Going All In On AltEd: 10 Trends in Alternative Education

Alternative education has evolved considerably in recent years. This post isn’t intended to dissect the history of alternative education or the reasons why its popularity has exploded (spoiler alert: those topics will be on the blog soon), but rather to explore its recent trends and themes. Before we dive in, let’s establish a definition of alternative education. Broadly speaking, alternative education is any approach to education that falls outside of mainstream pedagogy. Programs may be considered “alternative” for a number of reasons, most commonly because of what, where, how or when learning takes place. In an effort to better understand the landscape, we’ve broken out the top trends in alternative education, based on those categories:

Where/When Learning Takes Place

No. 1: Homeschooling

Homeschooling is broadly defined as the education of school-aged children in the home or outside of traditional schools. Commonly, parents facilitate homeschooling, but tutors or online teachers can also conduct home-based learning. Families choose homeschooling for a variety of reasons, but some of the most common drivers include wanting to incorporate religious instruction, concern about the traditional school environment and dissatisfaction with the academic instruction given at traditional schools. The COVID-19 pandemic marked the beginning of the greatest rise in homeschooling rates in history. Two years after the onset of the pandemic, homeschooling rates are still significantly higher than pre-pandemic. During the 2020-21 school year, roughly 6-7% of all US school-aged children were homeschooled, compared to just 3-4% of children during the 2018-19 school year, according to the National Home Education Research Institute. The continued increase in homeschool rates has significant impacts for the education landscape. It affects funding of public schools and raises questions about how homeschooling should be regulated. Most notably, it signals that students and families want more flexibility in their education options.

No. 2: Microschools

Another educational trend that emerged with the COVID-19 pandemic was the onset of “microschools,” which Tasha Ring, director of Meridian Learning, an organization that supports microschools, defines as a cross between homeschooling and private schools. During the thick of pandemic-fueled school closures, many families formed learning pods that allowed students to learn together and took some of the instructional load off of parents. Microschools are similar in that they serve small groups of students, usually fewer than 15, but they are registered as an official school and are often a for-profit organization. As is the case with homeschooling, an increase in microschooling indicates that students are looking for more flexibility when it comes to their education. In the same US News article referenced above, Anne Wintemute, director of Denver-based Highlands Microschool, sums up the benefits of microschooling aptly: “We’re small on purpose because being small makes so many things possible. We’re able to have really close relationships with every student. We can hop on the bus and go camping. It makes us nimble, so day to day, hour to hour, we really can bend what the kids are working on to them.”

No. 3: Charter Schools

Charter Schools are another type of alternative school that has seen an increase in popularity in recent years. The National Center for Education Statistics defines public charter schools as a “publicly funded school that is typically governed by a group or organization under a legislative contract.” Because of these agreements, charter schools have flexibility when it comes to curriculum, discipline policies and many other factors that have a big impact on the student experience. Our own Lowcountry Acceleration Academy is a tuition-free public charter high school in Charleston, SC, that offers flexibility, individualized learning paths, career and life support, and more. We also recently announced the impending opening of another South Carolina charter school, Horry County Acceleration Academy.

➡️ Signs your child is unhappy at school and may be better-suited in another environment

How Learning Takes Place

No. 4: Blended Learning

Because it can take place outside of the traditional classroom, blended learning is considered a form of alternative education. Just like the other types of schools we have already explored, blended learning has seen a huge surge in popularity since 2020. Districts and schools use many technology tools to power blended learning, such as the award-winning Incite Platform, which fuels online learning for Acceleration Academies. Many schools and districts, including Acceleration Academies, are embracing blended models that combine online learning with in-person learning and support.

Your Guide to Blended Learning: How To Get Your Your Diploma A Different Way

No. 5: Accessibility

Alternative schools and programs place a heavy emphasis on accessibility. According to the Council of Ontario Universities, accessible education is the “process of designing courses and developing a teaching style to meet the needs of people from a variety of backgrounds, abilities and learning styles.” Accessibility can come in many different forms for students: accessible course materials or curriculum, assistive technologies or instruction that matches a student’s preferred learning mode. At Acceleration Academies, we are committed to making our programs accessible for all learners by helping remove their personal barriers to success and delivering instruction in a personalized manner based on each learner’s unique needs.

