Welcome Letter

Dear Teachers,

Over the last 15 years our team has observed Pod Schooling outperform traditional public and private education models. Not only can a positive impact be immediately observed in students, Pod Schooling is also a format that teachers love and thrive in.

We believe the majority of teachers began teaching because they care deeply about children and want to see their hearts and minds come alive. Unfortunately, traditional schools dilute the teacher-student connection, are perpetually incentivized to underpay teachers and overfill classrooms, and prioritize institutional objectives over the needs of individual students – needs the teacher understands best. 

Pod Schooling works because it places the teacher-student relationship back at the heart of education, returning creative freedom and the responsibility for outcomes to teachers themselves.

Through Edefy, parents and teachers choose each other directly, which naturally aligns values and forms a committed partnership. With just 8-12 students, teachers are able to invest deeply in the academic journeys and general well-being of each individual child. The familial nature of Pod Schooling quickly builds trust among student peers and significantly reduces negative interpersonal dynamics throughout the year. The result is overwhelmingly consistent improvements in the mental, emotional, and academic outcomes of students.

Edefy began creating the first professional marketplace for Pod Schooling as a way to create a better student learning environment but quickly realized its capacity for improving the lives and earnings of great teachers.

Teachers fulfill one of society’s most critical functions, but in both public and private schools, teacher compensation is poorly designed and incentivized. Edefy establishes an alternative earnings pathway that recognizes the individual talents and effectiveness of each teacher. On Edefy, as teachers build out their individual teaching profiles, garner reviews and references, and serve students well, they will be rewarded with higher demand and increased pay from families and host sites who naturally want the best teachers available. 

Historically, switching to Pod Schooling was filled with uncertainty. Edefy creates a low risk, no obligation option for teachers, allowing them to find a Host location and enroll students before fully committing themselves. 

We would be honored if you would join us as we reimagine elementary education. With your help we can create a future where every child can joyfully learn within a trusted community.

If you have comments or questions we would love to hear from you at [email protected] or via text at ‪(503) 308-1449‬. If interested in making the transition to Pod Schooling, please read through the included Introduction to Pod Schooling, Quick Start Guide, and FAQs provided below.

With you,

The Edefy Team

Quick Start Guide

Edefy brings together Hosts, Teachers and Families and helps facilitate and sequence the necessary connections, communications, parent-teacher choices, agreements, financial obligations and payments necessary for Pods to form and thrive.

When forming a Pod, in order to honor the economic commitments from and to all parties involved, Edefy requires a minimum threshold of 8 enrolled students to secure a teacher under contract. As soon as a teacher secures 8 enrolled students, they can accept their contract to activate the Pod for the school year. Pods may enroll additional students up to a maximum of 12.

To get the best results, please read and follow this quick-start guide:

1. 1. Download the Edefy App at edefy.us and create an account 
   2. Create your teacher profile – Fill out your education and teaching experience and provide details about your teaching views and style.
   3. Enhance your profile – Gather references from former colleagues, friends, and families. Complete a background check.
   4. Browse Sites and programs in your area – Sites may offer Hybrid or Full-Time equivalent programs depending on their preferences and the availability of their rooms. You may want to look for Sites with large waitlists of families or work with a Host site to attract new families to a new Site location. If you have your own Host location, the App allows you to serve as both a Host and​​ Teacher.
      1. Hybrid programs are generally 2-3 days with the teacher onsite and the other days at home. Teachers are responsible for guiding the experience in person and sending work home with students for parents to oversee on off days.
      2. Full Time equivalent programs will be either 4 or 5 days per week with the teacher onsite. Teachers have more responsibility over student learning as parents will be less involved.
   5. Apply to any Sites and programs that fit your preferences – If approved and selected by that Host site, you will receive a notice and then have the choice to be listed as a Teacher at that Site. This creates an exclusive relationship with that Site and allows you to begin enrollment with Families on the waitlist. You can invite students from the waitlist and accept or deny applications from waitlisted Families. 
   6. Invite Families directly to your Pod via your Site – Share the opportunity with your friends and family and with your broader community and network via social media. Share how you are going to make it a great experience for your students. Point out the benefits of Pod Schooling, and feel free to share resources like this explainer from Verathon Academy or this overview from Edefy. Invited Families will join the waitlist at the site and can then enroll to your Pod. 
   7. Communicate and message through the app – Edefy’s messaging tools keep your personal contact information private and allow ongoing conversations with interested and enrolled Families in their proper context. 
   8. Gather 8 students to officially launch your Pod – Once your Pod has 8 enrolled students, you will be issued a teacher contract that you must sign to officially launch your Pod for the school year.
   9. Work with the other Teachers at your Site to optimize Pod arrangements – Pods are flexible and can serve students across grade ranges. As more students join the waitlist and other Teachers start to fill Pods, you may want to optimize student placements up to (or after) the school year starts. Edefy makes it easy for all parties to see these proposed changes and for Teachers to change student Pod assignments using the “Pod Change” tool. Pod changes will reassign students only if the family, the impacted Teachers, and the Host Admin are in agreement and approve the changes.
   10. Use Edefy as the operating hub for your Pod throughout the year – Edefy is gathering Teacher feedback to build out communication, scheduling, assignment tracking, and many other tools for Teachers and Pod families to interact, collaborate and share with each other throughout the school year.

