Building a Thriving Microschool Community in Los Angeles

As traditional schooling models continue to face scrutiny, a growing number of parents and educators are opting out of conventional systems in favor of more personalized learning experiences. Microschools—small, flexible, learner-centered environments—are gaining traction nationwide, even in states like California where public funding avenues like Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) are limited. The growing movement towards microschooling reflects both a response to unmet educational needs and a spirit of innovation among families and educators.

So, how do you launch and sustain a microschool in a place like Los Angeles and who are the families opting in?

In this episode of The Future of Education, host Michael Horn speaks with Lizette Valles, M.Ed.—a pioneering educator, community builder, and the founder of Compass Educators. Together, they explore how Valles has grown a trauma-informed, holistic microschool and tutoring center into a movement that’s helping reshape education in California and beyond.

Key topics in this episode include:

• How Compass Educators grew from a pandemic-era tutoring solution into a full-fledged microschool model.
• What it takes to launch and sustain a microschool in California without public funding—and why some families are choosing this path.
• How Lizette’s work as California Field Coordinator for the National Microschooling Center is supporting a rapidly expanding ecosystem of founders and families.