are a little like sailboats, which are built for a smaller number of people but are easier to adjust and navigate.
Each public charter school has a charter that explains the school’s purpose and what specific community need it serves. This purpose might be providing a STEAM program or offering a rigorous, literacy-based curriculum. One recently-opened charter high school focuses on agriculture, food, health, and environmental stewardship; it even has a soil and seed lab! If there are more families seeking admittance to a charter school than there are seats, a lottery system is usually used to determine admittance.
You can also choose magnet schools! These public schools allow kids to narrow in on a specific learning track, like engineering or STEM. At a magnet school, all the subjects are taught through the lenses of that specific track.
We interviewed one Colorado magnet school, New Emerson School at Columbus. Students at New Emerson combined the ideas of a library and a laboratory to make a “libratory.” Cool stuff!
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Colorado Private Schools
Additionally, Colorado families can choose from private schools, which come in all shapes and forms, from religious schools to schools designed for children with special needs. These schools are nonpublic schools that charge tuition.
Unfortunately, in Colorado there are no state-run scholarship programs to help families afford private school tuition. However, there may be privately funded scholarships available. ACE Scholarships, for instance, works to provide scholarships for disadvantaged students in Colorado and other states. Also, the federal government allows parents to save for K-12 private school tuition using tax-preferred 529 savings accounts.
There are also many online schools serving specific grades. For example, students statewide in grades 4-12 who are interested in career technical education may wish to check out Destinations Career Academy of Colorado, which specializes in real-world training for specific careers. Students in grades 9-12 who need extra academic and social support to excel may want to consider Pikes Peak Online School.
You can dive into a full list of online options at the Colorado Department of Education. Note that some of the online options listed are available only to local students.
In addition, Colorado Digital Learning Solutions is the official state virtual school and offers part-time courses for middle-school and high-school students. While Colorado Digital Learning Solutions charges fees, students attending Colorado traditional public schools and public charter schools may have their fees subsidized. Another part-time option for some Colorado students is My Tech High, which partners with Colorado Early Colleges and the Vilas School District to offer online learning opportunities for students ages 5-18.
We recently interviewed a Colorado online school, GOAL Academy. This online school has drop-in centers where students can work and frequent school field trips, offering families a unique blend of virtual and in-person education.
Homeschooling is also available to Colorado families. Homeschooling is the process of parents educating students at home and is permitted in all 50 states. As both technology and school choices have spread in Colorado, homeschooling is an increasingly popular choice with more support and resources than ever.
In Colorado, requires notice of your intent to homeschool, if you are using the state’s homeschool statue, 14 days prior to homeschooling annually. It is recommended that you formally withdraw from your current school so that your student is not marked truant.
Today, many Colorado families today are mixing and matching school options to come up with new ways to personalize education. Microschools are one of these ways. A microschool refers to students gathering together in a small group – with adult supervision – to learn, explore, and socialize. Microschools can take a variety of shapes and legal forms, from homeschoolers coming together at an enrichment center to a private school committed to small classrooms. What microschools share in common is a commitment to small-group learning, close-knit relationships, and emphasizing children as individual learners.
Here are a few real examples of microschools in Colorado:
Zealous Schools is one organization operating a few microschools as independent schools in Colorado.
In Denver, Embark Education blends study and real world experience, allowing students to work half-hour shifts at a nearby coffee shop and bike shop.
Anastasis Academy is a Christian microschool in Centennial focusing on experiential learning and small, mixed-age classes.
North Star Microschool is a home-based learning center modeled after the one-room schoolhouse.
La Luz Education is an independent microschool / homeschool enrichment program for sixth and seventh graders. The program is tuition-free and offers education in both English and Spanish.
Montessori Peaks Academy is a Colorado public charter school, but offers several free enrichment programs for homeschool students.
Remember, microschooling is more a mentality than a specific legal distinction in most cases. Often, a family participates in a microschool while legally homeschooling, or being enrolled in a private or online school.
Each spring, parents face one of the biggest decisions they can make for their child’s future: What school environment will their child spend about 1,000 hours in next year? Let’s dive in to school choice in California.
Making that decision with confidence starts with knowing your options; you may have more school choices than you realize. Understanding these options can help you find a school where your child grows and learns to the best of their ability. Remember, each child is unique. So, the “best” school for your child may be different than the “best” school for your neighbor’s child. That’s okay!
First off, most children in California (70.1%) attend traditional public schools. Traditional public schools are free to attend, open to all students, operated by school districts, and funded by taxpayers like you. California spends an average of $14,985per public school pupil each year.
Open enrollment is an important form of public school choice; open enrollment refers to whether a state allows parents to send their children to schools outside of their district. In California, parents of students assigned to low-performing schools may be able to transfer their children to another school based on the state’s limited open enrollment laws. In general, school districts in California can also set their own open enrollment policies, so parents can check with their local district to learn more. As a real-world example, the William S. Hart Union High School District only accepts transfers within its district for a few student groups, including victims of bullying, foster youth, and children of active military.
Parents can request that the school they select through open enrollment provides transportation assistance.
Different public schools may have different cultures and missions. For example, we recently spoke to Sonia Flores, the principal at California’s Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy, which was ranked in the top 50 public high schools in the United States. She told us that, while the school serves all students, its special mission is to support “students who are first in their family to go to college, or students who come from a low-income background who face obstacles that prevent them from being successful in a comprehensive high school setting.”
Secondly, families in California have another tuition-free option in charter schools. Like traditional public schools, charter schools are public, free, and usually have no requirements for entry. What distinguishes charter schools is that they have extra freedom to innovate with learning methods. In addition, public charter schools are accountable to authorizing entities, such as colleges or school districts, for results.
The first charter school in California opened in 1994 in San Carlos. Today, about one in nine of California’s public school students attend a charter school. The state has around 1,000 charter schools, which can be found in this school directory. Each charter has a particular focus and strives to fill a unique role in the local community. For example, this could be providing a STEAM program or a rigorous literacy program. When we interviewed the executive director of one of California’s largest charter schools, Granada Hills Charter School, we learned that the school serves students from 60 countries who, collectively, speak more than 40 languages!
Depending on where you live in California, you may also be able to choose a magnet school. These free, public schools allow kids to focus on specific themes, like science or the performing arts. If your child learns best by diving deeply into a subject he or she is passionate about, a magnet school could be a good fit.
In addition, you can consider private schools, nonpublic schools that charge tuition. There are about 3,815 private schools across the state of California, and these schools offer families unique learning environments. For instance, private schools may be religious schools, non-sectarian Montessori schools, or schools designed for children with learning differences. 8.6% of the K-12 student population in California attends a private school.
The average tuition for private schools in the state is $15,147 for elementary schools and $20,808 for high schools. Tuition can vary quite a lot, and may be much lower in some cases. Unfortunately, in California there are not currently any state-run scholarships to help families afford private school tuition. Privately-run scholarships may be available.
California doesn’t have an official state virtual school, but there are several free, full-time online learning options for students. In California, a fully online school is only allowed to serve students in contiguous counties, not students statewide. Because of this, some education management organizations operate multiple online schools to be able to serve students from across the state. Two of the biggest of these online school “networks” are California Connections Academy and California Virtual Academies.
California has more than 30 online charter schools, giving every California student a fully online option. California Pacific Charter Schools is a free online choice for students in more than a dozen California counties. Meanwhile, Method Online School serves southern California students, and Compass Charter Schools serves Los Angeles, Yolo, San Diego, and surrounding areas.
K-12 students in Ventura, San Bernardino, Kern, and Orange counties can also consider IQ Academy-Los Angeles. While much of the learning is facilitated by technology, this learning program offers in-person field trips and meet-ups as well. Students in grades 9-12 needing additional academic support to overcome obstacles may wish to consider Insight Schools of California.
