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PODCAST

LiberatED Podcast

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 twice-weekly podcast is hosted by Kerry McDonald, a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Economic Education and leader 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

education education for kids

All Episodes

29:43

A Two-Day, Tuition-Free Microschool With Full-Time...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2026/03/24

In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald talks with Marta MacBan, founder of Sonoran Learning Collective, a hybrid microschool in Cave Creek, Arizona, that's reimagining how and when students learn. Launched in 2024 with just six students—including her own children—the program now serves a growing community of families seeking flexibility, personalization, and strong academic foundations. Marta shares how her journey from corporate media to education entrepreneurship was sparked by her

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26:43

Reinventing High School: Entrepreneurship &...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2026/03/17

On this week's episode of the LiberatED podcast, Kerry McDonald talks with Cory Henwood, innovation coordinator for Utah's Iron County School District and founder of Launch High School, a new public high school focused on personalized learning. Cory shares his journey from public school math teacher to district innovation leader, and explains how Launch High School blends competency-based learning, personalized schedules, and real-world entrepreneurship. Students spend much of their time building

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36:17

From 18 Students to Over 100: Why One New Waldorf-...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2026/03/10

In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald talks with May Jewell, founder of Jewell School in Queen Creek, Arizona. Since launching in 2021 with just 18 students, the Waldorf- and Montessori-inspired Christian school has grown to more than 100 students. May shares how she built the program, the challenges and rewards of being a new school founder, the regulatory burdens constraining her growth, and why families are increasingly seeking out alternative learning environments. *** Sign up for Kerry's

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31:49

From Basement Pod to Flourishing Hybrid Homeschool in...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2026/03/03

In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald talks with Rebecca Thomas, founder of Victory Alliance, a K–12 hybrid homeschool program in Traverse City, Michigan. Rebecca shares how she transitioned from an educator in traditional public, charter, and Christian schools to homeschooling her own child—and eventually launching a microschool during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. What began as a tutoring pod in one family's basement has grown to serve 50 students with six teachers, and

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36:12

The First Online Private School: 30+ Years at Laurel...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2026/02/24

What does it take to build the first private online school in the United States—before most families even had internet access? In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald talks with Alyssa Tormala, Head of School at Laurel Springs School, to explore the school's remarkable evolution from a small distance-learning program in 1991 to a global, accredited K–12 institution that has served more than 6,000 students across 100+ countries. With a proven track record of high-quality online learning,

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47:08

The Past, Present, and Future of Virtual Learning...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2026/02/17

In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald talks with virtual learning pioneer Julie Young, author of Virtual Schools, Actual Learning: Digital Education in America, published by the Pioneer Institute. Julie shares the inside story of launching Florida Virtual School in the 1990s, building one of the first and most successful statewide online programs in the country, to then spearheading the growth of ASU Prep Digital and consulting with education leaders on the future of online education. For

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28:18

Supply, Demand, and School Choice: Lessons from Ohio

LiberatED Podcast ·

2026/02/13

Ohio has long been at the forefront of the school choice movement—and today tens of thousands of students participate in one of the state's five scholarship programs. In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald talks with Rabbi Eric "Yitz" Frank, President of School Choice Ohio, and Ann Riddle, Director of Provider School Outreach at School Choice Ohio, to explore how Ohio became a national leader in education freedom. They trace the evolution of the state's first Cleveland Scholarship Program in

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30:36

Agency, Affordability, and Hands-On Learning at The...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2026/02/10

What does it look like to build a school around student voice, joyful learning, and real affordability? In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald speaks with Elizabeth Dean, Head of Learning at The Village School, a learner-centered school in Arlington, Virginia serving about 70 students. Elizabeth shares her journey from public school teacher and instructional coach to school leader—and how her own negative schooling experiences sparked a commitment to creating more human, joyful learning

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47:33

Why More Black Families Are Choosing...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2026/02/03

In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald speaks with Kalecia Simmons, founder of The Black Homeschools, about how one parent's search for support grew into a thriving homeschooling community serving more than 1,100 Black families across the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) area—and beyond. Kalecia shares her personal journey homeschooling her eight children, the early challenges that motivated her to create a space specifically for African American homeschoolers, and the persistence it took to build

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39:05

Progress in Medicine: A New Kind of Summer Program...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2026/01/30

In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald is joined by Heike Larson, Vice President of Programs at the Roots of Progress Institute, and Dr. Laura Mazer, a surgeon and curriculum lead for the Institute's new summer program, Progress in Medicine 2026. Together, they explore a bold new model for summer teen learning that blends medical history, future innovation, mentorship, and personal development. Designed for rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors, Progress in Medicine 2026 combines

