At Meridian Learning, we believe true educational freedom means staying rooted in our mission, not tethered to unstable state programs or outside corporate influence. One of the reasons we chose not to participate in Ohio’s EdChoice voucher program was our concern that the program would face constitutional challenges and legal instability. That concern is now being realized, with courts ruling the program unconstitutional and further litigation ahead.
👉 Read our full letter to families here.
Much of the current conversation around vouchers is framed in terms of “school choice,” but the truth is, parents already have choice. There are more educational options available than ever before, from microschools to homeschooling to hybrid models. Real choice doesn’t depend on a state funded mechanism; it depends on access to clear information, community support, and a system that values flexibility and innovation.
At the same time, we are seeing a wider shift that affects education in a different way. Traditional for profit companies like Pearson and Kaplan have been part of the landscape for many years, but private equity ownership represents a new level of commercial expansion. It brings faster consolidation, larger scale influence, and a priority on financial return. The recent purchase of ACT is one example of how education is becoming the next frontier for corporate investment, and this trend is reshaping how major institutions operate.
This kind of corporate influence can lead to standardization, cost cutting, and top down decision making, values that run counter to the grassroots, learner-centered model we believe in. As more educational ventures become shaped by investor returns rather than student outcomes, the freedom to teach, to learn, and to lead authentically is at risk.
Looking ahead, we continue to forge our own path, preserving our grassroots origins, maintaining our independence, and staying intentionally small. This allows us to stay focused on what matters most: advancing meaningful learning through the empowerment of educators, children, and families.