Additionally, some districts have created their own online schools, like Davis School for Independent Study,West Contra Costa Unified Virtual Academy, El Dorado Union High School District’s Pacific Crest Academy,Elk Grove Unified School District’s Virtual Academy, and Vista Virtual Academy. Students in the district or who have received an interdistrict transfer can apply. Los Angeles Unified School District’s Virtual Academy served nearly 18,000 students during the 2021-2022 school year. In response to the appetite for online options, the district created six new theme-based online schools for the 2022-2023 school year. Each online program has a unique focus, such as computer science or leadership and public service.
You can also choose homeschooling, the process of parents educating students at home. In California, 2.7% of all K-12 students are homeschooled. The state requires notice of your intent to homeschool between October 1 – October 15 of each year if you are homeschooling as a home-based private school. It is recommended that you formally withdraw from your current school so that your student is not marked truant.
If you choose to homeschool, you are required to teach courses commonly taught in public schools, but specific standardized tests are not required if you are homeschooling as a home-based private school. In general, children who are homeschooled may face roadblocks if they want to participate in public school sports or activities in California, but other sports leagues may be available.
We recently spoke to the Cox Family, a California family that found that homeschooling was the best fit for one of their three children. As mom Erica Cox put it, finding the right school for your child requires being open to thinking outside the box: “If you want your kid to be a successful student, you need to find the right type of school and environment for them to thrive in. Don’t assume because it works for one [student] it will work for the others.”
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California Microschools and Mix-and-Match Learning
Today, many California families are mixing and matching school options to come up with new ways to personalize education. Microschools are one of these ways. A microschool refers to students gathering together in a small group – with adult supervision – to learn, explore, and socialize. Microschools can take a variety of shapes and legal forms, from homeschoolers coming together at an enrichment center to a private school committed to small classrooms. What microschools share in common is a commitment to small-group learning, close-knit relationships, and emphasizing children as individual learners.
Here are just a few examples of the many microschools and innovative learning choices in California:
Silicon Schools “funds the creation of new schools that foster innovation and personalization to discover the next generation of schools in America.” Their grantees include several microschools and other innovative educational initiatives.
Chronos Academy, a microschool in Larkspur, evolved from a cohort program for homeschoolers to a private school with intentionally small classes.
The Players Academy, a network of full-time learning centers that offer hybrid learning for student athletes, is opening locations in Rancho Cordova, West Sacramento, and Walnut Creek.
In Oakland, the Oakland REACH offers virtual learning hubs to help students receive support and academic and social enrichment.
Global Village School is a homeschool/private school hybrid that was founded back in 1999. The school focuses on self-directed distance learning, social justice, and sustainability.
The Open School is a small, self-directed school for creative learners. The Open School has a campus in Santa Ana and a virtual program for non-local families.
Acton Academy Venice Beach is part of that Acton Academy network that primarily emphasizes self-directed learning and entrepreneurial thinking in a collaborative environment.
Praxis Elite offers an innovative middle school curriculum that combines academics and athletics in equal measure.
Julian Charter School is hybrid-style public charter school that serves more than 2,000 students.
Seeds of Love Collective focuses on developing holistic educational pathways in connection with nature. Their Open Wilderness Literacy & Science (OWLS) microschool offers outdoor education with hands-on learning experiences for learners aged 6-11 to cultivate community, friendships, and joy in learning.
Inner Fire Academy provides an intimate and tailored learning environment for homeschoolers and students enrolled in accredited virtual schools, specializing in gifted children aged 8-12 with a focus on customized, engaging education.
Ellemercito Academy is a Los Angeles-based microschool focused on experiential, place-based learning.
Angeles Workshop School is a student-led private school in Los Angeles serving up to just 20 students.
Brightworks in San Francisco is a small school that seeks to foster students’ advocacy and love of learning through project-based experiences.
Remember, microschooling is more a mentality than a specific legal distinction in most cases. Often, a family participates in a microschool while legally homeschooling, or being enrolled in a private or online school.
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Download the School Choice Snapshot for California
Arkansas parents, this post is for you. Each year you face one of the biggest decisions you can ever make for your child: Where they attend school. Knowing all your school choice options in Arkansas can help you select the best fit for your family.
Most families in Arkansas (80.7%) choose traditional public schools for their child. Traditional public schools are free to attend, open to all students, operated by school districts, and funded by federal, state, and local government. Did you know that Arkansas spends about $11,266 per public school pupil each year? You can search your school’s spending and that of nearby schools at Project Nickel.
If you would like to participate in open enrollment, contact your local district. Arkansas law prohibits districts from charging tuition for transfer students, so open enrollment is always free. Generally, transportation is not covered by the school you use open enrollment to select, unless that school district is under facilities distress or a special agreement is made between the receiving and sending districts.
Open enrollment can be a valuable way for you to have options within the public school system; you can visit multiple public schools and decide which is best for your family.
Additionally, you can consider charter schools. In Arkansas, 6.5% of all K-12 students attend a charter school. Charter schools are tuition-free public schools that are allowed extra freedom to innovate with curriculum and learning methods. As of 2023, Arkansas has about 95 public charter schools for parents to choose from.
Each school has a charter which explains the school’s purpose and what specific community need it serves, whether that be providing a language immersion program or offering a rigorous, literacy-based curriculum. If there are more families seeking admittance to a charter school than there are seats, a lottery system is usually used to determine admittance.
In Arkansas there are both conversion schools and open-enrollment schools. Conversion schools are traditional public schools that have converted to charter schools. They usually only serve students within their district. Open-enrollment charter schools are run by a governmental entity, higher learning organization, or non-sectarian organization and can draw students from various districts. In 2023, the LEARNS Act eliminated a cap on the number of charter schools that can be opened by nonprofit organizations in the state, paving the way for more schools.
As the Arkansas Department of Education puts it, “Beyond the two basic types of charters, the concepts put in place by a public charter school are as broad as the imagination.” For one example of what charter schools offer Arkansas families, check out LISA Academy, a system of high-performing STEM charter schools. Another Arkansas charter school we talked to, Founders Classical Academy, makes classical education available to families in a free, public school environment.
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Arkansas Magnet Schools
Magnet schools are another option. These are free public schools that allow kids to narrow in on a specific learning track, such as engineering or the performing arts. A magnet school teaches all subjects through the lenses of that specific track. These might be a good option if your kid learns best by focusing in on a subject he or she is passionate about.
For example, Apple Glen Elementary School, located in Bentonville County, is a “visible learning” school, meaning that learning centers around the students. The students take responsibility for their education through self-evaluation and student-led activities. Some additional examples include Mary Mae Jones Elementary School and Hot Springs Park Magnet, which both offer International Baccalaureate programs.
Private schools are nonpublic schools that charge tuition. There are about 190 private schools across the state of Arkansas. These private schools come in all shapes and forms, from religious schools to schools designed for children with special needs. The average tuition for private schools in the state is $5,910 for elementary schools and $6,689 for high schools.
0.2% of all K-12 students in Arkansas participate in a private school choice program. In 2023, Arkansas created a new scholarship program to help families afford nonpublic learning environments. Families who participate in the Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Accounts program can have 90% of their child’s state education funding (about $6,600 in 2023-24) deposited in an online account. Parents can then use that funding to pay for approved expenses, like tuition at an eligible private school.
For 2024-25, the program is open to students with disabilities, homeless students, foster students, first-time kindergarteners, students currently in the Succeed Scholarship program, children of active duty military personnel and veterans, children of first responders, and students enrolled in the previous school year in D or F-rated public schools or Level 5 Intensive support school districts. Eligibility to apply will expand to any Arkansas student by 2025! Find all the details in our Arkansas LEARNS Act Explainer.
There are many reasons to give online learning a try, from sports schedules to bullying issues to medical needs. Arkansas offers several free, full-time online learning options for students, like Arkansas Connections Academy and Arkansas Virtual Academy. These are multi-district, fully online options. More options are launching too: Two additional statewide virtual charter schools have been approved to open, and several more are in the pipeline for approval.