FAQ’s

1. What is Pod-Schooling? Should I register as Homeschooled?
   • Pod Schooling is a form of private education where families register their children as homeschooled, group them together, then hire a teacher directly to guide the students’ learning. Pod schooling is increasingly recognized as able to deliver better student outcomes than schools costing multiples more. Please follow your state guidelines for registering as Homeschooled. Pod teachers can help with this.  Helpful resource: https://hslda.org/legal
2. Does it cost anything to Join the Waitlist at a Site? 
   • No, joining a Waitlist is free. The Waitlist allows the demand from families to be matched with a supply of teachers and rooms at each Site.
3. How much does Pod-Schooling Cost? 
   • The calculated subscription cost is displayed on each Host Site page once the Host Admin has determined the type of program they are able and willing to Host at their Site. Edefy calculates the monthly subscription per Site based on a variety of variables, including the program type, teacher pay, room fees, the geographic cost of living, etc.  Assuming a full-time equivalent program of 4 or 5 days per week, Pod schooling will generally cost something similar to the lowest cost private school in your area. Hybrid programs cost correspondingly less, according to the number of days meeting with the teacher on Site.
4. How are payments made?
   • Enrollment requires a credit card on file which will be charged automatically each month. The displayed annual fixed cost of the selected program and Site will be divided by the number of months remaining in the standard 12 month payment plan running from July through June. Note: Late enrollment will mean the fixed annual payment is divided by a lower number of months – the total cost remains the same but the monthly payment will increase accordingly.
5. Are discounts or scholarships available? What are Rewards? 
   • Pod Schooling is a bit different. Since families share the cost of the Pod, discounts provided to one family would increase the cost to the other families. However, the listed subscription cost can be reduced by accumulating Rewards over time. All families who are enrolled in a Pod at a Site have the opportunity to earn Rewards that accumulate based on the success of the Site throughout the year. Rewards accumulate per Site any time a Student is added to a Pod beyond the minimum threshold of 8. This means when everyone invites their friends and participates in filling the Pods, they can substantially reduce their monthly payments throughout the year.
6. What if I don’t see a Site with the program type I’m looking for? 
   • You should still add your children to your profile and invite friends to join the Edefy App. Families on Edefy will be notified when new Sites and programs launch nearby. Also, the more families looking for Pods in an area, the more teachers and Hosts will want to meet the demand. 
7. What if I enroll my child to a teacher but we don’t get the minimum 8 students required to launch our Pod? 
   • You will be released from your contract and refunded your enrollment deposit less a $15 processing fee.
8. What if I enroll my child with one teacher, but later it becomes apparent that a different teacher’s Pod is a better fit? 
   • Families may request a Pod change between activated Pods at the same Site. Teachers or the Host Admin may also initiate these changes. It is normal for Pods to undergo changes in their composition over time as more families join a Site and the Pods are optimized for the grade ranges of students, best fit for teachers, etc. But don’t worry, any Pod changes have to be accepted by the teacher AND the family, and depending on settings, the Host Admin too. Once the required approvals are received, the change will take effect.
9. What if I have to withdraw my child from my Pod after enrollment? 
   • Withdrawal requires three (3) months notice during which the 3 additional subscription payments are required whether the child remains in the Pod or not. This provides the other members of the Pod time to find a replacement so that the withdrawal does not affect the economics for everyone else in your Pod and at your Site.
10. Are absences penalized? 
    • While monthly subscription payments are due whether the child attends or not, each teacher is motivated to support each child in their Pod whether the child is in class or not. This creates flexibility for families who travel or have health conditions that necessitate periodic absences throughout the year. If parents communicate upcoming absences, the teacher can help equip the child with take-home materials to help keep the child up to speed while away.
11. What grade levels does Edefy serve? 
    • Currently Edefy accommodates student profiles from grades K through 6th.
12. How many students can be in a Pod? 
    • Generally Pods will require a minimum of 8 students to secure a teacher under contract and activate for the year. Additional students can be added at any time up to a maximum of 12 students. Once multiple Pods are activated at a Site, Edefy allows for some additional flexibility. To honor all economic agreements between families, teachers and the Host, Pods require a minimum average of 8 students per teacher at a given Site. This means if some Pods activate with higher numbers of students, other Pods may be activated with less. The true minimum is 6 students. The number needed to activate and stay active is posted on each Pod and may shift over time as Site variables change.
13. What curriculum do Edefy Pods use?
    • A Host may predetermine the curriculum used at their Site, or Verathon may work with Hosts to preload a suggested curriculum stack. Alternatively, once Pods are formed and launched in the spring, the desires of the teachers and families can be surveyed during the summer and an ultimate decision made prior to the start of the school year in the fall. Families with strong preferences are also encouraged to message their teachers directly.
      Whatever curriculum is decided on, teachers will generally begin to supplement individual student needs once the school year begins. There are plenty of quality curriculums to choose from and education research is clear that curriculum choice is less important than having a quality, dedicated teacher invested personally in each child’s learning.
14. What standardized testing is used?
    • Students should be registered as homeschooled according to local state regulations and teachers will ensure students are registered for required standardized testing. Edefy’s academic leadership partner VerathonED also encourages all teachers on Edefy to perform various assessments on each student throughout the year as one of many forms of data and feedback provided to parents.
15. What is the vetting process for teachers?
    • Teachers are responsible for submitting their resumes, gathering external references and internal user reviews on their Teacher Profile which results in a “Profile Rating” and is available for families and Hosts to review prior to selection and enrollment. Teachers may also attach a background check to their profile. If Hosts or families wish to vet teachers further, they are welcome to message the teacher through the Edefy App.
16. How should parents address concerns or complaints with teachers?
    • Concerns should first be communicated directly with the teacher, in writing via the messaging tool in the Edefy App. They should be additionally captured through the transparent monthly feedback surveys circulated to families through the Edefy platform. If a complaint needs to be escalated, it should be directed to the Host Site Admin. Teachers who receive broadly negative reviews from a majority of their families will be flagged for replacement as the Pod teacher (subject to replacement candidates being available). Individual families who find themselves at irreconcilable odds with a teacher may wish to provide their 3 month notice as part of the withdrawal process.

