Core Program

Our Core Program is on hiatus during the 2023-2024 school year. Please contact us if you are looking for self-directed program options in the area. We would be happy to refer you to other programs that are running independently of Sky Bear in the community.

Sky Bear’s Core Program runs Monday to Thursday from early September to mid June.

Doors open at 9:00 am and we wrap up the day by 2:30 pm.

Families have the option of enrolling for two, three, or four-days per week, Monday through Thursday. We may consider enrollment for one day per week on a case-by-case basis.

Here’s an example of what a week at Sky Bear might look like and some offerings we’ve made in the past.

We are not a typical homeschool program. Sky Bear ALC is a learning center committed to trusting children to direct their own education. It is a place where learning happens intentionally, creatively, collaboratively, spontaneously, and without bounds.

We are a good fit for families who:

  • Are aligned with self-directed education and wish to unschool fully

  • Are currently unschooling/following a self-directed education model at home but would like their child to do so in community 2-4 days/week

  • Wish to do a hybrid of curriculum-based homeschooling, OCEAN, OPHC, or Pi AND be in a self-directed education community 2-4 days/week

    We may be able to offer half-day sessions and pick up from OCEAN for families who wish to do a hybrid with OCEAN.

We are NOT a good fit for families who:

  • Expect Sky Bear ALC to provide a curriculum-based education for your child

  • Expect Sky Bear facilitators to tutor or help with “school work” or other curriculum you are following at home

  • Flexible Admission Schedule

    Currently accepting enrollment for the 2023-2024 school year. Spots may also be open for mid-year enrollment in the current year. Please contact us for information.

  • Rolling Enrollment

    Since each child’s experience is self-directed and emergent, you can enroll at any time during the school year as long as there is space. Program fees are prorated depending on time of enrollment.

  • Program Fees

    We offered tiered program fees based on an individual family’s financial circumstances. See below for our current fees.

  • Financial Assistance

    We strive to balance accessibility and operationally viable. If the published fees don’t work for your family, we invite you to apply for financial assistance for a Family Individualized Fee.

Monthly Program Fees

Offering a tiered program fee structure allows us to pursue our commitment to diversity, particularly economic, racial, and cultural diversity. We request every family to pay generously and equitably, according to their financial resources. Our fees are designed to maintain a low youth-to-facilitator ratio and meet all of our financial obligations, including paying facilitators an equitable wage.

The Actual tier represents the actual cost of operating our program and allows us to meet our budget when we have a minimum enrollment of seven full-time (four days/week) children. The Adjusted tier is for families who currently cannot pay at the Actual tier. We invite families who have the means to pay at the Access level to support access for all families who are committed to providing a liberated learning environment for their children.

In assessing what you are able to pay, please consider the following:

  • Your current income

  • Your desire and ability to support this new project

  • Your commitment to diversity and accessibility for all

  • Your place in the global economic context

  • Your access to wealth in your family

  • Your ability to raise funds from family and friends 

  • People counting on you as financial dependents 

  • Historical discrimination faced by your people/groups

If you would like to apply for financial assistance beyond the published Adjusted fee, use our confidential application platform by following this link and clicking on Start Application.

Program fees are based on a 10-month school year (pro-rated if enrolled after September 30th). Upon acceptance into Sky Bear ALC, families must pay a non-refundable, annual $250 Enrollment Fee and $200 Materials Fee (pro-rated if enrolled after January 1st) per enrolled person. Monthly payment plans are available.

Tiers 4 days 3 days 2 days
Actual $850 $680 $500
Adjusted $770 $600 $420
Access $1050 $880 $700

We have a six-step enrollment process.

  • Step 1: Research

    The first step in joining Sky Bear ALC is to research and learn about self-directed education and the ALC Educational Model. Visit our FAQ and Resources pages and explore articles, websites, podcasts, and books that have inspired our founding.

    Checkout the Sky Bear Facebook page and Instagram feed @skybear_alc to get an idea of the day-to-day action.

  • Step 2: Submit an Interest Form

    If some of the ideas presented on our website and resources sound exciting, fill out our Interest Form. Once we have received your Interest Form, a facilitator will reach out to you to schedule an introductory visit or you can attend one of our monthly Open Houses.

  • Step 3: Introductory Visit or Open House

    Once you’ve filled out the interest form, we’ll invite you to visit Sky Bear to meet one of our facilitators and tour the learning space. This can happen at a scheduled time or during an Open House. We can discuss your goals and answer any questions.

  • Step 4: Visiting Week

    If Sky Bear ALC feels like a good fit after your introductory visit, we’ll invite your child for a visiting week. A visiting week allows your child to experience what it is like to be here and helps us to make sure we’re a good fit. We recommend a two-day visiting period at minimum.

    Families are asked to pay a $50 fee for visiting week. A waiver can be requested by emailing Sky Bear.

    If you are looking at enrollment while we are on break, please contact us to make other arrangements.

  • Step 5: Enrollment Form

    At the conclusion of the visiting week, we will meet as a team to review the visiting week. We will then meet with all active parents/guardians in your family to do a final check on alignment and discuss what supports may be needed to integrate your family into our community.

    Next steps will be to submit your Enrollment Form and apply for financial aid if needed.

  • Step 6: Enrollment Review

    We will let you know our final enrollment decision and any information pertaining to financial aid. Upon acceptance into Sky Bear ALC, your child’s spot at Sky Bear will be secured once families pay a non-refundable, annual $250 Enrollment Fee and $200 Materials Fee.