For part-time classes, Virtual Arkansas offers online options for any Arkansas student, though online classes for students in grades K-6 are limited. Students enrolled in a public school can take all or some of their Virtual Arkansas classes online. While Virtual Arkansas’ website lists fees for courses, the local school district pays those, not students and their families.
Parents can also choose homeschooling! Homeschooling is the process of parents educating students at home. As both technology and school choices have spread in Arkansas, homeschooling is an increasingly popular choice.
In Arkansas, 4.9% of all K-12 students are homeschooled. The state requires notice of your intent to homeschool your child by August 15 of each school year. If you are making the decision to homeschool mid-year, you must provide notice 5 days prior to withdrawing. In the case that you move, you must file your notice to homeschool within 30 days of establishing residency at your new location.
You are not required to teach specific subjects or use specific standardized tests if you choose to homeschool in Arkansas. Your child might still be eligible to participate in sports, activities, or classes at the local public school, though restrictions may apply. Additionally, homeschooled students with disabilities in Arkansas may be eligible to access special education services from their local school districts.
In the case that you want to switch back to public school, the school will require a transcript with courses taken and grades, as well as a portfolio, for placement into classes.
In 2023, Arkansas created a new scholarship program to help families afford nonpublic learning environments. By 2025, homeschoolers will be able to opt into the Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account program and keep homeschooling, using the program funding for their approved homeschool curriculum. Just keep in mind that homeschoolers who participate in the Educational Freedom Account program will be required to take an annual test and may need to meet additional requirements that other homeschoolers statewide are not obliged to meet.
Today, many Arkansas families are mixing and matching school options to come up with new ways to personalize education. Microschools are one of these ways. A microschool refers to students gathering together in a small group – with adult supervision – to learn, explore, and socialize. Microschools can take a variety of shapes and legal forms, from homeschoolers coming together at an enrichment center to a private school committed to small classrooms. What microschools share in common is a commitment to small-group learning, close-knit relationships, and emphasizing children as individual learners.
Here are a few examples of innovative learning options in Arkansas:
ACRES is a new microschool opening in Brookland in fall 2023. Families will register as homeschoolers but come together for mixed-age learning with a Socratic style.
The Decker School in central Arkansas reimagines education through child-led exploration. Families can enroll part-time as homeschoolers, or participate in a full-time program.
Arkansas’ new Educational Freedom Account, which is phasing in over the next two years, will provide participating families with flexible funding that can be used for private school expenses, tutoring, and more.
Remember, microschooling is more a mentality than a specific legal distinction in most cases. Often, a family participates in a microschool while legally homeschooling, or being enrolled in a private or online school.
If you live in Arizona, you have access to more K-12 education options than you might realize. Navigating these options can help you find a school where your child thrives, but it can also feel overwhelming. This guide will breakdown the main types of school choice in Arizona, as well as provide additional education resources.
Interested in learning more about Arizona’s ESA program? Check out our deep dive blog on the Empowerment Scholarship Account program and Arizona School Choice.
Most children in Arizona (68.3%) attend traditional public schools. Traditional public schools are free to attend, open to all students, operated by school districts, and funded by taxpayers like you. Arizona spends an average of $9,611 per public school pupil each year. You can search your school’s spending and that of nearby schools at Project Nickel.
Arizona has unrestricted open enrollment for public school. What this means is that you can send your child to any public school in Arizona, regardless of where you live or where the school is located, as long as the school has capacity. Each district’s open enrollment policies must be available in English and Spanish, and must include transportation provisions. These include transportation up to about 20 miles each way for students with a disability or IEP, and can include other students, too. For example, you can read about the open enrollment process in the Scottsdale Unified School District.
Arizona has a law prohibiting public schools from charging tuition for transfer students, so this option is always free. You can take advantage of open enrollment by visiting multiple public schools near you and discovering which is the best fit for your family. Traditional public schools may differ in learning methods and one may just “feel different” than another to you.
For example, one traditional public school in Arizona we talked to, Coyote Springs Elementary School, has a unique focus on “authenticity in learning.” Pamela Clark, the school’s instructional specialist, shared one of the school’s cool practices for the beginning of the school year. It’s called “two for ten.” She said, “We want everyone on campus to spend ten minutes with a child for a couple of weeks just getting to know them, talking about things other than school, and every person on campus participates, including teachers, custodians, the cafeteria staff.”
Charter schools are tuition-free public schools that have extra freedom to innovate with curriculum and learning methods. Arizona has more than 500 charter schools that parents can choose from. In fact, at least 84% of Arizona students have access to at least one charter in their area.
Each school has a charter which explains the school’s purpose and what specific community need it serves. For example, Arizona Autism Charter School focuses on the educational needs of children with autism, while others may focus on language immersion or mathematics. If there are more families seeking admittance to a charter school than there are seats, a lottery system is usually used to determine admittance.
We recently interviewed one of Arizona’s very first charter schools, Benjamin Franklin Charter School. When we asked the charter school’s Director of Education, Diana Dana, what makes her school unique, here’s what she shared: “Because we are not restricted by boundaries, we are able to welcome any family that is looking for something more than what their neighborhood school offers in a caring, wholesome environment. Many parents choose to be a part of something special with us because we provide an ‘A’ rated education and family-friendly amenities such as affordable before- and after- school childcare and free school supplies. We take pride in removing barriers to an excellent, tuition-free education.”
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Arizona Magnet Schools
You can also choose magnet schools. These free public schools allow kids to narrow in on a specific learning track, such as health sciences or the performing arts. At a magnet school, all subjects are taught through the lenses of that specific track. These might be a good option if your kid learns best by focusing in on a subject he or she is passionate about!
There are many magnet school options in Arizona. For instance, the Tucson Unified School District in Arizona currently lists twelve magnet schools. These include schools that focus on communication arts, dual language, Montessori, and gifted study. Meanwhile, in Goodyear, Centerra Mirage STEM Academy is a magnet school focusing on hands-on STEM learning and enrichment. And, Gallego Primary K-3 Fine Arts Magnet School in the Sunnyside Unified School District focuses on art and creativity.
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Arizona Private Schools
You probably know that private schools are nonpublic schools that charge tuition. But did you know that, since 2018, the federal government has allowed parents to save for K-12 private school tuition using tax-preferred 529 savings accounts?
There are more than 450 private schools across the state of Arizona. These private schools come in all shapes and forms, from religious schools to schools designed for children with special needs. Arizona’s Gateway Academy, for example, a private school located in Scottsdale, is providing an inspiring education for students with autism spectrum disorders.
The average tuition for private schools in Arizona is $9,619 for elementary schools and $13,766 for high schools. There are currently five state-run scholarship programs, which can help families afford private school tuition. One of these is the nation’s very first tax-credit scholarship program, enacted in 1997. All K-12 students interested in choosing private school are eligible to apply for aid. Arizona launched another individual income tax-credit scholarship program in 2012. Arizona also offers a tax-credit scholarship program focusing on scholarships for low-income children. Fourth, “Lexie’s Law” provides tax-credit scholarships for students with special needs.
Finally, Arizona has an Empowerment Scholarship Accounts program that was adapted in 2022 to expand eligibility to all Arizona students. Participating families can receive scholarships of about $7,000 or more for qualifying educational expenses, including private school tuition, online education, tutoring, transportation, and education therapy. As of 2024, 9.8% of Arizona students are participating in this popular program.
In order for funding to transfer to one of these schools, families switching to an online school may need to initiate withdrawal from their previous school. You can learn more about the online school community in your state at AZ Parents for Education.
Homeschooling is another school option in all 50 states. Homeschooling is the process of parents educating students at home and allows for highly customizable education. 3.4% of all K-12 students are homeschooled. If you homeschool in Arizona, your student might still be eligible to participate in sports or classes at your local public school!