Equipping Expectations and Information

1. More detailed recommendations will be posted on VerathonED.com/resourcesEdefy requires Hosts to provide a minimum level of equipping for rooms assigned to teachers. This includes appropriate grade level furniture (tables and chairs), a white board, a multifunction printer/scanner/copier, and a minimum volume of storage space for the Teacher’s supplies. VerathonED has determined the equipment below allows Teachers to deliver a quality learning experience in a variety of different Host locations, facility types and room configurations.Teachers who are successfully assigned to Pods will receive an initial distribution of $800 in advance of the school year to help build out their personal equipment list and to prepare their classroom with various school supplies. In addition to base compensation, Teachers will receive $50/mo each month during the school year for additional small supply purchases. Teachers can also ask student Families to contribute supplies, both up front in order to equip the room before the first day of school and periodically throughout the year.Limited Space Reminder:The expectation with Pod Schooling is that Teachers share the room or space that is provided by the Host and should leave it in the Host’s preferred condition and arrangement outside of Pod Schooling hours. This means the Teacher should, unless given explicit permission by the Host, only fill their designated storage space within the room and not “take over” the whole room with supplies. For any additional modifications or decorations to the room that remains in the room outside of school hours, Teachers should ask permission from Hosts. Teachers who are not good stewards of Host spaces might receive negative feedback from their Host, which may limit the Teacher’s future opportunities.Teachers who are matched to Pods will want to prepare and equip themselves for the year. VerathonED recommends acquiring the following items:Recommended personal equipment purchases:
   • Personal Computer – It is assumed that teachers will have or acquire their own personal computer.
   • Projector – A projector can be a useful acquisition for a Pod Teacher, as it allows the teacher to bring the world of knowledge available online into the classroom. 
   • Wireless speaker with connection port for computer and projector – Useful for ensuring high quality audio. 

