Emerging School Models: Scaling for Success

Innovative school models are making significant strides across the American educational landscape. New micro schools, charter schools, private school models, career and technical education programs, and innovative forms of homeschooling are expanding at an accelerating pace. However, these emerging school models are at a critical crossroads. As they increasingly leverage school choice programs, there is greater pressure to demonstrate success to stakeholders. Scalability and sustainability remain core challenges, with school leaders striving to expand their models while preserving the essential attributes that define their schools.

To explore these issues, the Program on Education Policy and Governance at Harvard University is hosting its fourth annual conference on emerging school models at the Harvard Kennedy School on Thursday, September 25 and Friday, September 26, 2025.

Thursday, September 25

1:00 p.m.   

Opening remarks

Paul E. Peterson, Harvard University 
Daniel Hamlin, University of Oklahoma

1:15 p.m.

Session 1 (Nye): The next frontier of school choice: Which form of school choice will lead the way?

Panelists: 
Eric Paisner, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
Don Soifer, Micro school/homeschools, National Microschool Center
Daniel Weisberg, New York City Department of Education 
Daniel Hamlin, University of Oklahoma, and Paul E. Peterson, Harvard University (moderators)

2:15 p.m.

Break

2:30 p.m.

Session 2A (Nye): Learning on their own terms: The rise of learner-centered models

Panelists: 
Emily Liebtag, Education Reimagined
Tyler Thigpen, The Forest School and Institute for Self-Directed Learning
Lizette Valles, Ellemercito Learning Community and California Microschool Collective
Daniel Hamlin, University of Oklahoma (moderator)

Session 2B (Allison): Can charter schools be engines of economic and social development?

Panelists: 
Brent Bushey, Fuel OKC and Santa Fe South Charter Schools 
Dr. Danalyn Hypolite, BES (build. excel. sustain.)
Chris Neeley, South Carolina Public Charter School District
Paul E. Peterson, Harvard University (moderator)

Session 2C (Ellwood): From Classroom to Career: Measuring the Success of CTE Programs (Research Panel)

Panelists: 
Celeste Carruthers, University of Tennessee
Shaun Dougherty, Boston College
Matthew Lenard, Florida State University
Gregory Nadeau, Public Consulting Group (moderator)

3:30 p.m.

Break

3:45 p.m.

Session 3A (Nye): Recent developments in hybrid homeschooling

Panelists: 
Matthew Lee, Kennesaw State University
Kenisha Skaggs, SOAR Academy 
Eric Wearne, Kennesaw State University
Sharon Masinelli, Saint John the Baptist Hybrid School, and Paul E. Peterson, Harvard University (moderators)

Session3B (Allison): Are education savings accounts just the beginning or have they reached their high watermark?

Panelists: 
Thomas Arnett, Clayton Christensen Institute
David Marshall, Auburn University 
Meredith Olsen, VELA
Martin R. West, Harvard University (moderator)

Session 3C (Ellwood): Measuring what matters: How are emerging school models defining success?

Panelists: 
Heather Denino, Elements Academy
Josh Lange, GetSmart Token
Shaka Mitchell, American Federation for Children
Caitlin Sienkiewicz, Condie Consulting, LLC
Daniel Hamlin, University of Oklahoma (moderator)

4:45 p.m.

Break

5:00 p.m.

Networking reception

Charles Hotel Ballroom, 1 Bennett Street, Cambridge 
The Charles Hotel is next door to the Taubman Building, and the ballroom is located on the third floor.

6:00 p.m.

Keynote Address

TBA

Plated dinner to follow (preregistration required)
 

Friday, September 26

8:00 a.m.

Breakfast Outside Allison Dining Room

9:15 a.m.

Session 4A (Nye): What state policies are needed to expand and oversee emerging school models?

Panelists (state legislators): 
Alexis Calatayud, Florida Senator 
Chad Caldwell, Oklahoma Representative
Robert Wittke, Wisconsin Representative
Daniel Hamlin, University of Oklahoma, and Paul E. Peterson, Harvard University (moderators)

Session 4B (Allison): Blended by design: Is hybrid learning the future?

Panelists:
April Huard, Clonlara School
Amy McGrath, ASU Prep., Levitt Lab
Matt Spengler, BluePrint Schools Network
Dewain Barker, K-12 Blended Learning Solutions (moderator)

10:15 a.m.

Break

10:30 a.m.

Session 5A (Nye): What are we educating for?

Panelists: 
Ray Girn, Higher Ground Education 
Garret Smiley, Sora Schools
Anika Prather, The Living Water School and The Catholic University of America
Kurtis Indorf, The Classical Academies, and Paul E. Peterson, Harvard University (moderators)

Session 5B (Allison): The homeschooling movement’s fastest-growing communities

Panelists: 
Nicole P. Doyle, Georgia Black Home Educators Network & Flourish Learning Cooperative
Sydney Miller Milbert, Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Homeschoolers
Kimberlee Tucker, Homeschool Hive
Ron Matus and Lauren May, Step Up For Students (moderators)

Session 5C (Ellwood): Emerging models in higher education

Panelists: 
Jefferson Pestronk, Modern States 
James Shuls, Florida State University
Jonathan Wang, Western Governors University
Daniel Hamlin, University of Oklahoma (moderator)

11:30 a.m.

Break

11:40 a.m.

Session 6A (Nye): Marker of quality or barrier to innovation? The role of school accreditation

Panelists: 
Rachel Good, Discovery Learners Academy
Walt Rogers, Insipred Life
Christian Talbot, Middle States Association
Raphael Gang, Stand Together (moderator)

Session 6B (Allison): Teaching and learning in the age of AI

Panelists: 
Matt Bowman, OpenEd 
Sam Canning-Kaplan, OpenAI 
Charles Fadel, Center for Curriculum Redesign
Daniel Hamlin, University of Oklahoma, and Amir Nathoo, Outschool (moderators)

Session 6C (Ellwood): Making choice programs effective and sustainable

Panelists: 
Lauren Covelli, RAND Corporation 
Harry Patrinos, University of Arkansas
Patrick J. Wolf, University of Arkansas 
Paul E. Peterson and Emiliana Vegas, Harvard University (moderators)

12:40 p.m.

Adjourn – Lunch

Conference sessions will be highly interactive, creating opportunities for discussion between panelists and the attendees. Sessions will be livestreamed, but direct participation in the conversation is limited to in-person attendees.