{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Changemaker ED“U”","title":"Unconventional Education: Why Families Are Choosing New Paths with Mickey Revenaugh","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2450,"description":"In this episode of the Changemaker Edu Podcast, host David K. Richards sits down with Mickey Revenaugh, education innovator, EdTech pioneer, and author of School’s Out: Why Families Are Choosing Unconventional Education. Together, they explore the shift away from traditional schooling and dive into the rapidly growing ecosystem of microschools, hybrid homeschooling, virtual learning, and personalized education.\n\nMickey shares insights from her decades in educational technology—from editing tech magazines at Scholastic and launching the E-Rate program to co-founding Connections Academy. The discussion highlights how pandemic-era learning accelerated family demand for flexibility and choice, how AI is empowering educators to build custom curricula, and how school districts can adapt by embracing autonomous microschool models.\nKey Takeaways & Highlights\nDefining Unconventional Education: How the spectrum of learning models—from multi-generational homeschooling to microschools and niche virtual programs—has evolved into a mainstream movement.\nThe Post-Pandemic Catalyst: Why experiencing learning outside the classroom gave parents firsthand evidence of their children’s unique learning needs, making non-traditional options socially acceptable and widely sought-after.\nThe \"Food Truck\" Metaphor for Microschools: Why microschools shouldn't all try to become large-scale \"franchises\" or \"McDonald’s,\" but rather thrive as unique, community-tailored learning hubs supported by strong local ecosystems.\nThe Evolution of Homeschooling & \"Switching\": Recent research from Johns Hopkins University showing how modern families curate ala-carte, personalized educational journeys rather than sticking to a single model throughout a child's K-12 experience.\nDistrict Microschool Innovations: How forward-thinking public school districts (such as Polk County, Florida, and collaborative networks in Indiana) are creating their own microschools and autonomous options to retain students.\nAI as a...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/u7Mmw67y3x4-CQ1gYCLsICkYxhsTRcXwv-YiXBQfN8Q/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9iZjk3/ZWU2MzljODhhZDk0/OTNhZDlmYTQ3YTRi/N2NmYi5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}