No. 6: Inclusion

At its core, inclusion in education means that all students, regardless of their different characteristics, are included in educational opportunities (P.S. for great definitions and descriptions around themes of equality, equity and inclusion, check out this link). The Open Society Foundations describes inclusive education and its importance like this: “Inclusive education means different and diverse students learning side by side in the same classroom. They enjoy field trips and after-school activities together. They participate in student government together … Inclusive systems provide a better quality education for all children and are instrumental in changing discriminatory attitudes … Respect and understanding grow when students of diverse abilities and backgrounds play, socialize and learn together. Education that excludes and segregates perpetuates discrimination against traditionally marginalized groups. When education is more inclusive, so are concepts of civic participation, employment and community life.”

Inclusive curriculum is one facet of inclusive education. But, what does inclusive curriculum mean? Characteristics of inclusive curriculum include locally/culturally relevant themes, contributions by marginalized or minority groups, adaptability of curriculum based on learning styles and more. Acceleration Academies is committed to inclusion in all areas, including our curriculum. Our Academic Design Team focuses on making sure our curriculum and content is inclusive.

No. 7: Self-Directed Learning

Self-directed learning means that learners have ownership over their education. They identify their needs and goals and set a plan — with or without the help of an adult — to achieve those goals. They are free to select materials or resources that best suit their needs and preferences. With self-directed learning, students have agency over how and what they learn. In some models, learners even have ownership over evaluating their own effectiveness. There is much research in support of self-directed learning as an effective way to develop confidence and initiative in young adults. According to a research study published in The BMJ, self-directed learning has been proven to promote self-confidence, critical thinking and reflection, risk taking, openness and more enjoyment than traditional learning.

No. 8: Unschooling

Unschooling shares elements with both self-directed learning and homeschooling. In fact, it is self-directed learning that takes place at home or outside the classroom. Unlike homeschooling, unschooling does not involve a curriculum. Instead, learning takes place organically through life experiences such as play, household chores, travel, reading, social interactions, exploration of personal interests, work experiences and more. Just as we’ve seen with some of the other forms of learning explored in this post, unschooling has received increased attention since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

➡️ Explore some of the benefits of alternative schools

What Learning Takes Place

No. 9: Focus on Mental Health

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience at least one mental health disorder each year. A recent article from the Atlantic cites a CDC study revealing that 44% of US teenagers report “persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness” and claims that the US is experiencing a teenage mental health crisis. The emphasis on mental health is happening in both traditional and alternative schools and programs. According to NAMI, “undiagnosed, untreated or inadequately treated mental illnesses can significantly interfere with a student’s ability to learn, grow and develop. Since children spend much of their productive time in educational settings, schools offer a unique opportunity for early identification, prevention and interventions that serve students where they already are.” For this reason, education initiatives around mental health are being implemented in schools nationwide.

No. 10: Future-Focused

Today’s youth have high hopes and high standards. Many are opting to jump into their career instead of pursuing more education after they receive their high school diploma. According to a recent NPR article, enrollment at community colleges is down, but enrollment in skilled trade programs has skyrocketed. Career and technical education, or CTE, programs offer a way for high school students to fast track their careers. The benefits of CTE programs are abundant: higher earning potential, hands-on experience, real-life career exploration, valuable mentoring and more. CTE programs are considered “alternative education programs” regardless of where they are offered. According to the US Department of Education, CTE programs are offered in a variety of settings, the most common being in regular high schools, but many students participate in CTE programs at local community colleges, specific CTE centers and even online.

Acceleration Academies is committed to ensuring that our students are equipped for success beyond graduation through our CTE programming and real world experience. To see this in action, check out this video from Lowcountry Acceleration Academy GC Jamari interviewing a Boeing product manager.

Drawing Conclusions

If there is one common thread woven through all these trends, it is the increased desire and need for flexibility in education. Students and families want more options and autonomy when it comes to making educational decisions. The COVID-19 pandemic thrust nearly every American family into some form of “alternative education” and many students were delighted with their experiences. Indeed, alternative education comes with many benefits: a focus on the whole student, closer student/teacher relationships and a sense of community and belonging, just to name a few.