If you move to a new county during the school year, you must file a letter of termination, then submit a new notice of your intent to homeschool in the county you moved to. In the case that you want to switch back to public school, you must file a letter of termination.
Keep in mind that Arizona has a funding assistance program called the Empowerment Scholarship Account program that can help make homeschooling more affordable for families.
Increasingly, Arizona families are mixing and matching school options to come up with new ways to personalize education. Microschools are one of these ways. A microschool refers to students gathering together in a small group – with adult supervision – to learn, explore, and socialize. Microschools can take a variety of shapes and legal forms, from homeschoolers coming together at an enrichment center to a private school committed to small classrooms. What microschools share in common is a commitment to small-group learning, close-knit relationships, and emphasizing children as individual learners.
Here are just a few examples of the many microschools and nontraditional learning choices for families in Arizona:
Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account provides participating families with education funding that can be used flexibly for approved learning expenses, like private school tuition, home education, tutoring, and more.
Prenda Microschools offers tuition-free learning pod options for families through a partnership with accredited online schools in Arizona.
Endeavor Academy is a microschool situated in Mesa that follows an in-home approach to education.
Baker Creek Academy is a small, collaborative, student-driven school in Eagar that prioritizes community.
Great Hearts Online has piloted a microschool program where families can enroll in the classical online school but receive in-person learning support.
Public online schools like ASU Prep and Sequoia Choice have launched learning-pod-like models where students work on their online school curriculum in person together a few days a week.
KaiPod Learning offers learning pods for both homeschoolers and students enrolled in accredited virtual schools.
Based in Phoenix, Spark Community Schools offers small classroom-style learning to grades K-8.
The Black Mothers Forum has launched at least five microschools in Arizona, specifically geared toward meeting the needs of minority communities and their families.
Adamo education combines in-person instruction in small microschooling environments with digital learning.
Primer is a microschooling network with schools in Scottsdale and South Tempe.
Kino School is an example of a small, innovative private school with mixed-age learning focused on student interests. While it’s been around since the 1970s, it shares some of the characteristics of microschools today.
iCubed Learning provides personalized learning pods for homeschoolers, online students, and those enrolled in hybrid programs, offering one-on-one teaching experiences with certified educators.
Trinity Arch Preparatory School for Boys offers a tailored learning pod environment focusing on a liberal arts education and character development in a Christian, boys-only setting.
Arizona State University offers a year-long fellowship that families can apply for if they’re interested in starting their own microschool.
Remember, microschooling is more a mentality than a specific legal distinction in most cases. Often, a family participates in a microschool while legally homeschooling, or being enrolled in a private or online school.
If you live in Alaska and are making a decision about K-12 education for your child, this post is for you. Where you send your child to school is one of the most impactful decisions you can make, but you’re not alone in it. Thousands of Alaska parents make school choices each year. And remember, each child is unique. So, the “best” school for your child may look different than the “best” school for your neighbor’s child.
Looking for special education options? You can learn what special education services are available in Alaska at the Ultimate Guide to Special Education.
By far, most families in Alaska (68.8%) and around the country choose traditional public school. Traditional public schools are free to attend, open to all students, operated by school districts, and funded by federal, state, and local government.
Did you know that Alaska spends an average of $19,540 per pupil in public school? You can search your school’s spending and that of nearby schools at Project Nickel.
Alaska has limited open enrollment laws for public schools. What this means is that parents of students who are assigned to a particular neighborhood school may in some cases be able to transfer their children to another school in their district. For example, the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District has an online application portal where families can apply to a school outside their zoned “attendance area.” In other cases, children may be required to attend the school assigned to them by their district.
Open enrollment is an important way that parents have access to a broader variety of public schools. Find out more about public schools in your state at the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development and contact your school district to learn about your open enrollment options. You can also learn more about Alaska’s open enrollment options in this 50-state report.
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Alaska Charter Schools
Depending on where you live in Alaska, public charter schools may be another public school option available to you. Like traditional public schools, charter schools are public, free, and usually have no requirements for entry. What distinguishes charter schools is that they have extra freedom to innovate with learning methods and are accountable to authorizers for results.
Alaska passed charter school legislation in 1995 and currently has more than 30 charter schools that serve more than 7,000 (5.8%) students. Each school has a charter which explains the school’s purpose and what specific community need it serves. For example, one of Alaska’s newest charter schools is Knik Cultural School, which offers Alaska Native culture and values-based learning opportunities, such as fishing, moose hunting, and berry picking! If there are more families seeking admittance to a charter school than there are seats, a good old-fashioned lottery system is typically used to determine admittance.
A third free, public school option is found in Alaska’s magnet schools. Magnet schools allow kids to narrow in on a specific learning track, such as engineering or the performing arts. Magnet schools teach all subjects through the lenses of their specific track. In Alaska, 12.2% of all K-12 students attend a public magnet school.
Alaska has a handful of magnet schools scattered throughout the state. For example, Barnette Magnet School, located in the Fairbanks North Star Borough District, describes its offering this way: “Barnette’s magnet or ‘draw’ is a combination of: small exploration classes, a community-based Friday in Fairbanks Program, and quarterly all-school Exhibit Nights. These are the elements of the school that set it apart from other schools and make the Magnet School experience a rewarding one for both students and parents.”
Families in Alaska can also consider private schools, nonpublic schools that charge tuition. Private schools may offer a unique curriculum, smaller class sizes, or a faith-based tradition. Overall, there are more than 50 private schools across the state of Alaska serving 3.1% of all K-12 students. These private schools come in all shapes and forms, from religious schools to schools designed for children with special needs. The average tuition for private schools in your state is $7,154 for elementary schools and $6,881 for high schools.
Unfortunately, there are no state-run scholarship options in Alaska at present, but private scholarships may be available. Additionally, Alaska has a funding assistance program that can make some private school courses more affordable for families. Essentially, the state sets aside funds in the form of an annual allotment for students enrolled in a state-funded correspondence program. Families can then use their student allotment to request reimbursements for approved educational expenses. Currently, this may include courses at private schools (though not full-time tuition).
Whether your child wants to accelerate learning or needs a quieter environment in which to focus, you may be interested in giving virtual school a try. Of course, virtual school is different and may feel like “drinking from a fire hose” at first, but for many families it becomes the perfect fit. Alaska doesn’t offer any statewide online schools or multi-district online schools, but families can consider national online learning programs, like Virtual Learning Academy Charter School, The Keystone School, and Laurel Springs School, for a fee.
On the district level, middle- and high-school students in Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District can enroll in online courses through the Alaska Digital Academy. Plus, the ASD Virtual Program offers a free, fully online home learning program that Anchorage families can choose through their neighborhood or choice school. The virtual learning program is staffed by Anchorage School District teachers and allows families to maintain a connection to their local school. The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District also offers online options for grades 6-12, and you can always ask your district about whether an online program is available to you.
In 2022, the Alaska legislature approved a new virtual education consortium. Once established, this will provide a library of virtual classes available to Alaska students. Additionally, Alaska has many correspondence school offerings, some of which are free, that families can choose from.
Alaska parents can also choose homeschooling, which sets a high bar for flexibility and customization for education. Homeschooling is the process of parents educating students at home and is an option in all 50 states.
In Alaska, 10.3% of all K-12 students are homeschooled. The state only requires notice of your intent to homeschool if you are homeschooling as a religious private school. If so, you will need to provide notice by the first day of school. Of course, it is recommended that you formally withdraw from your current school so that your student is not marked truant. If you decide to switch back to public school, a portfolio of work or assessments will be used for placement.
You are not required to teach specific subjects or use specific standardized tests if you choose to homeschool in Alaska. If you homeschool, your child might still be eligible to participate in sports or activities at local public schools – reach out to your district to learn more.
