A New Wave of School Innovation – The Promise and Perils of Being A New School Entrepreneur

Recorded live at the 2026 ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, this session featured Amar Kumar, CEO at KaiPod Learning; Allison Serafin, Vice President at Building Hope Impact Fund; Kelly Smith, Founder/CEO at Prenda; Robin Winder, Chief Academic Officer at FlexPoint and Florida Virtual School; Caroline Allen, Chief Program Officer at Center for Education Reform; and Kerry McDonald, Author of Joyful Learning.The fastest-growing schools in America no longer looked like the schools of the past. Microschools, virtual schools, hybrid programs, homeschools, and other new models had moved from niche to mainstream as families demanded personalization, flexibility, and specialization—and as districts sought new ways to meet students’ needs. Educators were increasingly stepping into entrepreneurship and leveraging technology to expand access for their students.This session examined both the promise and the operational realities of building and scaling schools today. Speakers explored the policy and structural challenges leaders must navigate, including zoning codes, accreditation rules, evolving state policies, complex ESA payment systems, and tight capital markets. The conversation got real about the friction leaders face while spotlighting the conditions that allow innovation to flourish.As the next generation of schools is being built in real time, this session highlighted the leaders shaping what makes that growth possible and explored what it takes for new school entrepreneurs to successfully launch, sustain, and scale transformative education models.