Education Secretary Linda McMahon told Newsmax on Friday that she is looking forward to visiting Indiana to talk with Republican Gov. Mike Braun about the state's use of microschools.
Microschools are small, nontraditional learning environments that combine elements of homeschooling, private schooling, and personalized learning, according to the National Microschooling Center.
McMahon told "Rob Schmitt Tonight" that Braun "has really pushed microschools."
"I visited a microschool that happened to be in New York, and to see just how different that education is, it really is more one-on-one activities with the children.
"As you have older children that are accomplishing skills, they then also are teaching the younger children. And one teacher told me this is when we know that a child has totally mastered a skill or concept, when they can then be part of the instruction for a younger student," she said.
"It was fascinating to watch and to see how that entire school was operating. So I'm anxious to see some of the schools in Indiana and to talk more about it. And it's going to be a great trip. I'm really looking forward to it."
Scott Bess, president and CEO of the Indiana Charter Innovation Center, told the Indiana Capital Chronicle last month that despite a statewide teacher shortage, teachers have been eager to join microschools. He said many are drawn to the increased flexibility and the opportunity to work more closely with students.
He said microschool teachers are not asked to prepare lesson plans every day and sit down with a group of 25 or more students. Each classroom is multiage, making the teacher more of a coach or facilitator.
"They are charter schools, which means that they do get mostly public funding," McMahon said. "In some states there is private funding that goes along with it, as well. But, yes, these are considered public schools, and it's a different way."
She said when President Donald Trump "talks about sending education back to the states, he wants states to be able to be innovative with their educational system and to allow them to approach different ways to teach students."
"During COVID, homeschooling became very popular," McMahon said.
"This is a little bit like that, except that students do often go to one-room schools. So I'm anxious to see what the model in Indiana is like."
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Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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