Feb 24, 2026

What does it take to build the first private online school in the United States—before most families even had internet access?

In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald talks with Alyssa Tormala, Head of School at Laurel Springs School, to explore the school’s remarkable evolution from a small...

Feb 17, 2026

In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald talks with virtual learning pioneer Julie Young, author of Virtual Schools, Actual Learning: Digital Education in America, published by the Pioneer Institute. Julie shares the inside story of launching Florida Virtual School in the 1990s, building one of the first and most...

Feb 13, 2026

Ohio has long been at the forefront of the school choice movement—and today tens of thousands of students participate in one of the state’s five scholarship programs.

In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald talks with Rabbi Eric "Yitz" Frank, President of School Choice Ohio, and Ann Riddle, Director of Provider...

Feb 10, 2026

What does it look like to build a school around student voice, joyful learning, and real affordability?

In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald speaks with Elizabeth Dean, Head of Learning at The Village School, a learner-centered school in Arlington, Virginia serving about 70 students. Elizabeth shares her journey...

Feb 3, 2026

In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald speaks with Kalecia Simmons, founder of The Black Homeschools, about how one parent’s search for support grew into a thriving homeschooling community serving more than 1,100 Black families across the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) area—and beyond.

Kalecia shares her...