Side-by-Side Comparison of Schooling Models

Homeschool

Parents are the school. Everything flows from the family.

Microschool

A tiny school—often innovative—with shared instruction and structure.

Co-op

Homeschool families pooling resources and teaching responsibilities.

Tutorial

Academic classes taught 1–2 days a week while parents oversee the rest.

Small Private School (<50 students)

A fully functioning school, just very small.

Who holds authority?

• Parent: Homeschool, Co-op, Tutorial
• School: Microschool (sometimes), Private School

How much structure?

• Least: Homeschool
• Moderate: Co-op → Tutorial → Microschool
• Most: Private School

Who carries the daily teaching load?

• Parent-heavy: Homeschool, Co-op
• Shared: Tutorial
• Teacher-led: Microschool, Private School

• A microschool may look like a private school but operate legally as a homeschool hybrid.
• A tutorial does not usually issue grades or diplomas.
• A co-op is community-first, not school-first.
• A small private school must meet state private school requirements, even with few students.