What is Open Education?

Open education is a personalized approach to education where families design learning around the child — combining resources from schools, online classes, mentors, and real-world experiences.

What is Open Education?

Education That Adapts to Your Child—Not the Other Way Around.

Personaliz(ed) Learning
for Every Child

Open education starts with a simple observation: no two children learn in exactly the same way, at the same pace, or for the same reasons. Every learner brings a unique blend of strengths, curiosities, and ways of understanding the world.

The Future of Education Is Open

No child is standard. Their education shouldn’t be either.

‍For a century, school was built for efficiency, not individuality.

Open Education is a personalized approach to learning where families take back ownership, and design a learning path that fits the child’s strengths, interests, and pace.

Today, families are rewriting the rules. Combining co-ops, curricula, classes (in-person and online), tutors, and real-world experiences to build something better.

Young boy putting pipes together

Here's What It Looks Like:

A child pursuing an open education might play volleyball at the local public school, take online math through Khan Academy, join a weekly homeschool co-op for science labs, work with a private tutor for SAT prep, and take an Outschool class on coding Minecraft mods.

Parents are discovering they can combine Charlotte Mason nature studies with Montessori math materials, enroll in a microschool three days a week, and use AI tutors for personalized practice.

These aren't edge cases anymore—they're becoming the norm. Traditional brick-and-mortar schools are increasingly viewed as just one component in a child's education rather than a one-stop shop. Families are unbundling these services and rebuilding them in ways that work for their children.

Young girl reading on a sunny porch.

Why Open Education Matters

We’ve Personalized Everything—Except Education

For over a hundred years, education followed one model: bell schedules, age groups, and standardized tests.

But the world has changed.

We work remotely, learn on demand, build careers from laptops and kitchen tables. We’ve personalized nearly every aspect of our lives except the education system, which never caught up.

It's Already Happening

The walls defining "education" are dissolving. Families everywhere are unbundling the traditional model and designing custom combinations.

It’s not public or private. Not homeschool or online. Not one way or the other.

‍Open education means:
✅ Take what works from anywhere.
✅ Leave what doesn’t.
✅ Build a learning plan that fits your child.

It’s education designed around the learner, not the system.

Here is what an Open Education might look like for a student:
🏐 Play sports at a local public school
🧮 Take math online through Khan Academy
🧪 Join a weekly science co-op
🧑🏫 Learn history with a private tutor
💻 Take an Outschool class on coding Minecraft mods

Here's What It
Looks Like:

A child pursuing an open education might play volleyball at the local public school, take online math through Khan Academy, join a weekly homeschool co-op for science labs, work with a private tutor for SAT prep, and take an Outschool class on coding Minecraft mods.

Parents are discovering they can combine Charlotte Mason nature studies with Montessori math materials, enroll in a microschool three days a week, and use AI tutors for personalized practice.

These aren't edge cases anymore—they're becoming the norm. Traditional brick-and-mortar schools are increasingly viewed as just one component in a child's education rather than a one-stop shop. Families are unbundling these services and rebuilding them in ways that work for their children.

A grey box placeholder image.

We Wrote the #1 Bestselling Book On It

In Open Education, Matt Bowman and Isaac Morehouse explore how families are moving beyond old labels—public, private, homeschool, virtual—to design an education that truly fits. It’s an approach that doesn’t swear loyalty to a single philosophy, but instead blends the best of everything to meet the specific needs of each child, season by season.

Get the #1 Bestselling book "Open Education" now.

How Open Education Works

Open(Ed) Method

The concept of personalization can feel overwhelming. OpenEd provides a framework that helps families transform the philosophical principles of Open Education into a practical learning plan.

Here is how thousands of families are already building their unique blend of learning:

Discover ->

Find what lights your child up—their innate interests, learning styles, and unique pace. 

Design -> 

Mix and match the best resources, schedules, and methods available.

Support -> 

Access educational resources, guidance, approved reimbursements, and community activities through OpenEd.

Connect -> 

Join a network of families reimagining education together.

Thrive

Watch your child grow with confidence, joy, and a lifelong love of learning.

Core Principles of an Open Education

What We Believe

These principles of open education guide everything we do. Open education isn’t about rejecting the system. It’s about reclaiming ownership because the best education is the one your child can actually thrive in.

Education must serve the child, not the system.