Alaska stands out among the states for its flexible funding assistance program available to many homeschoolers! Essentially, the state sets aside funds in the form of an annual allotment for students (including homeschoolers) enrolled in one of more than 30 state-funded correspondence programs. According to Alaska’s Department of Education & Early Development, “This allotment can pay for items such as a student’s books, classes, school supplies, technology support, tutoring, music or activity lessons, and other items related to the student’s education.”
Today, many Alaska families are mixing and matching school options to come up with new ways to personalize education. Microschools are one of these ways. A microschool refers to students gathering together in a small group – with adult supervision – to learn, explore, and socialize. Microschools can take a variety of shapes and legal forms, from homeschoolers coming together at an enrichment center to a private school committed to small classrooms. What microschools share in common is a commitment to small-group learning, close-knit relationships, and emphasizing children as individual learners.
Here is one example of a microschool started by homeschoolers in Alaska: The Green Room in East Anchorage is a learning community offering in-person classes for homeschoolers, from chemistry to wholeness and health classes.
Remember, microschooling is more a mentality than a specific legal distinction in most cases. Often, a family participates in a microschool while legally homeschooling, or being enrolled in a private or online school.
K-12 education in America is experiencing a once-in-a-generation transformation, as tens of millions of parents rethink their children’s education and make crucial decisions about how and where their children learn. From exploring their school choice options to expressing interest in nontraditional learning models, parents are eager to find better or supplementary learning environments for their children. Parents don’t see this a dichotomous; a majority of them are open to change even as two thirds of all parents (67.9 percent) remain largely satisfied with the schools their children attend.
What do we mean by rethinking? Parents choosing new schools, parents considering options more frequently, and parents seeking to round out their children’s education by thinking outside the box and exploring new or nontraditional learning options.
These trends are led by Black and Hispanic parents, who are significantly more likely to explore the education options available for their children than white parents. Young millennial parents – those between the ages of 18 and 29 – are also rethinking their children’s K-12 education in overwhelming numbers.
These findings are from two census-balanced surveys of a combined 3,820 U.S. parents of school-aged children, conducted from January 3-6, 2023.
Half of all parents considered or are considering choosing new schools for their children.
At any point in the past year, did you think about, consider, search for, or choose a new or different school or learning environment for any of the school-aged children in your household? (N=3,820)
TOTAL
AGE
RACE OR ETHNICITY
18-29
30-44
45-60
> 60
Black or African American
Hispanic or
Latino
White
(Non-Hispanic)
Yes
53.7%
63.3%
55.7%
49.7%
42.5%
64.5%
64.6%
46.2%
No
46.3%
36.7%
44.3%
50.3%
57.5%
35.5%
35.4%
53.8%
16.6 percent of all parents chose new schools for their children within the past year, 11.3 percent considered new schools, and 25.8 percent are currently considering new schools.
In total, 53.7 percent of parents considered or are considering choosing a new school.
Black, Hispanic, and young millennial parents were most likely to consider new schools.
Do you think that your community offers the right number of schooling options for parents to consider for their children, not enough options, or too many options? (N=1,651)
TOTAL
AGE
RACE OR ETHNICITY
18-29
30-44
45-60
> 60
Black or African American
Hispanic or
Latino
White
(Non-Hispanic)
The
right amount of options
48.3%
39.8%
49.1%
51.3%
58.3%
50.4%
43.5%
51.9%
Not enough options
48.1%
53.4%
47.8%
46.2%
39.7%
45.3%
52.8%
45.2%
Too many options
3.7%
6.8%
3.1%
2.5%
1.9%
4.3%
3.7%
2.9%
64.5 percent of Black parents and 64.6 percent of Hispanic parents considered new schools for their children, compared with 46.2 percent of white parents.
63.3 percent of parents aged 18-29 explored, are exploring, or plan to explore school choice options for their children, compared with 55.7 percent of parents aged 30-44, 49.7 percent of parents aged 45-60, and 42.5 percent of parents over the age of 60.
Parents considered a wide variety of education options for their children.
Which of the following statements best describes your view of the different options that may be available for your children’s education? (N=1,651)
TOTAL
AGE
RACE OR ETHNICITY
18-29
30-44
45-60
> 60
Black or African American
Hispanic or
Latino
White
(Non-Hispanic)
I wish
I had more information about the schooling options available for my children.
64.7%
75.3%
65.1%
58.8%
56.4%
71.2%
75.7%
57.7%
I have all the information I need about the schooling options
available for my children.
35.3%
24.7%
34.9%
41.2%
43.6%
28.8%
24.3%
42.3%
Nearly half of parents (45.6 percent) said they considered traditional public schools within their neighborhoods, while 38.2 percent considered public schools outside of their district or zones.
31.5 percent of parents considered public charter schools, 29.1 percent considered private or faith-based schools, 22.9 percent considered homeschooling, 20.8 percent considered full-time online schooling, and 4 percent considered microschooling or pod learning.
Half of parents want more options for their children’s education, and most parents want more information about school choice options.
48.1 percent of parents, including majorities of Hispanic parents (52.8 percent) and young millennial parents (53.4 percent), said their community does not offer enough education options for families. Only 3.7 percent of all parents said their community offers too many education options.
64.7 percent of parents, including 75.7 percent of Hispanic parents, 71.2 percent of Black parents, and 75.3 percent of young millennial parents, said they “wish they had more information about the schooling options available for [their] children.”
As we talk about school choice, we cannot forget the importance schools play in decisions over buying or renting homes – or ignore the demand for nontraditional options.
68 percent of parents said that when choosing to rent or purchase a residence, it was important for them to find a residence within a specific school district or school zone.
At 74.4 percent, suburban parents were most likely to indicate that a school zone or district was important in their home choice, and 39.6 percent described it as “very important.”
More than a third of parents (35 percent) said their children had pursued out-of-school learning projects in cooperation with other families, including microschooling and pod learning. Black parents (48 percent), Hispanic parents (38.2 percent), and young millennial parents (38.4 percent) were among the most likely to indicate that their children had pursued out-of-school learning projects.
Head to Conoce tus Opciones Escolares‘ site to find our survey analysis in Spanish with focused insights on Hispanic and Latino parents. Find out more about National School Choice Week or how school choice works. If you’re a journalist covering education issues, we invite you to check out our coverage resources.
Teachers play a crucial role in the success of every student. Their continuous dedication knows no bounds as they guide, support, and inspire students to reach their full potential across the nation––which is more than deserving of a celebration!
Teacher Appreciation Week, which lands on May 6-10, is the perfect opportunity to show your gratitude for all the hard work that teachers do. While there are tons of ideas on the web on how to thank a teacher, we have compiled a list of some fun, easy teacher appreciation gift ideas!
This week, we appreciate the things – some big and some small – that so many teachers do every day to help kids. Often, these things are outside of any written job description, but these actions build bonds of trust between educators and families that help facilitate learning.
As it gets later in the school year and markers begin to dry out, supplies are a great way to show your appreciation for all that teachers do! But, do you know what is better than supplies? A supply cake! This is a great way to turn ordinary school supplies into a fun appreciation gift; and, it is super easy to make. We also have #schoolchoice supply gift tags to enhance your cake decorating skills.
Are you looking for a more sentimental way to thank a teacher? Nothing shows your appreciation more than giving a ‘Best Teacher Award’! These awards are a fantastic way to get your child more involved in the Teacher Appreciation Week celebration and are for those who want a more personalized touch.
The true key to unlocking anyone’s heart is food! Food is a simple yet thoughtful way to show your appreciation for all that teachers do. Add one of our food-inspired gift tags to your present to make this gift even sweeter!
Gift cards are great tokens of appreciation! They are versatile – practically any business accepts gift cards – and, with our custom National School Choice Week gift card holders, they make the perfect gift for teachers!
One of the things teachers love most is hearing from their students just how much of an impact they have had – and what better way to do this than with a poem? Whether you rhyme your words, create a haiku, or use the acrostic template below, your teacher is sure to cherish your words for years to come.
