We offer two ways to join our community—on campus or online. Choose your program.
A campus-based experience where students spend their days together in a mixed-age community, shaping their schedules through play, projects, and shared governance.
The only fully virtual Sudbury school—accessible from anywhere in the world.
Students shape their learning, join online activities and interest groups, and meet regularly with staff mentors, with the flexibility to fit your family’s lifestyle.
Not only do our students get a great education — they’re happier and mentally healthier too
At The Open School, instead of curriculum, classes, and assignments, students learn through real life and by authentically helping to run the school.
Rather than forcing students to sit still all day and listen to the answers to questions they didn’t ask, we let them play, talk, go outside, create, and ask their own questions.
We let students make decisions because they’re preparing for an adulthood in which they’ll have to be independent and self-directed problem-solvers.Â
Small, mixed-age community
Students learn from older peers, mentor younger ones, and develop leadership naturally.
Safe and supportive environment
No bullying culture. Your child is seen and accepted for who they are.
Affordable private education
Indexed tuition and flexible payment plans available.
Future-ready skills
Learning through real-world projects, problem-solving, and self-motivation.
Come tour our campus and see what makes our school special. Meet students and staff at our next open house.
Meet our virtual staff and learn about our one-of-a-kind SDE program that your child can join from anywhere! Register for this informal chat by clicking the button below.
Let’s see if our school is a good fit for your family
One of our admissions coordinators will reach out to you soon and will happily answer any questions you have—whether it’s about our empowering educational model, the admissions process, tuition, or anything else you’d like to know.
We’re excited to connect with you!
The first school experience shapes how children see learning, themselves, and the world. You want a place where your child feels safe, respected, and free to grow—where curiosity leads the way.
We accept students from 5 years old and up. Learn more about the admission process >
Indoor and outdoor spaces designed for movement, creativity, and discovery.
No rigid schedules—just space to climb, create, play, and learn through hands-on experiences.
Every child is valued and respected, no matter their age.
Even the youngest students vote in school meetings, helping shape their community and learning that their ideas count.
Reading, math, and problem-solving emerge through stories, conversations, and real-world play—just like learning to walk and talk.
Our facilitators guide, empower, and listen, helping children develop independence while always being there when needed.
The Open School enrolls students year-round. Learn more about the admission process >
CONVENTIONAL SCHOOL
Bored or unchallenged?
Rigid curriculum forces all students to move at the same pace, whether they’re ready or not
Stressed, anxious, or losing interest in learning?
Pressure from grades, homework, and standardized tests creates anxiety and burnout
Feeling restricted by rigid schedules and tests?
Structured lessons leave little room for exploration, creativity, or independent thinking
Disconnected from real-world skills?
School focuses on memorization, leaving students unprepared for life beyond the classroom
Limited say in their own education?
Rules, curriculum, and schedules are dictated by adults
the open school
Engaged & self-motivated
Students follow their interests, making learning meaningful and exciting.
Low-stress, high-growth environment
No grades, no tests—just real learning driven by curiosity
Learning by doing
Students make decisions, solve problems, and develop critical thinking skills every day
Freedom to learn naturally
Students design their own days, balancing play, work, and real-world experiences
A voice in their school
Students vote on rules, policies, and community decisions
You want your child to have more independence and a social community.
You don’t want to be both the teacher and the parent anymore.
At The Open School, your child will:
no rigid curriculum, just real interests.
and self-motivation—without you managing every step.
that supports and challenges them.
The first school experience shapes how children see learning, themselves, and the world. You want a place where your child feels safe, respected, and free to grow—where curiosity leads the way.
Indoor and outdoor spaces designed for movement, creativity, and discovery.
No rigid schedules—just space to climb, create, play, and learn through hands-on experiences.
Every child is valued and respected, no matter their age.
Even the youngest students vote in school meetings, helping shape their community and learning that their ideas count.
Reading, math, and problem-solving emerge through stories, conversations, and real-world play—just like learning to walk and talk.
Our facilitators guide, empower, and listen, helping children develop independence while always being there when needed.
We accept students from 5 years old and up. Learn more about the admission process >
CONVENTIONAL SCHOOL
Bored or unchallenged?
Rigid curriculum forces all students to move at the same pace, whether they’re ready or not
Stressed, anxious, or losing interest in learning?
Pressure from grades, homework, and standardized tests creates anxiety and burnout
Feeling restricted by rigid schedules and tests?
Structured lessons leave little room for exploration, creativity, or independent thinking
Disconnected from real-world skills?
School focuses on memorization, leaving students unprepared for life beyond the classroom
Limited say in their own education?
Rules, curriculum, and schedules are dictated by adults
the open school
Engaged & self-motivated
Students follow their interests, making learning meaningful and exciting.
Low-stress, high-growth environment
No grades, no tests—just real learning driven by curiosity
Learning by doing
Students make decisions, solve problems, and develop critical thinking skills every day
Â
Freedom to learn naturally
Students design their own days, balancing play, work, and real-world experiences
Â
A voice in their school
Students vote on rules, policies, and community decisions
The Open School enrolls students year-round. Learn more about the admission process >
You want your child to have more independence and a social community.
You don’t want to be both the teacher and the parent anymore.
At The Open School, your child will:
no rigid curriculum, just real interests.
and self-motivation—without you managing every step.
that supports and challenges them.
