One of the earliest Acton Academies! Dani Foltz-Smith on her path from Acton parent to founder

More than a decade ago, Dani Foltz-Smith sent her two girls to a new school that had recently opened in Austin, Texas. It was the flagship Acton Academy, launched in 2009 by Jeff and Laura Sandefer to prioritize learner-driven education and enable each child to pursue his or her own "hero's journey." Dani's family adored their Acton experience so much that when they needed to move back to Los Angeles, Dani became the 3rd ever Acton Academy campus, after Austin and Guatemala, opening Acton Academy Venice Beach in 2013.  Today, there are more than 300 Acton Academy microschools serving thousands of learners.  Read more about Dani's school and the greater ecosystem of decentralized education options in the Los Angeles area: In Los Angeles, A Tiny School Lets Young People Direct Their Own Education (The 74) *** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at fee.org/liberated.