Thank you cards first started being sent in the United States in 1840 – thanks to the postage stamp! This method has been around for decades for a reason- it’s a fantastic way to let someone know you appreciate them. This teacher appreciation week, join students across the country in letting teachers know how thankful we are for them.
PS: No printer? No problem! Take a screenshot of the thank you image below, add text onto the image with your phone’s photo editor, and share it with your teacher! If you post it to social media, be sure to use #schoolchoice.
7. Specialized Thank You’s
A simple “thank you” truly goes a long way, but we’ve got some creative ways to give the message a little more ‘umph’.
Social media posts are a fun, simple way to let the world know how much you appreciate your teacher! If you want, you can add personal photos or handwritten notes to the post. We have put together a shareable graphic that you can use to let others know you are celebrating:
As parents navigating the ever-changing landscape of education, we understand the importance of providing your children with every opportunity to excel. Whether you’re supporting your child’s academic journey, helping them prepare for exams, or encouraging them to explore new skills, the internet has evolved into a treasure trove of free tutoring resources near you that can be a game-changer.
In essence, this guide will help you navigate the sea of free tutoring resources, giving you the tools to steer your child’s education towards success.
Table of Contents
How to Find Free Tutoring
If you know the right places to look, you can easily keep tabs on tutoring options in your community. We’ll walk you through a few places you can quickly search for options. You can also jump straight to our lists below for some of the national and state-specific tutoring options available at no cost to families.
Among the most common places you can find free tutoring are libraries, YMCAs, and Boys & Girls Clubs. Checking the websites or calling your local branches of these organizations can help you locate in-person homework help, tutoring, and sometimes even mentoring.
You’ll also want to check with your current school and district to ask whether they can arrange free tutoring for your child. Many offer in-school tutoring and some partner with nearby colleges or universities where undergraduate students offer homework assistance for K-12 students.
As a bit of background context, under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act from 2002-2015, low-performing and low-income schools were required by law to offer free tutoring services to eligible children. Today, under the Every Student Succeeds Act, it is up to states and schools to decide whether to offer free tutoring. Many schools have decided to continue to offer tutoring services and maintain their partnerships with tutoring providers.
Additionally, you can search for stand-alone tutoring non-profits by Googling your city and “free tutoring.” Many college and even high school students were inspired to start local tutoring initiatives during the pandemic, and some of those remain active and thriving.
Finally, don’t discount the value of in-person learning assistance from your own personal network. Do you have a friend or family member who may be able to provide homework help for your student?
Does Tutoring Work?
But hold on, does tutoring even work? Well, the short answer is yes! Many parents, educators, and researchers attest that tutoring can have tangible benefits for kids’ learning. For example, researchers writing for the Brookings Institute called tutoring “remarkably effective at helping students learn,” and said that “tutoring can reliably help students catch up.” As they go on to describe, the impact of tutoring can be more or less effective depending on who is doing the tutoring, what grade level the student is in, and other factors.
Tutoring is generally defined as one-on-one or small group class. According to that definition, the University of Toronto, Wilfrid Laurier University, and the Diversity Institute at Ryerson University, studied the impact of academic gaps during the pandemic and the effects of tutoring. According to this research, it is important to understand tutoring as a complementary effort, distinct from learning in the classroom. Most evidence in this study focuses on literacy programs for young children, but there is strong positive evidence of tutoring’s effectiveness in middle and high school, especially in math.
However, the evidence for online tutoring is mixed and still emerging. This is an area that requires more research, however, two new research from Spain and Italy offer encouraging signs that tutoring online can work to help children complete unfinished learning.
MITfound that tutoring programs show positive impacts on learning processes and are beneficial for students. Also, a recent pilot program, implemented by California University, evaluated the results of online tutoring for K-12 students and the results have shown positive results.
Of course, every child is unique. Not every tutoring resource may work well for your child. If an online tutoring experience makes your student uncomfortable, for example, you may want to evaluate whether your library or a family friend can offer in-person homework help instead.
How to know if my child needs Tutoring?
Every child is different, however, the most obvious way to identify if your child needs support is if there is a change in the usual grades your kid use to have. Is your kid failing in all classes or a specific one? There are so many factors that could influence your child’s academic performance; the environment, mental health, distractions, health problems, or difficulty learning specific topics. But don’t worry! All of this is normal and it is important to access the tools that are out there to help your child.
Other signs parents should pay attention to is if your child is having trouble organizing the assignments, experiencing anxiety about going to school, melting down over homework or spending too much time on assignments. All of this could be a clear sign of the student encountering challenges and it’s important to take actions and find solutions.
With everything students (as well as parents and educators) have faced in the last few years, it’s particularly important to identify when your child may need tutoring support. Luckily, we’ve rounded up options for free tutoring in your state.
Tips for Using Free Tutoring
If you decide to use free tutoring, keep in mind that tutoring groups differ in the subjects they cover and approaches they use. Some are small group sessions while others are one-on-one. Some are online or hotlines while others are in-person. Some have learning games and tools they provide for students, while others require students to bring their homework and specific questions.
To make the most of the tutoring experience, help your student prepare well. Work with your student to identify what topic or subject they’d like extra help in and write down questions in advance, if possible. If you are using an online platform like Zoom for the tutoring session, double-check that the technology is working before the meeting so that your student can make the most of their time with the tutor.
Experts recommend that before seeking a tutor, it’s a good idea to connect with your child’s teacher to identify the issues they think need work. Other recommendations involve creating a comfortable space to ensure your child has a space without distractions for their tutoring sessions. Also, stay involved in the process; ask about your student’s progress and how you can help at home to obtain better results. On other hand, not all tutoring modalities or tutors are a good fit for all kids, so it is important to maintain open communication with your child.
Also remember that each tutoring organization has its own requirements for tutors. Many, but not all, require background checks. If child safety policies are not listed on a tutoring program’s website, you can always ask for a copy of these policies.
Finally, some tutoring groups are staffed specifically by trained teachers or by college students, while high schoolers or even middle schoolers participate as tutors in other cases. Don’t write off homework help just because it isn’t from someone with a graduate degree! Instead, focus on finding a tutor who can explain and practice concepts well with your child.
“One of the things that makes it easier to be a tutor than to be a classroom teacher is that you’re doing a specific task with kids with materials that are designed to support that. A much broader range of people can do that… Classroom teaching is a much more complicated job.”
Bored of Boredom: Bored of Boredom is a Los Angeles-based, student-led tutoring service for kids in grades K-8. It operates nationwide and has even had international students use its resources.
Learn to Be: Learn to Be is a national nonprofit that uses a pay what you can model to act as a free or affordable option for all families. Learn to Be offers 1:1 online tutoring in all K-12 subjects. Students can bring the school work or topics they are struggling with and receive personal support.
Pandemic Professors: Pandemic Professors serves K-12 students in more than 15 states and counting. The online tutoring non-profit primarily serves students (for free) from low-income communities.
Schoolhouse.world:Founded by Sal Khan of the acclaimed Khan Academy, Schoolhouse.world is a platform for free, online, peer-to-peer tutoring. Students can receive live help in sessions with 1-10 students. Currently, Schoolhouse’s classes center around math and SAT Prep and are available to students nationwide who are at least 13 years old.
UPchieve: UPchieve is a non-profit that provides free online 1:1 high school tutoring to those who need it. Tutoring is currently available in math, science, reading & writing, SAT and college prep. The organization’s goal? To scale Upchieve to all 8 million low-income high school students in the U.S. by 2030!
Varsity Tutors: Varsity Tutors offers large group classes online for free, including classes on elementary reading and phonics to help students become more independent readers. Varsity Tutors also offers 1:1 individualized tutoring for a fee. Click the “Free” filter to search exclusively for free offerings.
Wave Learning Festival: Wave Tutoring is a free tutoring program that takes place via Zoom. Students can bring questions to free sessions in math, science, language, or humanities and have them answered by veteran tutors.