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47:47

A New Orleans Microschool Success Story

LiberatED Podcast ·

2026/01/27

On this episode of LiberatED, host Kerry McDonald sits down with Emily Barnitz, founder of Zoe Learning House, a fast-growing hybrid homeschool program in New Orleans, Louisiana. Emily shares her journey from being homeschooled herself to becoming a public school teacher—and ultimately launching Zoe Learning House in fall 2024 with just 10 students in her living room. Eighteen months later, the program now serves 50 students across kindergarten through fourth grade, with plans to expand to fifth

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38:59

Inside NuVu's Studio-Style High School

LiberatED Podcast ·

2026/01/20

What if high school was designed more like a creative studio than a traditional classroom? In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald spotlights NuVu High School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a distinctive, studio-style school for students in grades 7 to 12. Kerry speaks with NuVu co-founder Saba Ghole and NuVu Director of Admissions Karen Sutton about NuVu's remarkable evolution—from a community laboratory partnering with local schools and homeschoolers to a fully recognized private high school

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46:52

A Primer on the Push for Educational Freedom, with...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2026/01/13

In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald is joined by Neal McCluskey, Director of the Center for Educational Freedom at the Cato Institute, and co-editor of the new book Fighting for the Freedom to Learn: Examining America's Centuries-Old School Choice Movement, to explore the history of educational freedom in the U.S. Neal also talks about the Public Schooling Battle Map that he maintains, and explains how allowing families to choose learning environments aligned with their values has long

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32:33

How Two Moms Built a Homeschool Resource Hub for 80+...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2026/01/06

In this episode of the LiberatED Podcast, Kerry McDonald is joined by Christina Stead and Hanna Lay, two homeschool mothers from St. George, Utah. Together they founded Desert Blossom Resource Center, a nonprofit created to support homeschooling families through community-led resources, monthly panel discussions, local events, and a growing online hub that now connects more than 80 families across southern Utah. Originally envisioned as a physical community space, Desert Blossom has evolved into a

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49:50

ENCORE: Whole Foods Co-Founder John Mackey on the...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2025/12/30

In this reload of one of our most popular episodes, Whole Foods co-founder John Mackey shares his founder story, explaining why conscious capitalism leads to profound good in the world and offering tips for today's education entrepreneurs. Here's one gem from the interview: "If you can make a profit, it proves that your business model is good," said Mackey. "That's the way you could do the most good in the world. That's the beauty of capitalism . . . If you have a good school, we need more of them

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42:01

Designing A Life—and a School—Around Family, Farm,...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2025/12/23

In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald speaks with Talon and Travis Holleman, co-founders of Roots Farm and Forest School in Delaware. What began as a small homeschool co-op during the pandemic has grown into a thriving, nature-based learning ecosystem serving more than 1,000 students through microschool programs, homeschool enrichment, after-school offerings, and seasonal camps. Talon and Travis share their personal journey from successful corporate careers into homeschooling, and why

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34:52

From Homeschooling to Microschooling: Bonnie Bradshaw...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2025/12/16

In this episode of the LiberatED Podcast, Kerry McDonald talks with Bonnie Bradshaw, a longtime homeschool mom and the founder of Royal Oak Academy, a student-centered K-7 microschool in Suffolk, Virginia. Bonnie shares how her years of homeschooling shaped her educational philosophy and ultimately inspired her to create a learning environment that prioritizes curiosity, autonomy, and individual growth. She discusses the transition from educating her own children at home to launching a microschool

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35:07

From Fighter Pilot to Founder: How Ali Ghaffari Is...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2025/12/09

In this week's episode of the LiberatED Podcast, Kerry McDonald interviews Ali Ghaffari, founder of Divine Mercy Academy, a K–8 classical Catholic school in Pasadena, Maryland, and now Executive Director of the St. John Henry Newman Institute, an organization dedicated to accelerating the renewal of Catholic education worldwide. Ali's path to school founding is anything but ordinary. After graduating from Colby College, he spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy as an F/A-18 fighter pilot before teaching

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47:41

Starting A Church To Start A School: The Magnolia...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2025/12/02

This week on the LiberatED Podcast, Kerry McDonald speaks with Tara Famularo-Del Bianco, a former attorney who spent nearly 15 years representing abused and neglected children in New York City before making a dramatic shift into education entrepreneurship. Today, she is the founder of The Magnolia Schoolhouse, a thriving Montessori-inspired microschool in Vero Beach, Florida, that serves 75+ students through 8th grade and blends homeschooling with flexible, part-time, in-person learning. Her founder

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26:34

Building A Vermont Microschool: Susan Yao's Journey...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2025/11/25

This week on the LiberatED Podcast, Kerry McDonald talks with Susan Yao, founder of Vermont Village School in Brattleboro, Vermont, about her inspiring journey from progressive educator to microschool creator. After earning an undergraduate degree from Harvard College, Susan worked for several years as a teacher and school administrator in a variety of educational settings. The pandemic led her family to move from Massachusetts to Vermont to begin homesteading and homeschooling. It also led the way

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