Parents are the primary architects of their child's education.

The world is the classroom.

Curiosity is the engine of learning.

A joyful education is a better education.

Young boy with a worksheet.

Your Pathways to an Open Education:

The pathways below aren't rigid tracks—they're starting points for exploration. Here, you can dive into different philosophies, discover curricula, find online and in-person programs, and see how other families blend elements from multiple approaches. Each pathway opens a door to deeper resources and stories from families already walking that road.

Classical Education

A time-tested approach using the Trivium (grammar, logic, rhetoric), Great Books, and Socratic dialogue to develop critical thinking and cultural literacy.

Montessori Education

Self-directed learning with specialized materials in prepared environments. Emphasizes independence, mixed-age groups, and hands-on discovery.

Virtual School

Online learning platforms and digital curricula that provide flexibility and access to specialized courses, ranging from full-time programs to individual classes.

Microschooling

Small, multi-age groups (typically 5-15 students) meeting in homes or community spaces. Combines personalized attention with peer interaction and shared resources.

Traditional Homeschooling (coming soon)

Full parent-led education with complete curriculum choice and schedule flexibility. Families select materials, set the pace, and often supplement with co-ops, tutors, or online classes.

Unschooling & Deschooling

Child-led learning based on natural interests and real-world experiences. Emphasizes intrinsic motivation and trusts in children's innate desire to learn.

Nature-Based Learning

Outdoor education emphasizing environmental connection, seasonal rhythms, and experiential learning through direct contact with the natural world.

Waldorf Education

A holistic approach focused on developing the whole child through imagination, arts, and practical skills in developmentally appropriate stages.

Charlotte Mason Method

A literature-rich approach using "living books," nature study, and habit training. Emphasizes short lessons, narration, and exposure to beautiful ideas.

AI & Adaptive Learning

Technology-powered personalization using intelligent tutoring systems and adaptive platforms that adjust to an individual's pace and level of mastery.

Hybrid & Competency-Based Learning

A blend of in-person and online learning where students advance by demonstrating mastery rather than by time spent in a seat.

Apprenticeships & Real-World Learning

Hands-on education through mentorship, internships, and actual work experience that builds portfolios and professional connections.

Explore Curricula by Subject

Looking for the perfect math curriculum or hands-on STEM project? Use our tools to filter and explore hundreds of vetted curricula and resources by subject, learning style, and more to find the perfect fit for your family.

Potential Pathways for Families

These aren't rigid tracks—they're starting points for exploration.
(Most families blend elements from several.)

Classical Education

A time-tested approach using the Trivium (grammar, logic, rhetoric), Great Books, and Socratic dialogue to develop critical thinking and cultural literacy.
Read more

Montessori Education

Self-directed learning with specialized materials in prepared environments. Emphasizes independence, mixed-age groups, and hands-on discovery.
Read more

Virtual School

Online learning platforms and digital curricula that provide flexibility and access to specialized courses, ranging from full-time programs to individual classes.
Read more

Microschooling

Small, multi-age groups (typically 5-15 students) meeting in homes or community spaces. Combines personalized attention with peer interaction and shared resources.

Traditional Homeschooling

Full parent-led education with complete curriculum choice and schedule flexibility. Families select materials, set the pace, and often supplement with co-ops, tutors, or online classes.

Unschooling & Deschooling

Child-led learning based on natural interests and real-world experiences. Emphasizes intrinsic motivation and trusts in children's innate desire to learn.

Nature-Based Learning

Outdoor education emphasizing environmental connection, seasonal rhythms, and experiential learning through direct contact with the natural world.

Waldorf Education

A holistic approach focused on developing the whole child through imagination, arts, and practical skills in developmentally appropriate stages.

Charlotte Mason Method

A literature-rich approach using "living books," nature study, and habit training. Emphasizes short lessons, narration, and exposure to beautiful ideas.

AI & Adaptive Learning

Technology-powered personalization using intelligent tutoring systems and adaptive platforms that adjust to an individual's pace and level of mastery.

Hybrid & Competency-Based Learning

A blend of in-person and online learning where students advance by demonstrating mastery rather than by time spent in a seat.

Apprenticeships & Real-World Learning

Hands-on education through mentorship, internships, and actual work experience that builds portfolios and professional connections.
Explore Curricula by Subject

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