Contact:
Devin Vodicka & Katie Martin, Co-CEOs
Learner-Centered Collaborative
press@learnercentered.org

SAN DIEGO, CA — Learner-Centered Collaborative, a national nonprofit organization, is leading the launch of the Southern California Microschool Network, a groundbreaking regional initiative supporting public school districts in designing and developing new microschool models aligned with student, family, and community aspirations.

Made possible through catalytic support from Silicon Schools Fund, the network brings together an inaugural cohort of five districts across the region to co-design learner-centered environments that prioritize agency, real-world learning, and strong relationships.

“Public microschools offer an opportunity to meet students’ needs in new and more personalized ways,” said Caitrin Wright, CEO of Silicon Schools Fund. “We’re excited to support Southern California districts as they explore innovative designs that strengthen student ownership, deepen community connection, and create more options for learners across the region.

Participating districts include Bonsall Unified School District, Laguna Beach Unified School District, San Diego Unified School District, San Marcos Unified School District, and Vista Unified School District.

The Southern California Microschool Network builds on Learner-Centered Collaborative’s existing work in microschool design, including the co-design of Hidden Valley Middle School in Escondido Union School District. Hidden Valley has become a demonstration site within the California Secondary Redesign Pilot Program, illustrating how microschool environments can expand learner agency, integrate interdisciplinary projects, and strengthen connections to community purpose. 

“Our goal is to make it easier for public school systems to design learning environments that reflect the strengths and aspirations of their communities,” said Dr. Devin Vodicka, Co-CEO of Learner-Centered Collaborative. “We are seeing growing interest from superintendents and families who want options that feel more personal, relevant, and connected to the future of work and civic life. This network is a way to support those ideas with real design capacity and coaching.”

Rather than isolated pilots, this initiative represents a shared regional strategy—creating a learning community of districts pursuing new public microschool models together instead of working alone.

“Participating in the Southern California Microschool Network has been a valuable opportunity for our district to learn alongside innovative district partners as we explore what a personalized, hybrid learning model could look like for our local school community,” said Chad Mabery, Assistant Superintendent at Laguna Beach USD. “We are grateful for the space, support, and collaboration to research, prototype, and reflect, while honoring our district’s unique context and vision for learners.”

Participation will run through the 2025–26 planning year and includes a series of design sessions, regional convenings, and structured opportunities for peer learning and reflection.

By the end of the year, each participating district will have developed a community-informed microschool or school-within-a-school model designed to strengthen belonging, deepen engagement, and expand authentic learning opportunities for students—laying the foundation for potential implementation beginning in the 2026–27 school year.

“We’re excited to prototype a microschool model that allows us to explore more personalized, language-rich learning for our students,” said Heather Golly, Superintendent at Bonsall USD. “This work opens new possibilities for students and families by strengthening student voice, confidence, and connection, while helping us reimagine how learning can feel and function in a public school setting.”

District designs are expected to prioritize sustainability and integration within existing staffing, facilities, and budget structures, ensuring microschools serve as an innovation pathway that strengthens public education.

“There’s a real opportunity to create microschools in a way that strengthens public education rather than competing with it,” said Dr. Katie Martin, Co-CEO of Learner-Centered Collaborative. “When districts lead the design process with their communities, microschools become powerful spaces for belonging, purpose, and authentic learning.”

About Learner-Centered Collaborative: Recognizing the complexity of change, driven by what’s best for learners, and informed by research and practice, Learner-Centered Collaborative, a national nonprofit organization, works closely with schools, districts, and states to find their new way forward. We leverage our ecosystem framework, along with an expansive set of tools and resources, through deep, multi-year partnerships that have helped more than 30 public school districts and over 250,000 learners realize more personalized, authentic, and competency-based learning experiences in a community that puts learners at the center by design. To learn more about our work, visit learnercentered.org or contact us at collaborate@learnercentered.org.

About Silicon Schools Fund: Silicon Schools is a nonprofit philanthropic fund that works to improve education by supporting the launch of excellent new schools, strengthening academic instruction in existing schools, and funding some of the boldest innovations in K–12 education. Our goal is to create schools and tools that help all students thrive, expanding what is possible in public education. Today, our portfolio includes more than 175 schools serving approximately 40,000 students.