Podcast Summary: The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe

Episode 451: "Meredith Olson—Better Education Now"
Date: September 23, 2025
Guest: Meredith Olson, President of Vela Education Fund

Overview

In this lively, far-ranging conversation, Mike Rowe sits down with Meredith Olson, president of the Vela Education Fund, to explore the current landscape and future of education in America. They discuss innovative micro-schools, the growing appetite for customized learning, why traditional systems haven’t kept pace, and how Vela supports over 4,000 grassroots education founders nationwide. Central themes are innovation, agency, resilience, risk, and adapting to meet students’ true needs—delivered in a tone both skeptical and hopeful.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The State of American Education: Skepticism & Hope

• Mike expresses concern over "terrible trouble" facing public education, citing declining proficiency statistics (15:06).
  • “Our public education system is in terrible trouble... millions and millions of voters and taxpayers are hoping and praying for better education. When? Now.” — Mike Rowe [01:09]
• Meredith acknowledges challenges but offers a nuanced view:
  • Public education provides a reliable, efficient foundation for 83% of students, delivering what it was designed to do (15:33, 17:43).
  • The system's industrial roots mean it can struggle to adapt to today's creative, tech-driven economy.

2. Meredith Olson’s Path and Perspective

• Meredith describes herself as a product of traditional public schooling, with supportive, open-minded single parents, good but not exceptional schools, and plenty of unstructured time for discovery (06:37–09:32).
• She transitioned from mechanical engineering (Virginia Tech grad) to supporting grassroots innovation in education after seeing the need for bottom-up solutions.

3. What is Vela? The Rise of Micro-Schools

• Vela is a national nonprofit with about 10 employees, supporting over 4,200 micro-schools ("learning environments") that blend elements of homeschooling, private, and public schooling.
  • “They oversee 4,200 schools that are somewhere between private and public schools with a dash of homeschooling thrown into it.” — Mike Rowe [00:36]
• Schools are hyper-local, often unconventional in setting (dentist offices, farms, etc.), and collectively serve 5.3 million learners.
• The Marriott vs. Airbnb Analogy:
  • Traditional schools: standardized, predictable—like Marriott hotels.
  • Micro-schools: bespoke, varied, locally flavored—like Airbnbs.
  • “The question of whether or not they’re better is almost moot because it’s offering something completely different.” — Meredith Olson [26:52]
• Diversity Within Families:
  • Families often choose different education models for each child, reflecting a newfound independence. (29:11)

4. Post-Covid Shifts: Why the Surge?

• COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed a move toward self-reliance in education after systemic inflexibility during closures.
• “Covid was the moment that changed everything… The need for innovation in education was obvious. What we were doing was not working.” — Meredith Olson [31:53]

5. Accountability & Assessment in Micro-Schools

• Accountability is relational (family-to-founder), not bureaucratic.
• "The nexus of accountability happens between the families and the founders.” — Meredith Olson [40:21]
• About 36% voluntarily use standardized state assessments; 2/3 use adaptive educational technology (e.g., Khan Academy) for ongoing measurement.
• Graduates can move on seamlessly: They build transcripts, take SAT/ACT/CLT, and tap into dual-enrollment/trades programs. (43:40–45:24)

6. Rethinking School Design: Emphasizing Risk, Agency, and Wonder

• Unstructured risk and play:
  • Schools like Green Gate and Greengate Children's School allow kids to take physical risks, fostering resilience and independence (49:19).
  • Learning is kinetic and multisensory—kids engage minds and bodies.
• Practical skills & trades:
  • Many founders reintroduce blacksmithing, agriculture, and hands-on arts, which traditional curricula had lost in the past 40 years (46:12).
  • “A renewed emphasis on hands-on experiential learning... learning how things grow, how to blacksmith, permaculture, daily outdoor treks.” — Meredith Olson [46:12]

7. The Meaning and Vision Behind ‘Vela’

• Etymology:
  • ‘Vela’ means candle/light/constellation in Latin languages; also “to appear” in parts of Africa, and relates to nautical journeys.
  • “Creative, innovative people are sailing to the frontier of education. Our job at Vela was to help light the path and make this appear and known to the world.” — Meredith Olson [66:00]

8. Technology’s Double-Edged Sword

• Discuss the tradeoff between efficiency and human agency with tech tools like smartphones.
• “Is [technology] meant to control you? Or is it meant to enable you to do more and better than you ever imagined?” — Meredith Olson [80:39]
• Both agree on the necessity of balancing independence/self-sufficiency with the affordances of new tech.

