Podcast
LiberatED Podcast
Hosted by Kerry McDonald · EN
The LiberatED Podcast tells the stories of the entrepreneurial parents and teachers who are creating innovative K-12 learning options across the US and expanding education options for families.
This weekly podcast is hosted by Kerry McDonald, a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Economic Education and Director of the Education Entrepreneurship Lab. A regular contributor at Forbes.com and The 74, Kerry is the bestselling author of Unschooled: Raising Curious, Well-Educated Children Outside the Conventional Classroom (Chicago Review Press, 2019), and the author of the new book, Joyful Learning: How To Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling (Hachette, 2025). She has a BA in economics from Bowdoin College and a master's degree in education policy from Harvard University. A mom of four, Kerry lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter at edentrepreneur.org.
41episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Navigating Legal Challenges as an Education Entrepreneur, with ERC's Lynn Swanson
3w ago00:36:31Tap to summarizeStarting a microschool or other innovative learning environment is about far more than curriculum and community. Founders also have to navigate a maze of zoning rules, fire codes, occupancy limits, licensing questions, and other regulatory hurdles that can make or break their schools. In this guest-hosted episode of the LiberatED Podcast, Education Entrepreneurship Lab senior contributor and Baker Creek Academy founder, Denise Lever, talks with Lynn Swanson, Chief Counsel, Education at Stand Together, about the organization's Edupreneur Resource Center (ERC) and how it helps education entrepreneurs tackle legal and compliance challenges before they become major problems. Lynn explains the ERC's free resources—including microcourses, state-specific compliance guides, checklists, and personalized coaching—and shares practical advice for founders facing inspections, regulatory questions, or enforcement actions. She also discusses the most common compliance pitfalls, why facilities issues are often the biggest obstacle for new schools, and how entrepreneurs can stay informed as rules evolve. Whether you're launching a microschool, hybrid homeschool program, learning pod, or other education venture, this conversation offers actionable guidance to help you navigate the legal landscape with greater confidence. *** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at edentrepreneur.org. Kerry's latest book, Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling, is available now wherever books are sold!
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From Democratic School Founder to Urban Nature Educator
3w ago00:35:57Tap to summarizeFor years, Maysaa Bazna led Pono, an innovative outdoor democratic school in New York City, where children followed their curiosity and developed deep connections with the natural world. She saw an opportunity to bring those same experiences to many more children through partnerships with urban Title I public schools. Today, Maysaa is the founder and executive director of City to Sanctuary, a nonprofit that partners with public schools to take students out of the classroom and into nature every month. Through repeated visits to nature preserves, students participate in activities like bird banding, pond ecology, hiking, and ice fishing while building confidence, curiosity, and a lasting relationship with the outdoors. In this episode, host Kerry McDonald speaks with Maysaa about her journey from alternative school founder to creator of a vibrant urban nature education program that is seeing significant, positive results for students and teachers. They also discuss City to Sanctuary's expansion plans, bringing nature-based learning to thousands more students across the country. *** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at edentrepreneur.org. Kerry's latest book, Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling, is available now wherever books are sold!
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What If Learning Started with Curiosity Instead of Curriculum?
4w ago00:47:00Tap to summarizeGuest host Jennie Jones, an Entrepreneur-In-Residence at the Education Entrepreneurship Lab, interviews Tanner Bowman, founder of Optio, a quest-based learning platform that helps homeschoolers and microschools document and personalize student-directed learning. After teaching across public, private, charter, online, and microschool environments, Tanner concluded that traditional education's standardized structure made meaningful personalization difficult. Inspired by experiments with increased student autonomy during and after COVID, he left his public school position to build Optio. Tanner explains how Optio grew out of an in-person lab school where students pursued entrepreneurial and passion-driven projects while earning accredited high school credit. He shares how the platform evolved from a one-size-fits-all learning management system into a customizable tool that adapts to each microschool's unique philosophy and teaching style. Throughout the conversation, Tanner argues that teaching is fundamentally an art form, that students are naturally motivated to learn when given meaningful ownership over their education, and that families deserve systems that recognize authentic learning wherever it occurs. *** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at edentrepreneur.org. Kerry's latest book, Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling, is available now wherever books are sold!
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Inside a Youth-Run Microschool in Virginia
Jul 700:35:50Tap to summarizeSpecial Summer Episode! Kym Kent, an Entrepreneur-In-Residence at the Education Entrepreneurship Lab, is the guest host for today's LiberatED Podcast! Listen in as she interviews Catina Sweedy, a staff member at the Embark Center for Self-Directed Education in Leesburg, Virginia. Catina tells us about this unique, youth-led microschool for tweens and teens. *** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at edentrepreneur.org. Kerry's latest book, Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling, is available now wherever books are sold!
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When A Microschool Founder Has To Step Away
Jun 3000:35:49Tap to summarizeWhen Niki Harris and her husband launched Farm School on their working farm in Northern California in 2018, they were simply looking for a better educational option for their own four children. What began as a part-time co-op quickly grew into a thriving place-based microschool serving dozens of students through multiple programs. But after nearly a decade of growth, unexpected circumstances forced Niki to make one of the hardest decisions any school founder can face: halting operations in the middle of the school year. On this episode of LiberatED, Niki shares the remarkable story of Farm School's evolution, the emotional and operational challenges of pausing a beloved microschool, and the lessons every education entrepreneur can learn from her experience. *** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at edentrepreneur.org. Kerry's latest book, Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling, is available now wherever books are sold!