   Document camera with a connection port to the projector – Used for demonstrating work and as an overhead projector when paired with the projector. Document cameras serve double duty as web cams when supporting a student in tutoring sessions who may be out of school for various reasons.

Introduction to Pod Schooling

Pod Schooling is a personalized form of private education where families register their children as home-schooled, group them together, then hire a teacher directly to instruct and guide the learning.

The Pod School model can be understood as a kind of “Professional Homeschool” in that it combines the per-student personalization and family-like atmosphere of homeschool cooperatives with the professional instruction, guidance, and assessment abilities of a trained and qualified teacher. Pod Schooling is often recognized for its ability to deliver a premium experience and better education outcomes than typical private schools at an equivalent or lower cost to families.

Historically, this model of education has been predominantly limited to affluent families with the extraordinary time and financial resources to organize, fund, launch and manage them from year to year.

Edefy is making Pod Schooling available to communities everywhere by organizing and automating the complex logistics involved. 

Edefy limits Pods to 12 students per teacher, because the foundation of Pod Schooling’s effectiveness is the frequency of individual interaction between the teacher and a student. Children are then freed from a predetermined learning progression designed for the collective average and are instead able to learn according to their unique gifts and abilities. While schools everywhere like to say their instruction is “personalized”, as the number of students per teacher inevitably moves beyond 12 and approaches even 16-18 students, let alone the typical 20-30 students or more, teachers are forced to switch from individual student attention back to a standard mass instruction approach.

Pod Schooling’s personalization advantage is reinforced by the teacher being employed by and accountable to the parents directly. Each individual student represents a paying “client” for the teacher. This means the teacher is primarily incentivized to drive the best outcome possible for each of their students. Contrast this to the typical school model, where teachers are employed by the administration of the school and are primarily incentivized to keep the administration happy by following centralized mandates and programming.

While every Pod that forms is unique, the broader benefits to Pod Schooling include:

• Direct Accountability – Teachers who serve families directly are strongly incentivized to deliver quality student outcomes that match parent expectations. The higher trust and fully transparent relationships that form naturally increase teacher-parent communication, feedback, and collaboration around each child’s learning journey.
• Greater Personalization – Low teacher to student ratios (12 student max) enable highly personalized instruction and individualized learning pathways, freeing students from arbitrary one-size-fits-all pacing. Children progress according to individual abilities and needs, allowing a single Pod to effectively serve a range of ages/grades.
• Better Community Relationships – The small group learning environment promotes fast friendships among student peers and participating families, largely reducing the negative peer interactions children frequently experience in typical schooling models. 

The most commonly reported effects on students who switch to this model of education include:

• Improved mental and emotional health, social confidence and friendships

• Superior academic outcomes

• Greater joy for learning

• Deepened character formation

Try Pod Schooling on Edefy and get your child the attentive care they deserve.

About Us and Contact Information

What is Edefy? 

We built Edefy to bring personalized, private education to the world through Pod Schooling.

The Edefy mobile application allows families to match their children directly with preferred, values-aligned teachers at nearby Host Sites. Through Edefy, communities everywhere are free to organize and rapidly launch their own education solutions that can and often do outperform traditional public and private school models.

Historically, Pod Schools have been limited to families with the extra time, capital, and social networks necessary to establish, subsidize and operate them. Edefy was created to simplify and automate the process, making this powerful form of education available to communities everywhere.

Furthermore, Edefy can unlock significant economic value for families. Edefy allows families to pool their resources in order to hire the type of exceptional teachers who could work at private schools costing many times more than an Edefy Pod School.

Download Edefy to your mobile device from the App Store or Google Play. Search – edefy

Feel free to email questions to support at [email protected] or text us at ‪(503) 308-1449

What is VerathonED?

VerathonED is a non-profit 501c3 that champions Pod Schooling and advises and supports communities in the formation and ongoing management of their Pods and Pod School. Having previously managed Pods directly, VerathonED has been chosen by Edefy to provide optional council, experienced leadership, and Administrative support to the Hosts and Teachers leading the Pod Schooling revolution on the Edefy platform. 

VerathonED’s support is purely optional, and communities are welcome to establish their Pod-Schools however they prefer. But for any Hosts or Teachers looking for help, VerathonED will help provide default recommendations and guidance for curriculum options, programming scope and sequence, various supplemental resources, assessment testing, state-by-state regulatory considerations, and other best practices from the world of Pod Schooling.

VerathonED will begin curating and creating information and resources at verathoned.com which will also be made available through the Edefy App.

Feel free to email questions to [email protected]