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 hosted its fourth annual conference on emerging school models at the Harvard Kennedy School on Thursday, September 25 and Friday, September 26, 2025.

Full agenda and video

Thursday, September 25

Opening remarks

1:00 p.m.   

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

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

1:15 p.m.

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

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

2:30 p.m.

Panelists
Coi Marie Morefield, Education Reimagined
Tyler Thigpen, The Forest School and Institute for Self-Directed Learning
Lizette Valles, Ellemercito Learning Community and California Microschool Collective
Caroline Allen, Center for Education Reform, and 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)

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

3:45 p.m.

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)

Session 3B (Allison): Are education savings accounts just the beginning, or have they reached their high-water mark?

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

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

Panelists: 
Heather DiNino, Elements Academy
Josh Lange, GetSmart Token
Shaka Mitchell, American Federation for Children
Caitlin Sienkiewicz, Condie Consulting, LLC
Daniel Hamlin, University of Oklahoma, and Kerry McDonald, Foundation for Economic Education (moderators)

Keynote Address

7:00 p.m.

A conversation with Jeff and Janine Yass
Ballroom, Charles Hotel

Friday, September 26

Keynote Address (Nye)

8:30 a.m.

A Conversation with Melanie Lundquist and Alberto Carvalho

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

9:20 a.m.

Panelists (state legislators): 
Alexis Calatayud, Florida Senator 
Chad Caldwell, Oklahoma Representative
Nicholeen P. Peck, Utah 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)

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

10:30 a.m.

Panelists: 
Ray Girn, Fulcrum School 
Kelisha Graves, Virginia State University
Garrett Smiley, Sora Schools
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, The 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, Craft Education
Daniel Hamlin, University of Oklahoma (moderator)

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

11:40 a.m.

Panelists: 
Rachel Good, Discovery Learners Academy
Walt Rogers, Inspired-Life
Christian Talbot, Middle States Association
Raphael Gang, Stand Together Trust (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