Nice to see democratic type schools getting press.

No tests, no homework, no grades … no problem at unschools {.lead__headline}

Their “unschools” – including a third facility in Flemington, N.J. – are places where kids don’t take tests, teachers don’t take attendance, homework is optional and rare, and diplomas aren’t handed out at the end. The co-op offers classes three days a week – students have off on Wednesdays and take field trips on Fridays  – and the teacher is sometimes another student, or a volunteer expert from the community.

Learning cooperatives like BLC emerged from the home-schooling movement as a place where homeschooled kids could take a few specialized classes with others. In Pennsylvania homeschoolers must submit a plan with required subjects to the local superintendent and be reviewed annually by a certified teacher. In New Jersey, there is even less governance, requiring only that homeschoolers inform the local school board they are learning at home.

Hammon said the concept appeals to a range of students. “There are just a lot of kids that aren’t thrilled with school,” he said. “They’re super bright but…they don’t want the social part and they don’t want to sit still. Or they’re into something, whether it’s theater, music, whatever, or they have a chronic medical condition.” He also said a high percentage of students dealt with anxiety problems in bigger public schools.

Still, attracting students to an “unschool” has not been easy. The nonprofit Langhorne program, for example, is only at about half of its 30-student capacity. Tuition for the nonprofit program is set at $13,000 a year, but the school offers needs-based reductions for families who can’t afford to pay the full amount. Students can attend from ages 12 to 18 or 19.