Eastern Hancock Superintendent Launched Indiana Microschools
A new state-wide network aims to attract families to alternative education models in Indiana.
Updated on Oct. 8, 2026 in Homeschooling
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Eastern Hancock superintendent George Philhower established the Indiana Microschool Collaborative in 2025 as a new state-wide educational network. This initiative operates as a separate local education agency to support and launch small-scale schools.
Why it matters
The network was created to help school districts retain families and stabilize enrollment numbers by providing back-office support for smaller learning environments. This shift allows districts to offer more flexible education options while maintaining financial health.
The Indiana Microschool Collaborative currently oversees five locations, including one campground site that reached a 140-student waitlist by the end of 2025. The Eastern Hancock district, which currently serves 1,200 students, draws 40% of its enrollment from outside the district boundaries.
The players
George Philhower
The Eastern Hancock superintendent who serves as the lead architect for the Indiana Microschool Collaborative network.
Eastern Hancock School District
A public school district serving 1,200 students that is pioneering new models to compete for student enrollment.
Indiana Microschool Collaborative
A non-profit educational agency that manages a statewide network of small-scale schools through local innovation agreements.
The details
The network functions by securing innovation agreements with local districts to co-locate new microschools inside existing facilities. By operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the collaborative provides centralized back-office administration to ensure these small schools remain financially stable. This structural support allows individual microschools to focus on specialized instruction while meeting state charter requirements.
Timeline
A microschool opened in a campground during 2025.
The campground microschool reported a 140-student waitlist by the end of 2025.
The Home Front
This development follows a growing trend of public districts leveraging state innovation school charter laws to create flexible, small-scale learning environments. These efforts represent a shift toward specialized, district-affiliated alternatives intended to address declining local enrollments.
Families interested in alternative schooling should verify if their local district has entered into an innovation agreement with the collaborative to house a site nearby. Parents should contact the Eastern Hancock district office to review enrollment requirements for microschools currently operating within the network.
The takeaway
The move toward microschools suggests that district-affiliated, small-scale learning options are becoming a standard competitive tool for public schools. Families should monitor local school board meeting agendas for discussions regarding potential innovation agreements with the collaborative.
Further reading
Learn more about the evolving education landscape in Indiana homeschooling.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Education Week.
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