JACKSON, Wyo. — Radical Minds Academy (RadAcad), a coworking community for homeschool and online students that specializes in designing and facilitating customized education plans, has partnered with ICL Academy, a world class online academic program, to bring more diverse schooling options to families in the valley.
RadAcad celebrates the uniqueness of every student by providing personalized support that meets their educational, social and developmental needs — moving beyond the limitations of a traditional school and the one-size-fits-all approach to learning. Online schools like ICL Academy are more effective with support from a strong academic community like RadAcad.
Garrett Austen, founder of Radical Minds Academy and Teton Tutors, said, “Our goal is to create a thriving community where online learners don’t just study at home but have access to mentorship, social connection and hands-on learning opportunities. This partnership with ICL Academy allows us to offer families an educational experience that combines the flexibility of online schooling with the advantage of in-person support.”
Radical Minds Academy offers a range of features designed to enrich the online schooling experience. These include a student coworking community that provides a structured and supervised space for learning, personalized one-on-one tutoring tailored to each student’s needs and mentorship programs that support both academic and personal growth. The academy also offers a scholarship program to assist families financially. Students attend Friday field trips to foster hands-on learning and social connection, and opportunities for personal projects that encourage creativity and independent study are plentiful.
RadAcad ran a small pilot program this year with six students with plans to expand to a new larger space for up to 25 students this fall. The pilot program was a huge success with parents stating that, “Homeschooling at Radical Minds Academy has been a game changer for our family. RadAcad has a team of tutors and space with other students, which provides my son a sense of order, community and accountability.” Another parent shared, “We recommend RadAcad for anyone considering home/online school or other non-traditional academic paths.”
Students also express enthusiasm. In a testimonial video, a student noted, “I feel like I have a lot more time to do what I love to do – ski. And I have a lot more time to just be myself.” At RadAcad, students thrive because they have plans tailored for their success as not just students — but athletes, artists, musicians, etc. All identities are nurtured at RadAcad.
ICL Academy, known for its nationally recognized online curriculum, typically costs $17,500. When combined with Radical Minds Academy’s 10-month package (which includes two hours per week of one-on-one tutoring, supervised coworking space access from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on school days, mentorship and field trip) the total comes to $33,000 annually, bringing the cost of ICL down to $12,000. This represents a 23% savings compared to paying for ICL and RadAcad separately. Families may also qualify to receive $6,000 annually to cover various educational expenses underneath the Wyoming Education Savings Account (ESA), a program that lets parents choose alternative educational paths for their children.
Families interested in learning more can attend an info session on Wednesday, June 11, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 180 Center Street #1, Radical Minds Academy’s temporary location. The event will feature presentations from an ICL Academy representative, Garrett Austen (co-founder of RadAcad and Teton Tutors), and Katie Dandrea (Assistant Coach and Administrative Coordinator at RadAcad). Drinks and snacks will be provided. For more information, visit Radical Minds Academy or email garrett.austen@tetontutors.org.
