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Homeschooling is both hard and rewarding. Prisma families find their homeschooling journey becomes more sustainable, socially connected, and joyful with:
We hear again and again how Prisma is like a family.
The intentional matching of learners with their mentor coach and peer cohort leads to the formation of real relationships that give kids a sense of belonging and connection.
With dynamic, interactive workshops throughout the week, Prisma brings just the right amount of structure to your homeschool day while maintaining flexibility for your family.
From STEM Extravaganza to Prisma Parliament, learners also have a wide variety of extracurricular and leadership opportunities. And Prisma isn’t just for learners. Parents get together for interest-based Circles, Book Clubs, and frequent regional meet ups and parent-led trips.
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"Whether they're jumping on a Zoom call in between workshops or chatting with each other at night or getting together in person, our kids have these real, authentic relationships all over the U.S. and outside the U.S. If anything, we now have to balance the social schedule of Prisma with the social schedule of their entire life here in Colorado!"
Jenna W.
Prisma Parent
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From daylong regional meetups to milestone in-person parent-led events, this is Prisma in person! Families get together to build a strong community through fun adventures, some educational and others pure play!
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Parent-led partner experiences across service-learning, outdoors, arts, STEM and beyond! From five growth sparking days at Club Getaway to a week-long surf camp in California, this is where learners travel for big fun, on occasion together with 50+ learners!
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Get together online to build authentic relationships rooted in real connection with other Prisma parents. Circles range from Book Club to NeuroNest Strategies to Homeschool Coffee Club.
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Experts predict that 65% of today's elementary schoolers will grow up to do jobs that haven't been invented yet.
The world is changing, but school has mostly stayed the same. So we’ve redesigned school to equip your child with the skills to thrive in an ever-changing future.
At Prisma, real-world skills development and whole-person growth are prioritized alongside rigorous academics. And, while we aren't big on conventional testing, Prismarians, on average, grow 158% in Reading and 204% in Math each year (per NWEA MAP Growth assessment).
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“The first big surprise for me was the amazing team I would get to help me. I didn’t feel so alone when it came to supporting my kids’ academic education. Kristi is an amazing mentor to all of us. She has a special way of inspiring and supporting the kids.
Matilda’s biggest area of growth was writing. She went from writing a simple paragraph in the first cycle to choosing to write a book in the last cycle.
Henry’s biggest growth area has been getting comfortable with public speaking. When he started, he was too nervous to put his camera on. By Cycle 4, he was so excited to present he was literally dancing.”
-Jess F., Parent-coach Parent
"I like having a clear purpose for what I’m learning, instead of just being told Do this thing," says Aaron, Prisma 10th grader.
Some of Aaron’s favorite projects include the model of a green roof planter he made to earn his 9th grade Biology credit, and the poem he wrote about the challenges of the ballet industry and turned into an audio/visual video for his English credit.
“Instead of making videos or building models being what I do when I take a break from school, I did those things for my project. It’s really fun to be able to showcase the unique talents I have in a way that also gets me school credit.”
"Cora gets to really design her own learning path based on what interests her, and she works closely with her coach to make sure that she’s staying on track. She has so much autonomy, which has allowed her natural creativity to blossom into confident leadership and self-expression.
Knowing that we have a loving community and access to world-class education, no matter what timezone we happen to be in, has been a dream come true."
- Catilin D., Parent
Middle school cohorts are led by an expert Learning Coach who supports each learner individually, facilitates live workshops, and provides academic feedback.
Our project-based curriculum prepares learners for high school academics while building real-world skills like creativity and critical thinking. Each year covers 6 interdisciplinary themes, mapped to a comprehensive set of standards (drawn from best-in-class sources like NGSS, ISTE, Common Core, and CASEL).
Each theme, from Unsolved Mysteries to Cities of the Future, allows ample opportunity for kids to choose their own learning adventure. (Think learning about ecosystems by writing a science fiction story, physics by designing a moving toy, or history by designing a museum exhibit.)
For homeschool families, educators, and parents who have the capacity and enthusiasm to coach their 4-8th grade learner in their independent Prisma work.
Learners enrolled in this program still participate in all our workshops, standups, Expo days, clubs and learner events. Like all our learners, they are part of a close-knit cohort of other learners that they meet with daily. They also get full access to our accredited curriculum, assessments, and receive a Prisma transcript.
The only difference between the full program and Parent-coach is that you are your child's mentor coach. This means giving regular feedback on your child's work, setting learning goals together, making sure they're on track, and determining when they reach mastery.
High schoolers graduate with an accredited diploma and transcript that meets college entrance requirements, while still engaging in a project-based curriculum that tailors learning to their interests.
Each 12-week theme awards credit in subjects from Biology to English through real-world topics such as The Future of Health and Build a Business. Learners work 1-on-1 with their mentor coach to tailor projects to their goals and create a standout portfolio. They also engage in electives, optional AP and dual enrollment courses, and a weekly Life Skills workshop.
In 11th grade, learners design a capstone project that shows off their strengths, aligned to their college and career goals. In 12th grade, learners complete a virtual or in-person internship with a partner organization.
"Doing it all" is hard work! Our Parent-coach program offers the balance many homeschool parents need. Prisma provides online live discussions and community, an accredited project-based curriculum, and the feeling that you are finally "doing enough" to know your kids are prepared for the future.
Learners in grades 4-8 whose parents are experienced homeschoolers or educators who are prepared to serve as their child's mentor coach—regularly meeting with them and giving them feedback on their academic work—tend to thrive in the Parent-coach program.
