Rethinking Education Through Innovation

Mar 11, 2025

Lecture Notes: Everyday Entrepreneurs Reimagining Education

Introduction

  • Speaker: Meredith Olsen, leader of VELA Education Fund
  • Topic: Everyday entrepreneurs reimagining education outside traditional environments
  • Objective: Invest in permissionless innovators to reform education
  • Scope: Over 1300 grants across 50 states and 3 U.S. territories

What is Permissionless Innovation?

  • Definition: Innovating without needing approval from public officials or funders
  • Goal: Meet needs of families and kids based on their context and values

VELA Education Fund

  • Mission: Support everyday entrepreneurs in education
  • Investment Strategy: Focus on trust, minimal oversight, and understanding community needs
  • Outcomes: A movement across diverse socio-economic, racial, and ethnic backgrounds

Panel Discussion with VELA Innovators

Damari Dickinson

  • Background: 20 years in education, unschooler, educational consultant
  • Focus: Conscious parenting, decolonization in interaction with kids
  • Quote: "Work built on joy, love, and liberation."

Kyle Gamba

  • Background: Non-traditional education path, principal experience
  • Project: La Luz micro-school with experiential learning
  • Quote: "The smartest thing we did was get rid of the actual school."

Kim Kent

  • Background: Director of Extend Homeschool Tutorial, parent of 6
  • Focus: Support homeschoolers with core subject tutorials and community
  • Quote: "We are creating the next leaders."

Motivations for Reimagining Education

  • Common Theme: Focus on kids' needs and happiness
  • Kim: Transformations in learning attitudes and interest
  • Kyle: Equity and authentic community learning
  • Damari: Liberation from oppressive systems

Addressing Concerns: Quality of Education

  • Criticism: Lack of conventional oversight and assessment
  • Response: Success measured by student happiness, transformations, and real-world applications

Impact of COVID-19

  • Change: Surge in unconventional education during the pandemic
  • Future Outlook: Unlikely to return to pre-pandemic norms
  • Reason: Exposure to freedom and self-directed learning

Community and Collaboration

  • VELA Community: Strong support network of independent innovators
  • Collaboration: Sharing resources and expertise among members
  • Impact: Extending support and network beyond local boundaries

Q&A Highlights

  • Sustainability and Expansion: Importance of policy change to support innovation
  • Identity Building: Encouragement to develop personal interests and strengths
  • Support for Teachers: VELA grants aiding educators transitioning out of traditional roles

Conclusion

  • Final Thoughts: The importance of adapting policy to support innovative education models
  • Networking Opportunity: Invitation to VELA Education Fund happy hour

Contact Information