425 Tutoring: Founded in Seattle, 425 Tutoring is a free, student-led tutoring service with tutors across the country. Talented high school students provide group tutoring sessions in math, English, and other subjects for K-6 students over Zoom or Google Meet.
Tutor.com for U.S. Military Families: Service members, civilian personnel, and their dependents can receive free online tutoring, wherever they live. This program is a partnership with Tutor.com that provides military-connected students with online homework help 24/7.
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State-specific Free Tutoring
Click on your state on the map to learn about options near you. Please note: This is not an exhaustive list of state options. Rather, it offers a sampling of available options and suggestions for where to discover more.
Alabama:
Statewide:Homework Alabama provides free online tutoring through Tutor.com for all Alabama students in grades K-12. Homework Alabama is available through local public libraries throughout the state. Learning Express Library is another statewide online homework help option with test practice in reading, writing, math, social studies and science.
Jacksonville: The Teaching / Learning Center at Jacksonville State University gives teacher candidates firsthand experience while helping local students with their tutoring needs. Elementary and secondary students can receive 1-4 hours of free, one-to-one tutoring per semester week with teacher candidates.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Alaska:
Statewide: Live Homework Help provides free online tutoring through Tutor.com for all Alaska students in grades K-12. Live Homework Help is available through local public libraries across the state.Learning Express Library is another free, statewide online homework help option with test practice in reading, writing, math, social studies and science.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Arizona:
Statewide:Learning Express Library is a free online homework help option with test practice in reading, writing, math, social studies and science. Varsity Tutors offers free tutoring services to eligible K-12 students through Arizona’s Achievement Program.
Tucson / Pima County:Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring. It is available through local library branches.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Arkansas:
Statewide:Arkansas Tutoring Corps offers free tutoring during the school year through qualified schools in Arkansas. As of 2023, Arkansas has passed the LEARNS Act that allows families to use state funding to pay for qualifying educational expenses including tutoring services.
Central Arkansas Library System: Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
California:
Statewide: Harvey Mudd College operates a Homework Hotline during the school year to help students with math and science questions. The Homework Hotline welcomes callers from any city and county in the state of California. A third statewide option is MasteryHour. Founded by a teacher, MasteryHour provides free, online math tutoring for K-12 students, led by volunteer students from top colleges and universities. Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring through your local library.
Bakersfield:Do the Math California allows students to call a hotline or email their math questions for free academic support.
Los Angeles County Library:Tutor.com provides free online tutoring for students in grades K-12.
Napa County Library: Tutor.com provides free online tutoring for students in grades K-12.
San Diego Public Library: Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Southern California:School on Wheels provides one-on-one online tutoring for families experiencing homelessness or students living in a group home.
Torrance Public Library:Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Colorado:
Statewide:Tutors 4 Change offers tutoring in subjects such as math, science, english, history, and SAT/ACT Math. The suggested “payment” is 99 cents per hour, as the nonprofit’s mission to provide everyone with affordable access to a good education.
Boulder Public Library and Boulder Valley School District students: Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Jefferson County Public Library: Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Longmont Library:Tutor.com provides free online tutoring for students in grades K-12.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Connecticut:
Bridgeport, Waterbury, and Hartford Area: Children’s Dyslexia Centers provide free, high-quality reading and multi-sensory tutoring for children diagnosed with dyslexia.
Greater New Haven Area: New Haven Reads offers free, one-on-one literacy tutoring to any student in grades 1-12 who is struggling with reading.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Delaware:
Delaware County Libraries:Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Florida:
Statewide: As of 2023, Florida has since unveiled the Family Empowerment Scholarship that that allows families to use state funding to pay for qualifying educational expenses including tutoring services.
Broward County Library:Live Tutoring is available for students in grades K-12, in both English and Spanish.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Georgia:
Statewide:GA Tutors offers free 1:1 online tutoring in math, science, language arts, and social studies.
Metro Atlanta Area (Fulton County Public Library, Atlanta Public Schools, Cobb County Public Library):Fulton County Library System offers free tutoring resources for students in grades K-12.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Hawaii:
Statewide: The Online Learning Academy at the University of Hawaii at Manoa provides free online math and science tutoring for Hawaii public school students in grades K-12. Hawai’i Tutoring provides year-round tutoring services to students in grades K-12.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Idaho:
Boise Public Library: Learning Express Library is a free online homework help option with test practice in reading, writing, math, social studies and science.
Twin Falls Public Library: Tutor.com provides free online tutoring for students in grades K-12.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Illinois:
Danville, Chicago, LaGrange, Freeport, Palatine, Collinsville, Springfield: Children’s Dyslexia Centers provide free, high-quality reading and multisensory tutoring for children diagnosed with dyslexia.
Elmwood Park Public Library: Tutor.com provides free online tutoring for students in grades K-12.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Indiana:
Statewide: AskRose Homework Help serves students in grades 6-12 in math and science tutoring.
Indianapolis: Children’s Dyslexia Center provides free, high-quality reading and multisensory tutoring for children diagnosed with dyslexia.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Iowa:
Bettendorf Public Library: Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
West Des Moines Public Library: Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Kansas:
Hays Public Library: Hays Public Library has partnered with Fort Hays State University to offer tutoring services to students of all ages.
Kansas City:The Learning Club offers in-person homework help with one-on-one volunteer tutoring. Students are primarily in grades 1-6, but can be older. Also, families in the Kansas City area can access Brainfuse through the Kansas City Public Library. Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
“Although virtual tutoring may not be quite as effective as in-person sessions, the positive results point to a potential solution to the growing educational gap.”
Boone County Public Library: Learning Express Library is a free online homework help option with test practice in reading, writing, math, social studies and science.
Jessamine County Public Library: Tutor.com provides free online tutoring for students in grades K-12. Learning Express Library is another free online homework help option with test practice in reading, writing, math, social studies and science.
Lexington Public Library: Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring. Learning Express Library is another free online homework help option with test practice in reading, writing, math, social studies and science.
Scott County Public Library: Tutor.com provides free online tutoring for students in grades K-12.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Louisiana:
Statewide:Homework LA provides free online tutoring through Tutor.com for all Louisiana students in grades K-12. Homework LA is available through local public libraries throughout the state.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Maine:
Bangor, Portland: Children’s Dyslexia Centers provide free, high-quality reading and multisensory tutoring for children diagnosed with dyslexia.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Maryland:
Baltimore:The Dyslexia Tutoring Program offers free, one-on-one tutoring to eligible low-income children in reading, writing, and spelling. Also, families in the Baltimore area can access Brainfuse through the Baltimore County Public Library. Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Massachusetts:
Statewide: School on Wheels provides one-on-one online tutoring for Massachusetts families experiencing homelessness or students living in a group home.
Boston Public Library: This library offers free homework help to students in grades K-8. Homework help is provided by high-achieving high school students. Learning Express Library is another free online homework help option with test practice in reading, writing, math, social studies and science.
Boston North, Central Massachusetts, and Greater Boston: Children’s Dyslexia Centers provide free, high-quality reading and multisensory tutoring for children diagnosed with dyslexia.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Michigan:
Statewide: GVSU K-12 Connect Virtual Tutoring offers free, virtual one on one tutoring and homework support for students in grades K-12.
Ann Arbor District Library: Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Canton Public Library: Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Great Lakes Bay Region; Southeastern Michigan:Children’s Dyslexia Centers provide free, high-quality reading and multisensory tutoring for children diagnosed with dyslexia.
Highland Township Public Library: Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Novi: Connect Me provides free online test preparation, help with skipped topics due to COVID-19, and general tutoring for low-income students and students with essential worker parents.
Waterford Public Library: Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Minnesota:
Hennepin County Library:Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Saint Paul Public Library: Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Mississippi:
Madison County Public Library: Tutor.com provides free online tutoring for students in grades K-12.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Missouri:
Midcontinent Public Library: Tutor.com provides free online tutoring for students in grades K-12.
