What happens when school is not a match for a learner?

For many disabled and neurodivergent children and teens, traditional school environments create anxiety, shutdown, and loss of self-trust.

In this conversation, we sit down with Dr. Gina Riley, educational psychologist, Associate Professor of Special Education at Hunter College - School of Education (CUNY), researcher, and unschooling parent to unpack the first peer-reviewed study on unschooling students with disabilities.

We explore why families of autistic, ADHD, learning disabled, and neurodivergent children are moving away from traditional school and toward self-directed education

This episode covers:

Dr. Riley brings both academic research and lived experience as an unschooling parent to this conversation, offering insight for:

✔ Parents of disabled and neurodivergent children

Unschooling is not the absence of education.

For some learners, it may be the least restrictive and most developmentally appropriate environment available.

Resources Mentioned

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If this conversation gave you language you’ve been needing:

Research and advocacy matter.

And conversations like this move us toward educational models that respect both learning and humanity.