298. Reimagining Public Education Through Microschools with ECPPS Microschool

In this episode of Learning Unboxed, we’re joined by Keith Parker, Colina Bartlett, Tiffany Dudley, and Kelly Cowell from the ECPPS Microschool in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Together, they share the story behind launching an innovative public microschool designed to reimagine what learning can look like for today’s students. With small cohorts, flexible learning environments, and a strong emphasis on relationships and real-world experiences, the team is building a student-centered model rooted in curiosity, collaboration, and community.

We explore how the district moved from listening to community needs to rapidly designing and launching a new learning environment in less than a year. The conversation highlights the role of educators as guides, the power of project-based learning, and the importance of removing bureaucratic barriers to innovation. At its heart, this microschool is about creating meaningful choices for families and ensuring public education continues to evolve for the future. Join us to explore what’s possible when a community decides to do school differently.

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:

• Why districts are turning to microschools to reimagine public education and create new options for families
• How student-centered learning, project-based experiences, and the “guide” model shift the role of teachers and empower learners
• What it takes for a school district to remove bureaucratic barriers and experiment with new models that better prepare students for a changing world

Resources:

• ECPPS Microschool – Learn more about the Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools microschool initiative
• Ascent Microschool – The innovative school model in Austin, Texas that inspired the ECPPS team’s design work
• North Carolina School Boards Association – Learn more about the organization that hosts the annual conference where ECPPS students presented their work
• Rock by Rock – Explore the project-based science learning program used by the microschool

Produced by NOVA