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’re witnessing a growing trend that threatens the freedom and integrity of education in another way: the rise of private equity in the education sector. The recent acquisition of ACT, the college testing organization, by a private equity firm is just one example of how investor-driven entities are beginning to see education not as a public good, but as a profitable industry.
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.