Scenic Regional Library:Tutor.com provides free online tutoring for students in grades K-12.
St. Louis County Library: Tutor.com provides free online tutoring for students in grades K-12.
University City Public Library:Free tutoring and homework help is available through this library. Tutoring is provided by student members of the National Society of Black Engineers.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Montana:
Bozeman Public Library: Tutor.com provides free online tutoring for students in grades K-12.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Omaha Public Libraries: Tutor.com provides free online tutoring for students in grades K-12.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Nevada:
Las Vegas Clark County Library District: Homework HelpNow by Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Las Vegas Clark County Area: Andson Academies offers free after-school tutoring and homework help for students in grades K-12. Tutoring is delivered by licensed school teachers and aides in a small group format.
Las Vegas Valley: After-School All-Stars provides free after-school programming, which includes homework help, for at-risk youth.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
New Hampshire:
Nashua, Seacoast: Children’s Dyslexia Centers provide free, high-quality reading and multi-sensory tutoring for children diagnosed with dyslexia.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
New Jersey:
Statewide: Homework HelpNow by Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring. Use any New Jersey library card to access this resource.
Burlington, Hasbrouck Heights, Northfield, Scotch Plains, Tenafly: Children’s Dyslexia Centers provide free, high-quality reading and multi-sensory tutoring for children diagnosed with dyslexia.
Jersey City Free Public Library: Learning Express Library provides free online tutoring for students in grades K-12.
Short Hills and Basking Ridge: Middle and high school students at an independent school in the region founded TutorX to provide free homework help for other students in grades K-12.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
New Mexico:
Albuquerque and Bernalillo County Public Libraries: Homework HelpNow by Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
New Mexico State Library: Learning Express Library is another free online homework help option with test preparation practice in reading, writing, math, social studies and science.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Central New York:Empower CNY provides free tutoring and leadership enrichment for students local to Central New York. Tutoring currently takes place online. But, the program is currently working to offer in-person opportunities by partnering with community centers, local libraries, and other non-profit organizations.
Central New York, Rochester: Children’s Dyslexia Centers provide free, high-quality reading and multi-sensory tutoring for children diagnosed with dyslexia.
New York City:Common Denominator offers one-on-one math tutoring for below-level New York City kids in grades 5-8. Additionally, the Community of Volunteer Educators (COVE) supports students with free tutoring in preK-12 subjects, including science, math, social studies, foreign languages, and more. Families in the New York City area can also access Homework HelpNow by Brainfuse through their library. Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
North Dakota:
Statewide:Tutor.com provides free online tutoring for students in grades K-12. North Dakota residents can access this resource with their local library information.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Ohio:
Cleveland Public Library: This library offers free, in-person one-on-one and group tutoring in partnership with Cleveland State University and Case Western Reserve University.
Columbus: The Central Community House provides tutoring after school for children ages 5-11.The Ohio Hispanic Coalition provides an afterschool program with homework help for Latino/Hispanic students. Additionally, the Columbus Metropolitan Library offers “Virtual Reading Buddies” to help students in grades K-3 practice reading. Families in the area can also access Brainfuse through the library. Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Norwood, Southeastern Ohio: Children’s Dyslexia Centers provide free, high-quality reading and multi-sensory tutoring for children diagnosed with dyslexia.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Oklahoma:
Eastern Oklahoma Library System: Learning Express Library is a free online homework help option with test preparation practice in reading, writing, math, social studies and science.
Pioneer Library System: Homework HelpNow by Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring. Learning Express Library is another free online homework help option with test preparation practice in reading, writing, math, social studies and science.
Southern Oklahoma Library System: Homework HelpNow by Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Tulsa City-County Library: Homework HelpNow by Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring. Learning Express Library is another free online homework help option with test preparation practice in reading, writing, math, social studies and science.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Oregon:
Multnomah County Library: This library offers a variety of free tutoring services, such as tutoring by volunteers and college students for K-12 students.
Washington County Cooperative Library Services:Homework HelpNow by Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Pennsylvania:
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh: Tutor.com provides free online tutoring for students in grades K-12.
Central Pennsylvania, Lancaster, Lehigh Valley, Pittsburgh, Reading, Western Pennsylvania: Children’s Dyslexia Centers provide free, high-quality reading and multi-sensory tutoring for children diagnosed with dyslexia.
West Philadelphia: The West Philadelphia Tutoring Project is a program at the University of Pennsylvania that provides a high-demand weekly tutoring program for Philadelphia students.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Rhode Island:
Cranston:Children’s Dyslexia Centers provide free, high-quality reading and multi-sensory tutoring for children diagnosed with dyslexia.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
South Carolina:
Statewide: Tutor.com provides free online tutoring for students in grades K-12. South Carolina residents can access the resource with their library information.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
South Dakota:
Statewide: Learning Express Library is a free online homework help option with test preparation practice in reading, writing, math, social studies and science.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Tennessee:
Statewide: Tennessee’s Homework Hotline offers over-the-phone tutoring for students in grades K-12 in a great variety of subjects. Tutors are available to offer help in seven different languages.
Knox County Tennessee Public Library: Tutor.com provides free online tutoring for students in grades K-12.
Spring Hill Public Library: Tutor.com provides free online tutoring for students in grades K-12.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Texas:
Statewide: Texas A&M’s Aggie Homework Helpline provides free online tutoring to students in grades pre-K-12. Tutoring can take place via phone or Zoom, and tutors can help with homework, test review, reading practice, and more.
Austin Public Library:Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Brazoria County Library System: Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
DeSoto Public Libraries: Tutor.com provides free online tutoring for students in grades K-12.
Fort Bend County Libraries:Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring. Learning Express Library is another free online homework help option with test practice in reading, writing, math, social studies and science.
Houston Public Library:Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Utah:
Statewide: Learning Express Library is a free homework help option with test preparation practice in reading, writing, math, social studies and science. It is available through Utah’s Online Public Library.
Salt Lake County Library Services: Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Vermont:
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Virginia:
Statewide: Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring and is available through the Library of Virginia.
Central Rappahannock Regional Library: Brainfuse HelpNow provides free online tutoring in English and Spanish for students of all ages.
Northern Virginia Area: GIVE Youth is a student-run non-profit that provides free tutoring for students in grades K-12.
Richmond Public Library: The library’s Homework Help offers tutoring sessions for students in grades K-5.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Washington:
The Seattle Public Library: Tutor.com provides free online tutoring for students in grades K-12.
425 Tutoring: Founded by Washington students, 425 Tutoring aims to support K-6 students with free virtual tutoring.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
West Virginia:
Kanawha County Public Library: Tutor.com provides free online tutoring for students in grades K-12.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Wisconsin:
Madison, Milwaukee, Upper Wisconsin: Children’s Dyslexia Centers provide free, high-quality reading and multi-sensory tutoring for children diagnosed with dyslexia.
Milwaukee Public Library: Brainfuse offers e-learning resources and free online tutoring.
Where to look for more: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Wyoming:
Where to look: Your school, your district, your library, the nearest Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, or family, friends, or neighbors.
Get ready to put on your dancing shoes and have some fun! We are excited to announce that the NSCW dance is back this year!
Special thanks toIndian River Charter High School from Vero Beach, Florida, for hosting this year’s dance and sharing their groovy steps with to celebrate National School Choice Week 2024.
Sharing your own dance video is a great way to get people talking about school choice. We encourage you to tag us using @SchoolChoiceWeek or use #schoolchoiceweek wherever you post it online! Have fun, and thank you for celebrating with us!
This year’s song is ‘Ready Now’ performed by Golden Blue. The song is fully licensed, and you may download it for your use. Find the song’s lyrics here.
Want your school to be considered for creating next year’s dance and tutorial video? We’d love to hear from you! Tag your dance video with #schoolchoiceweek or send us a direct message on any social media platform.
