Why We’re Shifting Toward Alternative Education
As a former public school teacher, I never imagined I would one day leave public education. I believed deeply in public education, and I still believe in the educators who show up every day committed to their students.
Over time, however, I began to notice challenges within the traditional system that made it harder to serve students in the way I felt they deserved. Public schools operate within complex funding structures, accountability requirements, and policy decisions that can significantly influence classroom experiences. These systems are shaped by many factors, including state funding formulas, local taxes, enrollment trends, and academic performance metrics.
While many public schools are doing incredible work, the structure itself can sometimes create limitations: large class sizes, heavy testing demands, and administrative requirements that leave less room for flexibility and individualized learning.
After 10 years in the classroom, I found myself wanting a different approach. I loved teaching. I loved connecting with students and helping them grow. But I increasingly felt constrained by policies and pressures that were outside of my control.
I also began to notice that many families were exploring alternative educational options. In Colorado and across the country, interest in homeschooling, microschools, and other flexible learning environments has grown in recent years. According to publicly available state data, approximately 10,000 students were registered for homeschooling in Colorado during the 2025 school year. Families are seeking personalized instruction, smaller learning communities, and environments where children feel seen and supported.
That’s why I created Foundations Prep Academy.
My goal isn’t to criticize public education. It’s to offer another option. One built around small class sizes, meaningful relationships, and a focus on whole-child development. Every child learns differently, and families deserve choices that align with their values and their child’s needs.
Education doesn’t have to be one-size-fits-all. Sometimes, a different model can better support students who thrive in a more personalized setting.
As I continue building this school, I reflect on common challenges I observed in the classroom. One of the most significant was the pace of instruction. Curriculum expectations often required covering a large amount of material within limited timeframes. In my experience, this sometimes made it difficult for students to fully process, apply, and retain what they were learning.
Instructional schedules were often tightly structured, leaving limited flexibility to slow down, extend lessons, or incorporate additional enrichment or unstructured time. For some students, a faster pace worked well. For others, it created stress or disengagement.
One of my core goals in developing Foundations Prep Academy is to create a learning environment that allows for deeper processing, reflection, hands-on application, and age-appropriate play. I believe meaningful learning happens when students feel supported, not rushed.
As I continue to grow this school, I remain mindful of the students and families seeking an educational setting that feels like the right fit for them.
And that is the heart behind Foundations Prep Academy.