Who We Are

Rethinking Education is a one-of-a-kind conference that challenges families to think way outside the box while supporting and nurturing unschooling & self-education options for children and teens - even parents and other adults!

Our conference creates a weekend rich with alternative thinking on education, parenting and living life. Critical discussions and practical applications abound, as families from all across the country gather to share their rich and diverse lives, troubles, successes and failures with one another.

Attendance

Entire families most commonly attend, as activities and sessions are planned for all age groups all weekend. When the entire family cannot attend, parents will attend alone or with friends. The conference typically has 350 adults in attendance, 250 children and 150 teens. Alternative education teachers, principals and other professionals also attend.

Conference History

Now in our 12th year of producing the national Rethinking Education conference, our attendees are well educated and discriminating, interested in a variety of high quality, creative, hands-on & self-directed educational materials. They expect quality, creativity and value from their educational materials and services.

Demographics

Here is some of what we know about our audience:
A typical unschooling family consists of 2 - 4 children, ages four to eighteen; Ages 4-6 make up 31%, Ages 7-9: 21%, Ages 10-12: 29% and Ages 13-18 account for 17%.

Typical annual household income is between $45,000-$75,000. Parents are well educated, with many holding postgraduate degrees and/or doctorates.

The average family spends $1500 annually on educational materials.

Many unschooled teens are preparing to enter college and will succeed.

Virtually 100% of Rethinking Education families use computers as an important learning tool. Over 99% have internet accounts.

The Rethinking Education community is not unschooling for religious reasons. They hold a wide range of religious, spiritual and secular beliefs.