9. Cultural Shifts, Agency, and The American Dream

• Growing disenchantment with institutions fuels grassroots innovation and a resurgence of classical, Montessori, and other “meaning-seeking” models.
  • “We’re seeing a massive growth in classical education. Why? Because they’re searching for meaning.” — Meredith Olson [85:41]
• “Declining trust in institutions... what better way to fix that than to roll up your shirt sleeves and do something about it?” — Meredith Olson [77:37]

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Public Education’s Design:
  • “It’s delivering exactly what it’s been designed to deliver… reliable, efficient, familiar. If you go back to the 1890s and the Committee of Ten, their goal was every student should be taught every subject in the same way regardless of their ultimate destination.” — Meredith Olson [15:33]
• On Families Leading Change:
  • “Rather than passively receiving an education that’s given to you, you’re owning it and driving it. You feel the right and responsibility to go pursue the education of your dreams.” — Meredith Olson [11:02]
• On Risk and Resilience:
  • “Those kids weren’t just climbing trees. They were 25 ft in the air… it was cerebral and kinetic at the same time.” — Mike Rowe [49:21, 50:21]
• On the ‘Evidence Demands a Verdict’ for Vela:
  • "In 2019, I’d have been skeptical... the evidence demands a verdict. 5 million students served.” — Mike Rowe [90:56; 91:16]
• On Institutional vs Bottom-up Change:
  • “Public education will adapt but only when people working in the unstructured, permissionless space show the art of the possible.” — Meredith Olson [23:02]
• On the Journey (Analogy to Crazy Horse Memorial):
  • “You’re chipping away at the rock, waiting to see what’s going to come out of it.” — Mike Rowe [63:04]
  • “Every single one of these founders has those war stories. They're tackling big, hairy, audacious problems.” — Meredith Olson [63:21, 65:03]

Important Timestamps

• [01:09] – Mike introduces the episode’s theme and Meredith Olson’s work.
• [10:15] – Meredith shares rapid growth: 4,276 schools this year.
• [15:33–17:43] – Meredith details the Committee of Ten and origins of our school model.
• [26:46] – Marriott vs. Airbnb analogy for education models.
• [31:53] – COVID’s “moment that changed everything.”
• [38:17] – Micro-school funding number: median $450/month per child.
• [40:21] – Accountability in micro-schools; assessment practices.
• [46:12] – Trades, hands-on learning, and curriculum flexibility.
• [49:19]–[53:29] – Importance of risk, unstructured play, and learning agency.
• [55:41] – Vela’s impact: 4,276 founders and 5.3 million learners.
• [66:00] – The meaning of ‘Vela.’
• [80:39] – The role and risks of technology in education.
• [85:41] – Rapid rise of meaning-centered education (classical, Montessori).
• [91:16] – "Evidence demands a verdict" and Mike's shift in perspective.

Action Steps & Resources for Listeners

• For Parents:
  • Talk to community members and educators about alternative models; look for micro-schools locally.
  • Stay tuned for Vela’s forthcoming app, which will connect families to micro-school founders (expected by end of summer 2025). [73:04]
• For Teachers:
  • Listen to the “Teacher Let Your Light Shine” podcast by MacKenzie Oliver for guidance on starting new learning ventures. [73:05]
  • Connect with innovators and micro-school founders for inspiration and support.
• For All:
  • Visit vela.org for more information, resources, and inspiration.

Conclusion: Room for Optimism

While Mike maintains healthy skepticism, both he and Meredith land on a hopeful note:
Bottom-up innovation, risk-taking, and community agency are fueling a renaissance in American education. Amid declining satisfaction with public institutions, grassroots leaders—like Vela’s network of founders—are “chipping away at the rock,” building creative, custom solutions for the challenges of our age.

"There’s no reason to despair. The evidence demands a verdict." — Mike Rowe [91:16]

For more information, visit vela.org