Learners enrolled in this program still have full access to all our curriculum, workshops, standups, Expo days, clubs, and learner events. Like all our learners, they are part of a close-knit cohort of peers that they meet with daily, and they receive an accredited Prisma transcript. A Prisma coach is also available to support parents in ensuring their child is on track.
Full program
Grades 4-8: $10,780
Grades 9-12: $11,980
Parent-coach
Grades 4-8 only: $5,040 ($6,040 with Prisma Math coaching)
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Around 40% of Prisma learners receive a scholarship. The Prisma Scholarship Fund gives out more than $150,000 in scholarships each year and enables learners who otherwise wouldn't be able to join Prisma to enroll in the full program for as little as $600 per month.
“The school we applied to last spring before hearing of Prisma was $30,000 (for middle school level)! The Prisma pedagogy, dynamic leadership team, and the lower cost is a gift to us in more ways than one.”
Moriah B.
Prisma Parent
What would be most helpful right now?
How do you build positive relationships with young people and what do those relationships mean to you?
"Without a doubt, the best thing about being an educator is that my students make me a better person. They invite me into their lives and we form a family with a mutual commitment to support one another on our learning journey. The core of these positive relationships is mutual respect. Not a day goes by that young people do not prove to me how immensely talented they are and how brilliantly they exceed my own abilities. My life is immeasurably enriched by knowing them, and it is my honor to have many precious relationships which have extended far beyond their time in my classroom."
What is your favorite aspect of being a learning coach at Prisma?
"Without question, my favorite part of being a coach at Prisma is the two-way mutual learning I experience with the learners. I can not think of a single day where I have turned my laptop off and haven’t gleaned something from the life, knowledge, or insight of one of our Prismarians—from sailing, to repairing motorcycles, or Irish dancing, or simply a unique perspective on a topic we’re discussing. Our learners have had such diverse experiences. They’re risk-takers, adventurers, technically-capable, empathetic listeners, and respectful debaters. At Prisma, it’s a guarantee that I’ll grow and stretch as a person and coach alongside my learners."
What is your approach to supporting learners?
"As a teacher, I’ve always prioritized fostering the social and emotional aspects of student growth. The best coaches support folks as they work towards their own goals while helping them evolve their efforts to align with their best interests. I’m most excited about my role as a learning coach affording me the opportunity to meet each learner where they’re at and helping them get to where they want to be. There is so much value in highly individualized, interdisciplinary, project-based learning with lots of intentional support and communal growth—and that is what Prisma is all about!"
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What is your favorite part about your role as Prisma's CEO?
"Working with such a passionate, thoughtful, highly effective team. Every single person at Prisma puts learners first and is excited to customize, to iterate, and to find new ways to engage, challenge, and support each learner at their level. The whole team is so positive, can-do, solutions oriented, and willing to think outside the box to create the best possible learning experience for our kids. No one on our team ever says, "This is the way it's always been." or "We can't do that." or "That's good enough." We're always asking for feedback from our learners and families and finding new and creative ways to engage kids, spark their curiosity, and nurture their love of learning."
What sets Prisma’s approach to math apart from traditional schools?
"Our math lessons (known as Numbers Labs) are thoughtfully designed to be fun and engaging. We believe that when students enjoy the learning process, they become more motivated and eager to dive deep into different math concepts - which is exactly what we want. Additionally, Prisma puts a strong emphasis on nurturing a growth mindset in our learners. We understand the value of encouraging students to embrace challenges and develop a positive attitude towards math. Understanding the underlying processes and reasoning behind mathematical concepts leads to deeper comprehension and application of math in real-life situations."
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How does your work at Harvard's Creative Computing Lab influence your thinking about learning experience design at Prisma?
"It pushed my thinking as to why kids should learn computer science. They are living in a world that is increasingly technologically mediated, and we owe it to them to help them participate in technology, not just consume it. When algorithms determine the news they see, the products they are advertised, and the entertainment they absorb, I think it’s an ethical imperative that we teach kids how these things function. We wouldn’t teach kids to read English but not to write it! We should think of computers the same way, as a necessary tool of expression and empowerment."
Tell us a little bit about your background in education prior to joining Prisma.
"I have more than sixteen years of experience as an educator. I have a PhD in mathematics, which allowed me to develop and teach mathematics and computer science courses at the university as well as middle and high school level. I’ve been a middle and high school educator, and was in charge of founding and developing the Innovation Sciences Department at my previous school. I am also a Neuroinclusive Coach and Consultant, which means I support and coach neurodivergent (ADHD, autistic, dyslexic, etc.) kids, adults, and their support systems, and I offer workshops to schools and organizations."
How has your work in your PhD program inspired your approach to design at Prisma?
"Teaching at an IB school, I was both a teacher and a curriculum designer. I started to realize that it didn’t require huge investments in materials to make school more engaging, equitable, and educative: asking better questions doesn’t cost any more than asking rote ones! I spent the five years of my PhD program designing and studying interdisciplinary project-based learning experiences that meaningfully integrated literacy learning with science and engineering: the same approach that we use at Prisma!"
If you had to choose ONE skill that you believe is most important for learners to master to be prepared for the future, what would it be and why?
"I’d say the most important skill is trusting who you are and the unique abilities you bring to the table. In a world that’s constantly changing, the one constant is you. When you are confident in your own voice, strengths, and creativity, you can navigate any situation with resilience and adaptability. It’s not about fitting into a mould, but about embracing what makes you, YOU. That self-trust fuels curiosity, innovation, and problem-solving because you're not afraid to take risks, ask questions, or offer a different perspective."
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