LiberatED Podcast

Today's guest is Barbara Jauregui Wurst, a medical doctor and adjunct professor at George Washington University who cofounded Acton Academy Falls Church in Northern Virginia in 2021.

Read Courage To Grow by Acton Academy cofounder, Laura Sandefer.

Check out this new article at our Education Entrepreneurship Lab by a recent graduate of an Acton Academy in Kansas.

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Today's guest is Cassandra Orozco, the founder of Beacon of Hope Academy, a faith-based microschool serving K–5th grade students with special needs in Lake Worth, Florida, set to open this fall. As a certified special education teacher with experience in both charter and private schools, Cassandra is passionate about reimagining education to better serve neurodiverse learners. Through Beacon of Hope Academy, she's creating a nurturing, individualized environment where every child is seen, supported, and empowered to thrive.

*** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at edentrepreneur.org.

Today's guest is Alexandra Batista Rodriguez, founder and director of Steps Learning Center in Orlando, Florida, a specialized K-8 microschool for neurodiverse learners with moderate to significant special needs. Steps Learning Center takes a nontraditional, student-centered approach to learning, and serves a variety of families through various flexible programs, including full-time and part-time microschool enrollment options, tutoring services, and curriculum support for homebound students—all financially accessible to students through the state's school-choice programs.

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Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at edentrepreneur.org.

Today's guest is Sara James, a former public school teacher who founded Spark Christian Academy, an Acton Academy affiliate in Harrison, Ohio, near Cincinnati, in 2022.

*** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at edentrepreneur.org.

Today's guest is Sarah Pevehouse, founder of Apogee Dripping Springs Micro High School in Dripping Springs, Texas, west of Austin, which she launched in 2024. With a background in Waldorf and alternative education, Sarah has served as a teacher, administrator, and enrollment director, shaping real-world learning experiences for students. She has taught in overseas military schools, led summer camps, and held leadership roles in private K-8 and preschool programs.

Sarah is a mom of two daughters, ages 13 and 15, and is an active member of both the Apogee Strong network of education centers, as well as the KaiPod Catalyst microschool accelerator program.

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Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at edentrepreneur.org.

Today's guest is Elan Page, the founder of Homeschool Our Way based in Dallas, Texas. She created Homeschool Our Way in 2023 to help other families of color avoid the overwhelm she had experienced in starting something new. Homeschool Our Way offers a weekly podcast, an online course called the Homeschool Launch Blueprint, homeschool coaching services, and other resources to empower families of color to educate their children with confidence and clarity.

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Today's guest is Ali Kaufman, a longtime education entrepreneur who began offering tutoring services more than two decades ago and has since built a thriving hybrid homeschool program, Space of Mind, in Delray Beach, Florida that today serves dozens of K-12 students with both full-time and part-time enrollment options.

*** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly e-newsletter on education entrepreneurship and innovation at edentrepreneur.org.

Today's guest is George Philhower, Superintendent of the Eastern Hancock Public Schools in rural Charlottesville, Indiana, who is launching and leading the new Indiana Microschool Collaborative, a non-profit network designed to bring the microschooling model into the public education system.

Read more about public microschooling in Kerry's latest Forbes.com article.

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Nefertiti Harris is a former public school teacher, mom of five, and founder of Empowered Prep Academy, a microschool located in Jackson, Mississippi for students in grades 3-12 who desire a flexible and more individualized learning environment. As a certified special education teacher, Nefertiti focuses specifically on helping dyslexic students and those with similar learning needs.

If you are looking to launch a microschool or similar learning environment in Mississippi, check out Embark.MS to help you on your journey.

*** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly e-newsletter on education entrepreneurship and innovation at edentrepreneur.org.

Today's guest is Jody Underwood, the founder and president of EdOpt, a platform offering information, support, and connections to New Hampshire families who want to explore their education options. Jody has spent most of her professional life involved in education, including getting a Ph.D. in science and technology education to complement her Master's in computer science. She worked for many years in the research division of Educational Testing Services (ETS), the nonprofit that administers tests such as the SAT exam. Jody has helped to support the launch of new microschools in her state, and is working to expand education entrepreneurship and innovation.

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Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly e-newsletter on education entrepreneurship and innovation at edentrepreneur.org.