Frequently Asked Questions
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What is a Microschool?
A microschool is an independent learning institution.
Microschools are the result of rethinking the traditional educational model to better prepare children for the future. They offer students a personalized education and cater to a child’s unique needs and capabilities. Often described as "outsourced homeschooling," they are free from the bureaucracy, standardized tests, and mandatory curriculum that defines today's public school system. Because they are so small, usually between 10-50 students total, children receive far more individualized attention than they would receive in a traditional school.
What is a "Flexible Learning Program?"
A flexible learning program blends structured academic support with the freedom to learn in a way that fits your child’s pace and your family’s rhythm.
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At Nature’s Schoolhouse, this means students work through a blended curriculum that combines self-paced online learning with hands-on instruction, real-world projects, and enrichment activities — all guided by experienced educators who help set daily goals, offer one-on-one support, and make time for outdoor play and creative exploration.
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Because the curriculum is accessible anywhere, learners can continue their progress at home, on vacation, or during breaks — all while staying connected to a supportive community. It's the best of both worlds: the structure and accountability of school with the freedom and flexibility of homeschooling.
What grades does Nature's Schoolhouse serve?
We currently enroll students in grades PK-6
Are the students grouped together by age?
At Nature's Schoolhouse, we embrace a bit of a "one-room schoolhouse" style, where all of our students play and learn together in a dynamic, mixed-age environment. During core academics, we do break students up into smaller cohorts, based on age, where students can focus on age-appropriate activities and lessons in smaller groups. This approach fosters a sense of community, encourages peer learning, and allows for individualized attention within our learning space.
What curriculum do you use?
We use flexible online curriculum resources to support personalized learning. Our curriculum resources are self-paced, standards-aligned, and accessible anytime, anywhere. We provide Chromebooks or tablets and guide students through their lessons during school hours. Our experienced educators offer support, tutoring, and progress tracking to ensure learners stay on pace.
How much screen time do learners have each day?
Technology is one of many tools we use to support learning, but we work hard to keep it balanced with plenty of hands-on work, movement, enrichment activities, and outdoor time. Learners use school-provided devices as they work through their personalized online curriculum—always with educator support and purpose.
As learners progress through our program, screen time gradually increases to match academic needs. Pre-K students typically use tablets for about 20–30 minutes a day, while our oldest students may spend up to 2 hours on Chromebooks, broken into shorter chunks with breaks in between.
Are you affiliated with any religion?
No, we are a secular institution and do not align with any religion. While we are located inside a Methodist Church, our program is designed to be inclusive and respectful of all backgrounds and beliefs.
Do you go on any field trips?
Yes! We organize optional outings throughout the year, such as nature hikes, museum visits, seasonal celebrations, and more. These field trips typically take place in the afternoons or on off days (Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays), allowing families to participate without missing class time.
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Parents are required to accompany their child on field trips. It’s a great way to share in the learning, build community, and make memories together!
Some examples of field trips we've taken in the past are:
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Hill Country Community Ministries Food Pantry
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Cedar Park Library
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Gary Park
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Cordovan Art School
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Inner Space Caverns
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Sweet Eats Fruit Farm
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The Thinkery Children's Museum
Do parents have to be involved in the day-to-day learning?
Not during school hours! Our program is a drop-off model, meaning students are guided and supported by experienced educators while they’re with us. We handle the core academics during our structured morning sessions, so parents are not expected to teach or assist during the school day.
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At home, parents can choose how much they want to be involved. Some families use afternoons for supplemental learning, field trips, deep dives, or creative projects, while others take a more relaxed approach. You’ll have full access to your child’s curriculum and progress, but how you use that time is completely up to you.
Does my child have to attend every day of the week?
Nope! Families can choose the schedule that works best for them. We offer:
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Full-Time Flexible Learning Program (Monday–Thursday, 9 AM–2 PM):
A comprehensive, year-round program blending academic support, hands-on enrichment, and outdoor play. Students follow a flexible, blended curriculum with in-person guidance and plenty of time for exploration and connection. Extended hours available on Mondays until 3:30 PM. -
Discovery Days (Mondays, 9 AM–3:30 PM):
A full-day enrichment program open to the community. Learners dive into nature, science, art, cooking, and life skills through hands-on, outdoor-based experiences.
