If you’ve ever felt that traditional schools weren’t designed for your child’s unique way of learning, you’re not imagining it. Most educational models were built around averages—and that leaves many students feeling like square pegs forced into round holes. A new partnership is proving that hands-on, career-connected learning can thrive in environments designed around individual student needs.
PLTW Joins Forces with Indiana Microschool Collaborative
Project Lead The Way (PLTW), a nearly 30-year leader in hands-on STEM education, has announced a partnership with the Indiana Microschool Collaborative (IMC) to bring career-connected learning to microschools across Indiana. The collaboration launched with piloted elementary and middle school learning units, with plans to expand to high school curriculum.
The partnership reflects PLTW’s commitment to meeting students where learning is happening—whether in traditional schools or emerging models like microschools. “This partnership brings real-world relevance to the microschool environment, providing students with the transferable skills and confidence they need to flourish in school, work, and life,” said PLTW President and CEO Dr. David Dimmett.
A new partnership brings career-connected STEM to microschools—proving hands-on learning doesn't require traditional school structures. Here's what this means for families.
What Makes Microschools Different
Microschools are small learning environments that typically serve a limited number of students and emphasize personalization and strong relationships. Rather than one-size-fits-all instruction, these flexible settings allow educators to tailor learning to individual student needs while creating a strong sense of belonging.
The IMC was founded by George Philhower, superintendent of Eastern Hancock Schools, whose district has been nationally recognized for launching a charter microschool model. “We have big plans to create learning spaces where kids feel like their school was designed just for them—because it was,” Philhower said. This partnership aims to bring that ambition to life through proven, hands-on curriculum.
Quote: Our commitment to meeting students where they are remains steadfast as the world of education evolves. This partnership brings real-world relevance to the microschool environment, providing students with the transferable skills and confidence they need to flourish in school, work, and life. Attribution: Dr. David Dimmett, President and CEO, Project Lead The Way
Laura Lurns · Learning Success expert
Building Skills That Transfer
The PLTW curriculum developed for microschools covers core content areas including math, science, ELA, and social studies while building transferable skills like critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. These are exactly the skills research shows employers increasingly value—and that prepare students for success beyond any single test or grade level.
PLTW’s national network includes more than 116,000 trained teachers in 12,200+ schools across all 50 states. By extending this proven approach to microschool environments, the partnership demonstrates that high-quality, hands-on education doesn’t require traditional school structures.
Key takeaways
- New Partnership Launches: Project Lead The Way partners with Indiana Microschool Collaborative to bring hands-on STEM to flexible learning environments.
- Personalized Learning Model: Microschools allow educators to tailor instruction to individual student needs while building career-ready skills.
- Expansion Ahead: Elementary and middle school units are piloted, with plans to extend to high school curriculum nationwide.
What This Means for Families
This partnership represents a growing recognition that learning models must evolve to serve diverse student needs. As microschools and other flexible learning environments gain traction, families are gaining more options—without sacrificing academic rigor.
The expansion to high school curriculum planned for the future means students can potentially continue building career-connected skills from elementary through graduation. For parents exploring alternatives to traditional schooling, this development signals that innovative options are becoming more widely available.
Quote: At IMC, we have big plans to create learning spaces where kids feel like their school was designed just for them—because it was, and we believe this partnership will help us bring that ambition to life. Attribution: George Philhower, Founder, Indiana Microschool Collaborative
Laura Lurns · Learning Success expert
Every child deserves a learning environment that recognizes their potential rather than forcing them into predetermined boxes. The system that labels rather than develops has kept many families feeling powerless—but partnerships like this one prove that innovation in education is accelerating, and parents have more choices than ever.
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