The success of a microschool depends heavily on the people leading learning every day. Educators in microschools take on a wide range of responsibilities. For example, they design learning experiences, build deep relationships with students and families, solve problems on the fly, and often lead school operations as well. Because of this environment’s unique demands and opportunities, professional learning must be intentional, embedded, and aligned with the school’s core values and instructional model.

Launching a new microschool also presents an opportunity to approach professional learning in a different way. Instead of traditional top-down professional development, microschools can foster cultures of inquiry, reflection, and collaboration. By investing in educator development from the start—and sustaining it through clear routines, coaching structures, and community support—you can ensure your teams grow alongside the learners they serve. A robust professional learning system enables microschools to fulfill their promise of innovation, opportunity, and teacher empowerment.

Guiding Questions

• What knowledge, skills, and mindsets do educators need to thrive in your microschool?
• How will you onboard staff in a way that builds alignment to the vision, learning model, and culture?
• What ongoing structures will support professional growth (e.g., coaching, collaboration time, peer observation)?
• How will you model the kind of learning experiences you want educators to create for students?
• What role will educators play in shaping and refining the microschool’s design over time?
• How can professional learning reinforce learner-centered practices?

Action Steps

Launch with a clear learning plan. Design and deliver a robust onboarding experience that introduces educators to your microschool’s vision, instructional model, and community values.

Establish regular collaboration time. Protect time each week for team planning, reflection, and shared problem-solving.

Build a coaching structure. Identify who will provide instructional support, feedback, and mentorship—internally or through partnerships.

Model learner-centered practices. Use professional learning time to demonstrate the same principles of inquiry, agency, and reflection you want to see in the classroom.

Foster peer learning. Create opportunities for educators to observe one another, co-teach, and lead workshops that leverage their individual strengths.

Continuously align learning to your vision. Revisit your purpose and learning model regularly as a team to ensure that practice aligns with intent.

Tips and Examples

• Some school systems offer cross-school coaching support for new microschools through innovation or instructional leadership teams.
• A “microschool educator handbook” or onboarding guide can provide grounding and clarity without the need for more formal system structures.
• Consider peer-led professional learning days, where educators share strategies, tools, and learning, can build ownership and community.
• Many successful microschools start with a multi-day summer institute or retreat to align, build relationships, and co-develop systems before the school year begins.
• Look to local partners, such as higher education institutions, educational networks, and nonprofits like Learner-Centered Collaborative, Transcend, and the Getting Smart Collective, to provide additional coaching or content-specific training. 
• Explore resources such as learner-centered strategies and online courses that educators can access to personalize their own learning. 

Opportunity and Access

Smaller microschools often operate with leaner teams, which makes it especially important to invest in thoughtful, sustainable professional learning. This is particularly important in models that serve learners with a range of learning differences and needs or in models that offer a departure from conventional teaching and learning practices. Sustaining educator growth is crucial to maintaining a positive student experience. Microschools can offer educators unique opportunities to grow professionally through piloting new instructional approaches or taking on distributive leadership roles. System leaders can use microschools to develop new educator pathways. Clarify how your professional learning model aligns with district or system-wide evaluation and HR processes, and make sure teachers understand how their growth will be supported. If your microschool shares space or staff with another program, it is even more crucial to safeguard dedicated time for professional learning that reflects the unique goals, roles, and instructional vision of your microschool.