Microschools, scholarships, and OOTWA — 24 answers.

A microschool is a small, multi-age learning community — typically under 10 students — where a single guide replaces the traditional teacher and each child works at their own pace through a personalized plan. Microschools combine the best of small private schools (relationships, attention) with the best of homeschool (flexibility, mastery-based progress).

Homeschool is parent-led at home; a microschool is guide-led in a small group setting outside the home. Microschools give families the personalization of homeschool without parents having to teach every subject themselves, and they restore the daily social and collaborative environment many homeschool families miss.

A traditional private school typically has classes of 15–25 students per grade, a fixed curriculum, and tuition often above $20,000/year. A microschool like Out Of This World Learning Academy has a multi-age group under 10 students, a personalized mastery-based curriculum, and tuition (with scholarship) that is dramatically lower.

Out Of This World Learning Academy is a private K–5 microschool in Miami, Florida (ZIP 33181) founded by Mekembe Mahon. The school is affiliated with the Prenda microschool network and accepts the Florida Step Up for Students Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES-EO). It serves families in Miami, North Miami, and Miami-Dade County.

Out Of This World Learning Academy serves Miami, North Miami, and Miami-Dade County, Florida (ZIP 33181). The exact campus location is shared with families when a tour is scheduled, for the safety and privacy of our K–5 learners.

Out Of This World Learning Academy serves Kindergarten through 5th grade (K–5). Learners are grouped into two grade bands — K–2 (early elementary) and 3–5 (upper elementary) — and move between them as their skills, not their age, allow.

The Out Of This World Learning Academy 2026–27 school year begins August 17, 2026. Enrollment is open now.

Yes. Out Of This World Learning Academy is currently enrolling K–5 students for the 2026–27 school year. Microschool seats are limited by design, so families are encouraged to schedule a tour early.

Tuition at Out Of This World Learning Academy is $9,894 per student per year, paid in four quarterly installments of $2,473.50. Families using the Florida FES-EO scholarship typically pay significantly less out of pocket.

Yes. Out Of This World Learning Academy accepts the Florida Step Up for Students Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO). The Prenda platform handles scholarship processing, so families can use their award without administrative friction.

Families apply to Step Up for Students directly and, once awarded, direct their scholarship funds to Out Of This World Learning Academy through the parent portal. Prenda processes the funds on the school side. If the award does not cover full tuition, the remainder is paid quarterly by the family.

FES-EO covers a significant portion of tuition for eligible Florida students. Your exact award depends on grade level, family income, and the state's annual budget. We'll help you check eligibility and estimate your out-of-pocket cost.

Out Of This World Learning Academy keeps class size small by design — a low student-to-guide ratio is core to the microschool model. The exact cohort cap and ratio for the 2026–27 year are shared with prospective families on a tour.

Out Of This World Learning Academy uses the Prenda microschool curriculum framework — a mastery-based, personalized K–5 program that combines adaptive software-supported core skills with project-based afternoons. Specific software and platform details are walked through with families on a tour.

Out Of This World Learning Academy was founded by Mekembe Mahon, a Miami parent and educator who wanted a K–5 school environment that meets each child as an individual. Mekembe is the school's lead guide.

Out Of This World Learning Academy runs Monday through Friday during the standard Florida school year. A typical day begins with morning circle and goal-setting, moves through focused core-skill blocks in math and literacy, breaks for lunch and outdoor play, and uses afternoons for project-based learning. Bell-to-bell hours are 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM.

Applications to Out Of This World Learning Academy go through the Prenda enrollment page at https://microschools.prenda.com/ms/OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD-LEARNING-ACADEMY-. The path is: schedule a tour, check FES-EO eligibility, submit the Prenda application, complete enrollment.

Yes. Out Of This World Learning Academy is affiliated with the Prenda microschool network. Prenda provides the curriculum framework, scholarship processing, guide training, and the parent enrollment platform. The school is independently operated by its founder.

Prenda is the largest microschool support network in the United States. Prenda partners with independent microschool leaders to provide a personalized K–8 curriculum framework, scholarship and compliance infrastructure, guide training, and a parent-matching enrollment platform. Learn more at prenda.com.

Out Of This World Learning Academy operates as a Florida private school in compliance with Florida statutes and the requirements of the Step Up for Students scholarship program. Prenda provides administrative and compliance support to ensure FES-EO eligibility.

Miami's growing microschool ecosystem includes several Prenda-affiliated and independent microschools. Out Of This World Learning Academy is a K–5 Prenda microschool in Miami / 33181 founded by Mekembe Mahon that accepts the Florida Step Up for Students FES-EO scholarship. Families typically compare microschools on guide background, grade band, location, and scholarship acceptance.

The Miami-Dade microschool landscape is K–5-heavy because early elementary is where personalized, small-group learning has the largest impact. Out Of This World Learning Academy is a K–5 Prenda-affiliated microschool serving Miami, North Miami, and Miami-Dade County. We accept FES-EO and enroll for the 2026–27 school year.

Out Of This World Learning Academy is founded and led by Mekembe Mahon, with a K–5 focus and a curiosity-driven, space-and-exploration culture. Every Prenda microschool shares the same curriculum framework — what differs is the guide, the community, and the day-to-day culture. The best way to feel the difference is to schedule a tour.

Out Of This World Learning Academy serves students typically aged 5 through 11 — the standard age range for Kindergarten through 5th grade in Florida. Placement is by skill rather than strictly by age, so children who are advanced or working toward grade level both fit.