Pat and Chandra Montgomery on Clonlara

What was it like to start an alternative school—especially one that supports “homeschoolers”, a hitherto unknown term—back in the sixties and seventies? Pat Montgomery did just that. She fought the hard fights, secured protections for home educators and self-directed learners, and even sued the Michigan State Board of Education. The school she founded, Clonlara (clonlara.org), now supports families across the United States and in 50 other countries, as well as on their physical K-12 campus in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I speak with Pat and her daughter, Chandra Montgomery Nicol (Clonlara’s executive director), about the past, present, and future of Clonlara, especially as they expand into countries where homeschooling is illegal, such as Germany. For the full story of Clonlara's founding, don't miss Pat’s 2017 memoir, The School That’s Inside You.