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Our Flexible Learning Program runs Tuesday through Thursday from 9 AM to 2 PM. While regular attendance is encouraged for consistency, relationship-building, and academic progress, we do not mandate attendance. One of the benefits of our model is the freedom it offers—students can take sick days, mental health days, or even spontaneous days off to rest, recharge, or travel. Because our curriculum is accessible online anytime, students can continue learning at their own pace from home or on the road.
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We trust families to know what their learners need—and we support taking time when it feels right.
How do you handle students with special needs?
We strive to support a diverse range of learners within the scope of our program. We partner with Tree of Life ABA to offer in-house ABA services and behavioral tracking aides for students who may need extra support. These services are billed separately, and some costs may be covered by insurance.
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That said, due to the structure of our program, all students must be capable of working independently and respectfully in a small-group setting. Our learning model requires a high degree of autonomy, and we are not equipped to support students with significant cognitive disabilities, severe learning challenges, or emotional/behavioral issues that result in frequent disruptions or outbursts.
How do you verify that the education is meeting certain standards?
We use trusted, standards-aligned online curriculum platforms, which are designed to meet or exceed national academic benchmarks. These platforms track student progress, provide built-in assessments, and allow us to monitor learning in real time.
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Our experienced educators guide students through their coursework, ensure they stay on pace, and offer support or enrichment where needed. Because the curriculum is transparent and parent-accessible, families can see exactly what their child is learning at any time.
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We also provide regular feedback to ensure that each learner is growing academically, developing key skills, and staying on track with their educational goals.
Does Nature's Schoolhouse participate in statewide standardized testing?
No. Like homeschooling and private schools, we are not required to participate in standardized testing. We can, however, arrange for your child to take the California Achievement Test (CAT), if you would like.
How do we make sure we have the right documentation if we decide to transition our kids back to a public school after a year or two?
Because we use structured, standards-aligned online curriculum platforms, your child’s academic records are automatically tracked and stored digitally. These platforms generate detailed progress reports, grades, and completion certificates that can be shared with your local public school if/when you decide to re-enroll.
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In addition, our team can provide supplemental documentation such as attendance records and educator notes to support a smooth transition. We recommend families keep a personal portfolio of student work, projects, or progress snapshots as well—just to make the transition even easier.
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Our goal is to make sure your child stays on track academically, so they’re ready to move forward with confidence—whether continuing in homeschooling, returning to public school, or pursuing another educational path.
How much does it cost?
Please refer to our Tuition Rates for the most updated information on cost of attendance.
Do you accept ESA (Education Savings Account) funds or Texas school vouchers?
Not at this time. Texas passed Senate Bill 2 in May 2025, creating an Education Savings Account (ESA) program set to launch for the 2026–2027 school year. However, no official guidance has been released yet about how programs like ours can become approved providers.
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We want to be clear:
We will never compromise our mission or learner-centered approach to meet state requirements that don’t align with our values. That means we will not implement standardized testing or follow policies we believe are not in the best interest of our learners, even if it means we cannot accept ESA funds directly. If the final guidelines allow programs like ours to participate without compromising our vision, we’ll gladly apply to become an approved provider.
Homeschool Families:
The new ESA law also includes funding for eligible homeschooling families. These funds, estimated at around $2,000 per student per year, can be used for approved educational expenses such as curriculum, classes, tutoring, and enrichment programs. If we are not eligible as a direct ESA provider, homeschool families may still be able to use their ESA funds to help cover tuition with us, depending on how the state defines eligible expenses.
Need Tuition Support?
Families looking for tuition assistance can apply for financial aid through our nonprofit partner, the Community Learning Foundation. Learn more and apply here: www.naturesschoolhouse.com/financialaid
We’ll continue monitoring updates closely and will share more information as soon as it’s available. Please check back in spring 2026 for our official status and updated guidance on how families can use ESA funds toward our program.