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How Summit School Grew from 50 to 140 Students in 3 Years
Jun 2300:33:02Tap to summarizeIn this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald talks with Peter Holmstrom, Head of School at Summit School in Waco, Texas. Peter shares his journey from social work to public school teaching to leading one of the fastest-growing learner-centered schools in the state. Since becoming head of school in 2023, Peter has helped grow Summit from fewer than 50 students to nearly 140 learners, while expanding staff, facilities, and programs. He explains how Summit blends nature-based, project-driven learning with strong academic outcomes, creating an environment where children develop curiosity, confidence, and a genuine love of learning. Kerry and Peter discuss teacher burnout, school leadership, the challenges of managing rapid growth, and the impact of Texas's new Education Freedom Accounts program. Peter also shares why listening to parents, empowering staff, and focusing on joyful learning have been key ingredients in Summit's success. *** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at edentrepreneur.org. Kerry's latest book, Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling, is available now wherever books are sold!
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Let 1,000 Flowers Bloom: The Future of Educational Freedom with Cato's Colleen Hroncich
Jun 1600:33:00Tap to summarizeOn this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald speaks with Colleen Hroncich, policy analyst at the Cato Institute's Center for Educational Freedom, about her new report, Let 1,000 Flowers Bloom: Best Practices for Advancing Educational Freedom. With more than 70 school choice programs now operating across more than 30 states—and over a dozen states offering universal eligibility—educational freedom is expanding rapidly across the US. Colleen explains why universal access and sustainable funding are essential to creating thriving education marketplaces that serve all families. Kerry and Colleen also discuss the new federal scholarship tax credit program set to launch in 2027. The conversation turns to the growing ecosystem of education entrepreneurs building innovative schools and learning models, and why parental choice may be the most effective form of accountability in education. Whether you're a parent, educator, or policymaker, this episode offers valuable insights into the evolving landscape of educational freedom. *** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at edentrepreneur.org. Kerry's latest book, Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling, is available now wherever books are sold!
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The Ins & Outs of Launching a K-8 Hybrid Learning Community
Jun 900:34:13Tap to summarizeIn this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald talks with Katelynn Stone, founder of EverRoot Academy, a new K-8 hybrid learning community set to launch in August 2026 in Crestview, Florida. After nearly two decades working across public and private education settings—including classrooms, leadership roles, and specialized learning environments—Katelynn is now building her own learner-centered educational model. EverRoot Academy combines virtual and place-based learning, multi-age groupings, community projects, and a flexible learning week designed to meet students where they are. Katelynn shares the challenges and excitement of launching a microschool, from navigating legal and insurance requirements to developing systems and building enrollment. She also discusses how her tutoring business became a bridge to school founding, why relationships are at the heart of educational entrepreneurship, and her long-term vision for creating a globally connected learning community. Whether you're an educator considering entrepreneurship, a parent exploring alternative learning options, or simply curious about the future of education, this conversation offers an inspiring look at what it takes to build something new. *** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at edentrepreneur.org. Kerry's latest book, Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling, is available now wherever books are sold!
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How a Family Crisis Led to a New Educational Calling
Jun 200:35:29Tap to summarizeOn this episode of LiberatED, LaRae Hulsey tells host Kerry McDonald about her remarkable journey from enrolling her children in a Prenda microschool in rural Apache County, Arizona to launching her own program, LaRae's Learning Lab. Along the way, her family faced extraordinary challenges, including her husband's leukemia diagnosis, which required relocating for medical treatment. LaRae explains how the flexibility and personal connections of microschooling provided stability during crisis, why she eventually stepped into a leadership role herself, and how her microschool now serves a dozen students in a community where alternative education options are rapidly expanding. She also offers encouragement and practical advice for aspiring founders who may doubt their ability to start something of their own. In a conversation about resilience, purpose, and the power of personalized learning, LaRae's story highlights how education entrepreneurship often begins with a parent's desire to help their own children thrive. *** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at edentrepreneur.org. Kerry's latest book, Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling, is available now wherever books are sold!
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Inside A Nature-Based School Near Boston
May 2600:30:27Tap to summarizeThis week on the LiberatED podcast, Kerry McDonald talks with Serena Wilkie Gifford and Kate Walker of the Birches School, a nature-based K–8 independent school in the Boston area that began in 2012 with just five students and now serves about 75 learners. Serena and Kate share the school's founding story, its progressive educational philosophy, and how nature is woven throughout the curriculum—from math lessons outdoors to history explorations in the woods. They discuss the benefits of outdoor learning for children's well-being, curiosity, and engagement, while also emphasizing strong academics, close relationships, and child-centered learning. Kerry and her guests also explore why more families are seeking alternatives to conventional schooling, the growing interest in nature-based education, and how small, mission-driven schools like Birches are creating learning environments where children thrive. *** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at edentrepreneur.org. Kerry's latest book, Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling, is available now wherever books are sold!
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