Why Personalized Education Hasn’t Happened and How Outschool Aims to Fix It with Amir Nathoo & Justin Dent

Send us Fan MailAmir Nathoo is CEO of Outschool, a marketplace for live online classes for K-12 learners, and an advocate for expanding education access.  Previously, he led product development at Square and co-founded Trigger.io, a platform for creating native mobile apps. Amir holds an MEng in Electrical and Information Sciences from The University of Cambridge and lives in San Francisco with his wife and two children.Justin Dent is the founding Executive Director of Outschool.org. Justin was previously the Founder and Executive Director of Ethos, a nonprofit that provided career education to 18,000 low-income, first generation, or minority students annually. An active voice in the dialogue around education equity, Justin's writing has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and he's appeared on Fox Business, CNBC and Cheddar.💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:Why personalized learning remains elusive in traditional education systemsThe overlooked frictions families face when given more choiceHow Outschool uses a marketplace model to serve diverse learner needsThe role of community and trust in enabling educational autonomyHow AI and tech can simplify decision-making for families✨ Episode Highlights:[00:03:00] Amir explains how traditional education systems block personalization[00:06:00] Justin breaks down the real friction points for low-income families[00:11:00] How Outschool’s variety increases motivation and access[00:16:00] Why free resources don’t always lead to usage[00:23:00] Community-driven guidance as a key to family engagement[00:28:00] Outschool’s approach to neurodivergent learners[00:34:00] Systemic flaws in standardization and learning lanes[00:41:00] ESAs and why trusting families is essential[00:45:00] Preventing marketing dollars from skewing family choices[00:49:00] How AI can help families navigate education options😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! Follow our Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicSign up for the Edtech Insiders newsletter.Follow Edtech Insiders on LinkedIn!🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:Innovation in preK to gray learning is powered by exceptional people. For over 15 years, EdTech companies of all sizes and stages have trusted HireEducation to find the talent that drives impact. When specific skills and experiences are mission-critical, HireEducation is a partner that delivers. Offering permanent, fractional, and executive recruitment, HireEducation knows the go-to-market talent you need. Learn more at HireEdu.com. This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Cooley LLP. Cooley is the go-to law firm for education and edtech innovators, offering industry-informed counsel across the 'pre-K to gray' spectrum. With a multidisciplinary approach and a powerful edtech ecosystem, Cooley helps shape the future of education. Tuck Advisors was founded by entrepreneurs who built and sold their own companies, frustrated by other m and a firms, they created the one they wished they could have hired but couldn't find. One who understands what matters to founders and whose North Star KPI is the percentage of deals closed. If you're thinking of selling your ed tech company or buying one contact Tuck advisors now. Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.