Jody Underwood, Ph.D.

Homeschooling Children with Learning Differences: A Better Fit

Green book cover with title Take Charge of Your Child's Education in white print.

We have a guest author this week. I hope you find the content as informative and compelling as I did. Also, check out her online offerings. Links are at the end of the article. Our Fair schedule for Claremont, Candia, and Keene is listed just after the article. Check them out. The Claremont Fair is … Read more

What are Microschools, Homeschool Coops, and Learn Everywhere?

Tweet by Carla Gericke discussing homeschooling and community building, featuring video clip of Jody Underwood

Most people I talk to don’t know what Microschools, Homeschool Coops, or Learn Everywhere are. Here are some definitions, along with short videos. You can find more details on our website, along with short descriptions and links here. Want more guidance or information? Contact EdOpt. Microschools Also called learning centers, learning clubs, learning coops, among … Read more

Claremont timeline, tick tock

Background has indoor education fair with tables and people milling about, with graphics overlaid with "Education Options Fair", "Claremont", and the location of the fair

EdOpt is hosting an Education Options Fair in Claremont, on October 6 from 5-7pm, because of the district’s financial crisis. The Claremont School District secured a payday loan for their $5M deficit, which will take them through March. At this point, no one knows what will happen after that. Now, more than ever, Claremont parents … Read more

Introducing the Claremont Fair!

Background has indoor education fair with tables and people milling about, with graphics overlaid with "Education Options Fair", "Claremont", and the location of the fair

We have scheduled a Claremont Fair, bringing us to three (3) fairs in October and November! Claremont and Pittsfield are both having budgetary problems, to say nothing about their academic performance. Our fairs help families meet with education providers in their areas (and with EdOpt!) to explore their actual options. Explore all your education options, … Read more

Introducing the Claremont Fair!

Background has indoor education fair with tables and people milling about, with graphics overlaid with "Education Options Fair", "Claremont", and the location of the fair

We have scheduled a Claremont Fair, bringing us to three (3) fairs in October and November! Claremont and Pittsfield are both having budgetary problems, to say nothing about their academic performance. Our fairs help families meet with education providers in their areas (and with EdOpt!) to explore their actual options. Explore all your education options, … Read more

2 new EdOpt Fairs scheduled!

Girl looking out the door of a bleak classroom into the sunny and green outdoors

We’re very excited that our next 2 EdOpt fairs have been scheduled. Explore all your education options, including private schools, micro schools, charter schools, learning centers, home education, and more! The first fair will be in the Candia/Pittsfield/Concord area. Monday October 27, 5-7:30pmCandia Congregational Church, 1 South Road, Candia NH If you’re an interested education … Read more

EdOpt Terms of Use

EdOpt life preserver logo

Recent claims have caused confusion about EdOpt’s work and mission, and especially its terms of use. As a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping families explore education alternatives in New Hampshire, we want to clarify the facts. EdOpt follows terms of use. EdOpt uses a variety of tools, including AI-supported web searches, to gather publicly available … Read more

Who moved my cheese?

A graphic of a rat in a maze looking for cheese

What’s going on in Claremont is a crisis. The administration did not do their jobs for years, including not giving enough information to the school board. Now the board is making some hard decisions. What makes it harder is that the people who spoke at the public hearings were not happy. These people want it … Read more

38 Charter Schools in New Hampshire

Screenshot of a map, categories, and charter schools in NH

I was surprised to learn that a lot of people don’t know what charter schools are. All charter schools in New Hampshire are public schools that operate independently of traditional school districts. They are tuition-free and open to all students, and managed by an independent board (not elected). These schools often have specialized curricula or … Read more

Claremont’s Near-Death Experience

light at the end of a tunnel

In 2012, U.S. Army Master Sergeant Cedric King woke up from a coma in Afghanistan to discover that his legs had been amputated. Today, 8 years later, Cedric says if given the chance, he’d do it all over again. You’ll hear his story of finding tremendous growth in tragedy by relinquishing control and expectations. In … Read more

New! EFA Providers on EdOpt

Screenshot of EdOpt map showing categories and EFA providers in NH.

You’ve probably seen the news that more than 10,000 New Hampshire students are enrolled in Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs) this year, hitting the cap. According to the way the law was written, that means next year the cap will go up to 12,500, a 25% increase. There are about 300 students on a waiting list. … Read more

How well is your school performing?

Chart showing NH state test scores from 2016 to 2023 for math and reading

This week, the New Hampshire Department of Education announced that schools are doing better academically! That’s fantastic. Or is it?   They reported that in 2023, 35 percent of 8th-graders tested proficient in math and 39 percent of 7th-graders tested proficient in math. This is in contrast to 45 percent proficiency in eighth-grade math and … Read more

How to choose your child’s school

Illustration of students surrounded by educational and technology symbols

I came across this article and want to share it with you. I wish I would have written it, but why duplicate work? It covers so many important points.   The approach is made up of five steps. Step 1: Investigate the school’s pedagogy. Through stories and clear explanations, they walk you through these types … Read more

What’s up with the ConVal decision?

Exterior view of the New Hampshire State House with gold dome under blue and cloudy skies. There are trees on both sides.

Someone asked me to explain the recent ConVal decision.  The Decision The Contoocook Valley School District (ConVal), along with 19 other school districts, sued the state. They argued that the base amount ($4,100) that the state pays in adequacy grants to local school districts is unconstitutional because it’s far below what’s needed to provide an adequate education. … Read more

Do EFAs actually save money?

Educational Freedom Accounts with New Hampshire map graphic overlaid on a classroom background

Do Education Freedom Accounts save money? I’ve recently had questions from quite a few people about how Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs) work. During the conversations, they often mention that “the money follows the child” and “EFAs are saving money”. EFAs are one of many solutions for families for whom the default district school isn’t working. … Read more