146. Understanding Your Options for Educational Settings with Carlos Melendez

As parents, we want the best for our kids. When it comes to their education, there are so many options out there, it can feel overwhelming and sometimes impossible to find the best setting for them. What really are the differences between public, private, online, and homeschooling? What is an NPA? How can families find the resources they need to make these important decisions for their children?

Today I’m joined by Carlos Melendez from Schola, and he lays it all out for us in a way that is easy to understand. Schola has been helping match students with their perfect education setting, and today Carlos is here to explain the different options available so you know where to get started. And not only does he help you better understand your options, but he shares what other resources are available to help both families and schools in this process.

Listen in, and discover what educational setting might best suit your child’s needs.

Carlos is the Chief Marketing Officer at Schola, a software company that helps families find their perfect school or educational setting. He is an expert at creating effective marketing campaigns for schools in any market, which has helped his school partners increase their revenue by more than $100m in his 5 years at Schola. Carlos’ expertise includes integrated marketing communications and social media advertising. In addition, he has a law degree from Universidad Rafael Urdaneta and a Master's in Business from Thunderbird/ASU.

• [1:14] - About Schola
• [2:21] - Understanding your options and choosing what’s best for your kids
• [3:35] - Public schooling options
• [11:07] - NPA (Non-Public Agencies)
• [14:20] - Private schooling options
• [18:45] - Shift towards online schooling
• [20:26] - Dual enrollment programs
• [21:49] - Homeschooling options
• [25:15] - College prep models
• [28:04] - More resources for families and schools from Schola
• [36:00] - Turbo Time
• [45:28] - Carlos’s Magic Wand
• [47:46] - Maureen’s Takeaways

• Schola
• National Association of Independent Schools
• P-Tech
• Episode 73 with Stanley Litow from P-Tech
• Connect with Schola on Facebook and Instagram
• Follow Schola on TikTok
• The Membership Economy by Robbie Kellman Baxter

• Email Maureen

• Maureen’s TEDx: Changing My Mind to Change Our Schools

• The Education Evolution
• Facebook: Follow Education Evolution
• Twitter: Follow Education Evolution
• LinkedIn: Follow Education Evolution
• EdActive Collective
• Maureen’s book: Creating Micro-Schools for Colorful Mismatched Kids

• Micro-school feature on Good Morning America
• The Micro-School Coalition
• Facebook: The Micro-School Coalition
• LEADPrep