Bay State Learning Center

Bay State Learning Center is a full-time, self-directed alternative to school for homeschooled teens in Dedham. There are no grades and no tests; instead, students take small classes, work on projects and meet one-on-one with mentors, with each teen’s interests shaping what they study. The center welcomes teens from all educational backgrounds, emphasizes engagement over achievement, and helps students prepare for college and beyond.

Founder George spent more than two decades in education at community colleges, Boston University and a range of middle and high schools, and holds master’s degrees from St. John’s College and Boston University. Staff include JayJay, who mentors students drawing on their own experience as an autistic person; Terry, a longtime portrait photographer who leads arts programming; Amelia, a former Kansas State philosophy professor who teaches math and social science; and Jon, who runs operations.

What to Know

• BSLC is a member of Liberated Learners, a national network of self-directed education centers, and George sits on its board of trustees.
• The community has been cultivated for more than a decade around celebrating individual differences.
• Curricula can include movement-based approaches for students with attention differences.