Conferences for microschools and other “emerging models” have become increasingly common. Many of these gatherings are held inside established institutions and framed around policy, systems, or investment, sometimes at a distance from the day to day realities of children and families. The language often sounds impressive — innovation, momentum, sustainability — and for those doing the daily work of leading small schools, these conversations can feel different from what happens on the ground.
At Meridian, we recognized the need for authentic connection early. In 2016, we hosted the first grassroots microschools conference, years before microschools became a buzzword or a trend. In 2021, we followed with a second virtual gathering, this time centered on sustainability in the microschool movement. Each gathering was open, accessible, and collaborative, focused on what really matters: how microschools can serve children and families with integrity. The recordings can still be found in our Media Library.
Today’s high profile events are often framed as alternative, even as they remain connected to established institutions and systems. Many of these gatherings explore innovation within existing structures, shaping conversations around policy, investment, and system-level reform. They talk about shaping “the future of education” in broad strokes. Microschools aren’t only a theory or a policy exercise. They’re communities built in real time around the needs of children and families.
We believe the most important conversations happen in small, authentic spaces, between parents and educators, between guides and children. They happen not in large lecture halls, but in classrooms, backyards, and community rooms. They also happen in our grassroots microschool meetups, which we’ve hosted for years in local communities as a way to bring educators, families, and community members together without the cost or formality of a conference. At Meridian, our story centers on sustaining a grassroots movement, one small learning community and one family at a time. That’s why we’ll host another gathering in 2026 to explore how small schools can stay small amid growing institutional interest and increased investment in the microschool space, and remain focused on what matters most.
Explore our community resources here.