Find the kind of school your kid will thrive in, and the real ones near you.
Answer 10 questions about how you think kids learn best. We'll match you with one of eight education philosophies, from Montessori to Classical to Acton, show you the trade-offs that are easy to miss on a tour, then find schools near you that fit.
At the end we'll ask for your email and ZIP code to show your results.
Example results
From "I don't know where to start" to a short list of schools to tour
Answer 10 questions
About what you believe kids need: structure or freedom, books or projects, faith, discipline, and your role at home. Rank more than one answer when more than one fits.
See your match
See how you line up with all eight philosophies, what a day looks like in your top match, the trade-offs to know before you enroll, and where your own answers pull in different directions.
Get schools near you
Use your results to search for schools near you that follow your top philosophies.
The biggest difference between schools isn't the building or the test scores.
It's what they believe about how kids learn. Two schools down the street from each other can run completely different days. Knowing your philosophy first tells you which schools are worth a tour.
See the trade-offs first
Every model gives something up. We show you what families often don't see until they're in it, so you can decide with your eyes open.
See what's near you
Most parents don't know a Montessori, classical, or Acton school is a 10-minute drive away.
Tour with better questions
Your results include the questions that separate a great school from a good brochure.
Get on the same page
Share your results link with your partner and compare. It's a better conversation than "what do you think?"
Is it a rough adjustment, the wrong school, or the wrong model?
The first months in a new kind of school can be bumpy, and most families settle in fine. But if something feels off, it helps to know which of those three it is before you make another move. An independent read can help you tell the difference, and sometimes the answer is to stay.
School Fit Clarity · $300
Which one sounds like your family?
Tap one to see what a day looks like and who it fits best.
One-on-one, Socratic, and not selling you a school
For parents about to choose, and for founders about to open a microschool.
School Fit Clarity
Two 60-minute video sessions, plus a written decision guide
Get an independent read before you commit your child's next school year.
- Session 1: What you believe school is for, what your child needs right now, and where your answers pull in different directions
- Session 2: The trade-offs of the specific schools or models you're weighing, including what families often don't see until they're in it
- A short written decision guide: what fits, what to watch for, and the questions to ask each school
Founder Readiness Assessment
Three 60-minute video sessions, plus a readiness scorecard
Find out whether you should start a school, and which one, before you commit.
- Session 1: Your convictions: what you believe about kids, learning, and the purpose of school, and why you want to do this
- Session 2: Model fit: your leading model compared with real alternatives (including not starting a school) for the families you want to serve
- Session 3: Readiness: money, time, family obligations, and the parts of the job founders underestimate, like recruiting families and hard parent conversations
- A written readiness scorecard with a go, pause, or reconsider recommendation and next steps
Parents kept asking me the same question.
I'm Ben, and I run Treign Up Academy, a learner-driven school. Parents would tell me their kid wasn't thriving, that they knew something should change, but they didn't know what the options were or even what to search for.
AlignEd is the tool I wanted to hand them: a quick way to put words to what you believe about learning, and then see which schools near you actually work that way.
One thing you should know: my school uses the Acton Academy model, which is one of the eight results. That's exactly why the quiz is built to be neutral. Every answer is scored against all eight philosophies the same way, and every weight is published. If Classical or Waldorf fits your family best, that's the answer you'll get, and those are the schools we'll show you.
Before you start
Is the quiz really free?
Yes. There's no cost and no account to create. You answer 10 questions, then enter your email and ZIP code to see your results.
Why do you ask for my email and ZIP code?
Your ZIP code is how we find schools near you. Your email lets us send you a link to your results so you can come back to them or share them with your partner.
Do you share my information with schools?
No. We don't share your contact information with schools. If that ever changes, we'll update our privacy policy and ask for your permission first.
How do you find schools near me?
We use AI to research schools on the web within 10, 25, or 50 miles of your ZIP code, then sort them by how well they fit your results. A school only shows up if we found it on a real web page, but details like tuition change, so always confirm with the school.
Is the quiz biased toward a certain kind of school?
It's built not to be. Every answer is scored against all eight philosophies the same way, and you can see every weight on our How Scoring Works page.
We just started at a new school and I'm not sure it's working. Can you help?
Yes. The first months in a new kind of school are often bumpy, and that's usually normal. A School Fit Clarity session can help you sort out whether it's an adjustment, a problem with how this particular school runs, or a real mismatch with your family. Sometimes the best answer is to stay.
What ages is this for?
Any age from preschool through high school. It's most useful when you're choosing a preschool, elementary, or middle school, since that's where the differences between philosophies show up most.
What if two philosophies are close?
That's common, and it's useful to know. Many schools blend approaches. Tour a school from each of your top two and see which one your child lights up in.