At The Open School, learning isn’t limited to textbooks or classrooms. Students explore their interests through hands-on experiences, real-world projects, and a thriving school community.
Organize an event, build something, or launch a passion project.
Go on student-led field trips, hikes, and nature explorations.
Paint, write stories, make films, or play music.
Discuss real-world topics, solve problems, and develop leadership skills.
Learn coding, engineering, or science through self-initiated projects.
Mixed-age groups encourage mentorship, teamwork, and social confidence.
At The Open School, adults are more than supervisors—they are caring, engaged members of the community who truly get to know each child. Staff spend their days building relationships, learning what lights each student up, and offering support, empowerment, and curiosity. They don’t impose authority, but instead model respect, responsibility, and the joy of pursuing one’s own passions. Their role is to protect each child’s autonomy, ensure a safe and free space, and walk alongside students with genuine care and interest.
At The Open School, you’re not just enrolling your child—you’re joining a supportive network of families who value self-directed education.
Parent meetups, discussion groups, and social events.
Access resources, book clubs, and workshops on self-directed learning.
Parents don’t make school decisions—students do. But you’ll have a strong community to navigate this journey with.
Connect with families who share your values of freedom, respect, and trust in children.
We are thrilled to share an exciting milestone: The Open School has just purchased the perfect property to become our permanent home!
Situated on a spacious lot along Grand Avenue in Santa Ana, this central location is brimming with potential to grow into a vibrant hub for our students, families, and community. We are now working with the city, our contractors, and most importantly, our community to make this space our perfect school.
Outdoor space
Expansive outdoor areas where children can run, explore, and connect with nature, including a playground, swingset, sandbox, and garden.
Indoor Space
Three unique buildings: two residential spaces, each with a kitchen for culinary learning, and a standalone workshop ready to inspire creativity.
Location
A prime central location in Orange County, with easy access to the 22 and 55 freeways and within walking distance of charming cafes and restaurants for our students to explore.
Hi, I’m Cassi Clausen, the founder of The Open School.
If you’re here, there’s a good chance you’re searching for something more for your child. You want something that honors their individuality, supports their curiosity, and helps them grow into a confident, capable, and self-directed adult. That’s exactly why I started The Open School.
As a parent and educator, I know how important it is to find a place where your child can thrive; not just academically, but as a whole person. At The Open School, we trust children. We see and accept them for who they are. We believe in their ability to make decisions, solve problems, and pursue their own learning. Our students are doing more than preparing for the “real world.” They’re already living in it, right now, in a school community where their voice matters.Â
Choosing a radically different path can feel scary, but you don’t have to do it alone. We’re here to support your family every step of the way. If your gut is telling you your child needs something different, I invite you to reach out, come visit, and see what’s possible.
Cassi Clausen
cassi@openschooloc.com
We believe every family deserves access to great education
We use an indexed tuition model to individualize tuition based on each family’s unique circumstances.
Spread out tuition costs over time.
How does a college evaluate a student without GPA, class rankings, or transcripts? The truth is that colleges seem to love students from these types of schools because they are so unique. Typically a student will submit a portfolio of work from their adolescent years in lieu of a transcript.
However, at The Open School, we don’t think of college as the only possible path. Instead, we hope that students will follow their passions, whether that means going to college, starting a business, participating in an internship, making art, traveling the world, or something else.
Many students will find that they need to attend college in order to meet their goals. Once they identify this need, they will work toward that goal with the same enthusiasm they have for any other passion. Sudbury Valley School, which has been in operation for almost 50 years, and on which The Open School is modeled, has a rate of about 80% college attendance, much higher than the national average. Furthermore, all Sudbury Valley graduates who wanted to go to college have been admitted, and usually to their top choice school.
Our students are exposed to much more than they would be in a conventional classroom. Their learning is driven by curiosity instead of by a fixed curriculum. There is no way to predict which direction or how deep their curiosity will take them. Perhaps a student sees someone knitting and decides to learn to knit; or they watch a baseball game and want to learn more about baseball statistics; or they decide to build a fort and realize they need to know how to measure and cut wood.
Because we live in a close community, our knowledge and interests are viral. One day, a student watches a YouTube video about cooking, then decides to cook something; other students see her working in the kitchen, and now they want to cook too. Elsewhere, two students decide to play a game of Magic; soon several more students have crowded around and want to play too. Meanwhile, a staff brings his guitar to school to entertain some students; now the students want to learn to play the guitar.
Every day is different at The Open School. Some days, a student might be laser-focused on a project. Other days, that same student might engage twenty different activities. It all depends on what he or she is interested in. You can see snapshots of a couple of days at The Open School in the articles War and Peace and Where Everyone is Brilliant.
The Open School has no religious affiliation.
Admissions Inquiry
The first step in applying to The Open School is submitting an Admissions Inquiry. Once you’ve submitted it, we’ll get in touch with you to provide some information and set up a tour.
Tour
Ideally, all parents and/or guardians (even non-custodial) should attend a tour if possible, whether together or in separate visits.Â
Admissions Interview
This is an opportunity for the school and family to really get to know each other and determine if it will be a good fit for your family.
Enrollment
If we both agree to move forward with enrollment, you will be asked to fill out and the necessary documents and make the initial downpayment.
A K-12 Self-Directed Democratic School Where Learning is Real, Meaningful, and Student-Led
