Understanding the New Landscape of Alternative Education: Co-ops, Hybrids, Pods, and Microschools

This post is AI-modified from the transcript of my podcast, Episode 8. Also, these definitions are my interpretation.

Over the past few years—especially during and after the pandemic—there’s been an explosion of new models in education. Learning pods, micro schools, hybrid schools… it feels like new terms are popping up all the time. And since the vocabulary is still being shaped, it can be confusing to know what people mean when they use these words.

So let’s take a step back and look at how these models have developed, what makes each unique, and how I like to define them.

Homeschool Co-ops: The Original Alternative

Back in the 1980s and 90s, when homeschooling was gaining traction, families started forming homeschool cooperatives.

These are exactly what they sound like: families cooperating to share in educating their kids. Co-ops often meet at a church, community center, or even a park. They might gather once a month, once a week, or somewhere in between.

The key feature? Parents are involved.

• You don’t just drop your kids off—you’re expected to contribute.

• Maybe you teach a science class, watch the nursery, or clean up the building while another parent teaches history.

Because parents share the load, co-ops are usually very affordable. Most are run as nonprofits and remain a popular choice for homeschooling families today.

University-Model and Hybrid Schools

Fast-forward to the early 2000s, when a network called the National Association of University-Model Schools popularized what we now call hybrid schools.

Here’s how they work:

• Students attend classes part-time (for example, Mondays and Wednesdays).

• The rest of their learning happens at home, guided by parents.

It’s called “university model” because it mirrors the way colleges structure classes: some time on campus, the rest done independently.

This model works especially well for high schoolers. They gain independence, take specialized classes, and prepare for college while still having flexibility. Many of these schools have roots in the classical education tradition.

Hybrid Schools (Beyond the Network)

When I co-founded a hybrid school in 2017, we intentionally chose the word “hybrid.” At that time, a handful of other programs were using it too. For us, hybrid meant a mix of school and homeschooling.

Students came to class part-time, and the rest of the learning happened at home with parents—not online.

Then came the pandemic. Suddenly, “hybrid learning” meant something else entirely: kids on Zoom part of the week and in the classroom the rest. That hijacked the term for a while, but in the alternative education world, “hybrid” still means part-time school, part-time homeschool.

Learning Pods and Microschools

During the pandemic, families experimented with learning pods—small groups of kids learning together, often led by a parent or teacher.

Out of that grew the concept of microschools. Think of these as tiny private schools, usually run by a teacher or entrepreneur.

• Often serve 6–12 students.

• May combine multiple ages in one class.

• Can be hosted in a home, church, or small rented space.

• Sometimes full-time, sometimes hybrid.

Microschools give teachers the freedom to teach their way, while families get a small, personalized learning environment.

That said, because they’re small and often full-time, tuition tends to be higher. A teacher has to make a living, and the cost gets divided among fewer families.

Some networks—like Prenda and KaiPod—have sprung up recently to support microschool founders with resources and structure.

So What’s the Difference?

• Co-op → Parent-led, affordable, cooperative model.

• Hybrid school → Structured part-time school, part-time homeschool. Looks and feels like a school community.

• University-Model School → A specific network of hybrid schools, often classical.

• Learning pod → Small, informal groups (popular during the pandemic).

• Microschool → Small private school (under ~20 kids), usually teacher-led, sometimes full-time.

Why Hybrid Schools Hit the Sweet Spot

Each model has its strengths. But here’s why I personally love hybrid schools:

• They feel like a “real school” community with classrooms, grades, and teachers.

• They’re affordable—often a third of the cost of private school (around $3,000 per year, compared to $10,000+ for private).

• They’re accessible for families who find homeschooling overwhelming but can’t afford full-time private school.

Hybrid schools provide structure, community, and quality education without the price tag of traditional private schools. They’re filling a growing need for families caught between homeschooling and expensive private options.

Final Thoughts

The vocabulary is still evolving, and not everyone uses the terms the same way. But as alternative education continues to grow, it helps to have some shared language.

• Co-ops → cooperative and parent-driven, students are homeschooled

• Hybrids → structured, part-time schools that may or may not be legal schools

• Microschools → very small, often teacher-run schools. May or may not be legal schools

Each has a role to play—and all of them are expanding the options families have for education.