What Happens When Educators Stop Being Silent: Lessons from i3 Academics

There’s a quote on the wall at i3 Academics that immediately caught my attention during this conversation, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” That quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. perfectly frames both this episode and the work Alexis and Rachel are doing as founders of i3 Academics in Orlando, Florida.

They are former public school educators who didn’t leave because they were ineffective or disengaged, they left because they could no longer accept a system that prioritized test preparation over actual learning, compliance over curiosity, and pacing guides over children.

This episode of Founder 2 Founder is about what happens when educators stop being silent and start building alternatives that center students, families, and real learning.

From Teaching the Test to Teaching the Child

Alexis shared that her breaking point came in fifth grade, a year dominated by testing. She was responsible for teaching reading to students who were already behind, yet she was not given the time or flexibility to address foundational gaps. Instead, the focus was on getting students through the test.

That experience is not unique, but what made it powerful was her clarity. She wasn’t frustrated because students couldn’t learn, she was frustrated because the system wouldn’t let her teach them the way she knew they needed.

Rachel echoed that sentiment, explaining that public education didn’t eliminate her desire to open a school, it accelerated it. Being inside the system made it clear how much more could be done if educators were trusted to respond to students rather than systems.

i3 Academics was born out of that realization.

Why Small Classrooms Matter More Than Small Groups

One of the most important distinctions made in this conversation was between small groups and small classrooms. Families are often told their child is receiving individualized support because they are pulled into small groups for part of the day, but that model still operates inside an overcrowded classroom.

At i3 Academics, the entire learning environment is intentionally small. That allows for consistent differentiation, real one on one instruction without isolating students, and integration rather than separation for students with IEPs.

Because students stay together in the classroom, learning becomes cohesive instead of fragmented. Gaps are addressed over time, not in short, disconnected interventions.

This is what it looks like when inclusion is not just a policy, but a practice.

Enrichment Is Not More Work

Another misconception this episode addressed directly is the idea that enrichment simply means giving students more work. At i3 Academics, enrichment means exposure, exploration, and creativity.

Students are encouraged to bring their interests into the classroom, whether that is writing plays, cooking, sewing, or researching questions that come from their own curiosity. These projects are not extras, they are integrated into reading, writing, math, science, and collaboration.

For many families, this is why they seek alternatives. Their children are not failing, they are disengaged, under challenged, or losing confidence in traditional environments that equate rigor with repetition.

What We Are Measuring Wrong in Education

When I asked what tells them we are measuring the wrong things in education, both founders answered with the same word, joy.

Joy shows up when children stop crying before school, when they are excited to attend class, when they take pride in their work rather than fixating on grades, and when they are able to work through conflict with peers instead of shutting down.

While academic measures matter, they do not tell the whole story. Parent feedback, student reflections, retention, and daily engagement offer insights that standardized assessments simply cannot capture.

If we are serious about preparing children for life, we have to be willing to look beyond narrow metrics.

The Barriers That Harm Students the Most

When asked what barriers they would remove first, the answers were deeply revealing.

One was lack of access, access to materials, experiences, exposure, and opportunities that expand how students see the world. The other was fear, fear of being wrong, fear of being labeled, fear of trying.

Years of high stakes testing have conditioned students to see mistakes as failure. At i3 Academics, students are taught that being wrong is part of learning. That mindset shift changes how children engage academically, socially, and emotionally.

It also changes who they believe they are capable of becoming.

A Message for Parents Exploring Alternatives

One of the most important messages for families considering a microschool or alternative model is this, your child is not missing out.

At i3 Academics, students receive rigorous academics, creative opportunities, outdoor time, social emotional learning, and standards based instruction. It may look different than traditional school, but different does not mean less.

Parents are partners, students are seen as whole people, and learning is treated as something that adapts to the child, not the other way around.

What We Need to Talk About More

As we closed the conversation, Alexis and Rachel shared what they believe is missing from national education conversations.

We are not talking enough about the fact that education does not look one way. We are not valuing life skills, trades, or multiple pathways to success. We are not having honest conversations about how to responsibly use tools like AI to support learning rather than avoid it altogether.

Most importantly, we are not listening enough to the educators and families who are closest to the work.

Final Reflection

i3 Academics exists because two educators chose courage over compliance.

This conversation is a reminder that meaningful change in education does not always start with sweeping policy reform. Sometimes it starts when educators refuse to be silent, when families demand better options, and when small learning environments are allowed to thrive.

Children deserve learning environments that see them, challenge them, and allow them to grow with confidence and joy.