Call Summary: Microschool Support Model & Counseling Triage Vision

Overview

Gary and Ida discussed the $100 Facebook ad experiment to validate demand for Christian microschools using TEFA funding, then developed a comprehensive vision for Ida serving as a regional counselor/triage specialist across multiple microschools. The conversation covered Medicaid billing challenges, 504 accommodations, dual credit pathways, and the failures of public school systems.

Key Topics Discussed

Facebook Ad Demand Validation

• Gary's experiment: Running $100 in Facebook ads with hook "Texas is giving families up to $30k for education. Do you qualify?" to see if parents fill out survey
• Purpose: Generate data for funders to prove enthusiasm exists
• Ida's reaction: "You have, like, millions of people respond... do you have the bandwidth?"
• Gary's philosophy: "Be my own role model in doing things I've never done before... going to ask AI to guide you through stuff now"

Ida's Counselor Triage Model

• Core insight: School counselors typically have 500-900 students each - "really horrible, but that's how it is"
• Proposed solution: Ida serves as triage counselor for an entire region of microschools
• How it works: Teachers/guides text with student issues, Ida determines appropriate support path
• Value proposition: "Microschools won't have counselors, and they won't have access to counselors for free. So I'm part of the package."
• Gary's response: "You're really unique cookie here... You've seen it all, right?"

Medicaid Billing Research

• Ida researched offering Medicaid services to special ed students (big portion are low income on Medicaid)
• Barrier discovered: Must be in practice 3 years before Medicaid allows billing
• Supervisors warned Medicaid often doesn't reimburse even after paperwork
• Private insurance also limited for low-income families
• Ida's experience: "9 out of 10 times I'm sending families to free clinics and free resources"

504 Accommodations Expertise

• Ida's background: 504 coordinator for 15 years
• 504 explained: Students who don't quite qualify for special ed but need accommodations
• Common needs: Physical issues, anxiety, health conditions, family trauma
• Examples: Bathroom breaks for bladder issues, calm corners for anxiety, nap time for medication effects, code words for breaks
• Key quote: "If you don't know and some teachers don't know all the jargon either... I could help the guide or the pastor sorted out"

Business Model: Church Support Services

• Gary's proposal: Motivate churches to launch microschools, charge yearly fee for support
• Services included: Website help, student behavior guidance, tool building, counseling triage
• Ida's response: "That is genius... I feel like you're light years ahead of me"
• Gary: "I'd be not very interested in exploring this without you"

ADHD and Neurodivergent Students

• Core problem: Teachers have 30 kids × 7 periods = 210 students, half with special needs from trauma
• Ida's ministry: Explained to ~100 families that ADHD is chemical imbalance, not character flaw
• Success story: Mom with 3 out-of-control boys finally agreed to medication - "all kids had straight A's, no more visits to principal"
• Key insight: "You can give them therapy all day, every day. And they're still going to have ADHD"
• Microschool advantage: Can take kids on nature walks, let them get wiggles out - impossible in public school

Dual Credit Pathways

• Texas opportunity: Alamo Community College Promise provides free first two years for Bexar County students
• Early college: Kids can earn associates degree by high school graduation
• TSI test: Only 8th grade level reading/writing/math, costs ~$15
• Homeschool advantage: Parents can graduate kids whenever ready - could start dual credit at 15-16
• Ida's question: Will private microschool students qualify for the Promise? "The answer could be yes"

STAAR Test Critique

• Ida's verdict: "STAAR was the devil. It ruined people's lives, ruined teachers' lives"
• Problem: Teachers forced to "teach to the test" or face discipline plans
• Result: Four years of high school focused on test prep, nothing applicable to college or life
• Analogy: "Like monkeys teaching them how to do a little dance and tip their hat to get their quarter"
• Gary: "Almost certainly didn't teach like a love of learning"

Neurodivergent Population & Divergent Movie

• Ida's insight: Neurodivergent students are often the "nerds" - math club, robotics, band - not athletes
• Movie reference: Divergent series - people who "see through things" that others miss
• Microschool fit: "Everybody's the same, everybody's important. You don't have to be an athlete to matter"
• At-risk program experience: 50 "bad kids" who were actually highly capable but found school "painful" because content wasn't relevant

Public School Environment Critique

• Ida's donut incident: Brought donuts to basketball team that won regionals - principal reprimanded her for "competing with cafeteria"
• Teacher creativity suppressed: Must follow purchased curriculum exactly or face discipline
• No recess: Some principals eliminated recess despite research showing kids need physical play
• Ida's observation: "It's a horrible environment, you know, the public school. For even educators."

Football Culture Commentary

• Observation: Sunday football may have replaced church for many families
• Ida: "Some Sundays, the pastors will talk about it like, 'hey, thanks for being here, you could be at home watching the game'"
• Her family: Neither she, Jesus, nor extended family follows football - "First of all, we were at church"
• Small talk aversion: "I don't want to sit around talking about... the football game or tailgating... makes me want to vomit"

Primer Age Restrictions

• Currently K-8 only for first year
• Ida's take: "A church that's starting this for the first time, ninth through twelfth is a whole other animal"
• Eventually may expand to 9-12

Key Quotes

• Ida on her unique value: "I was a 504 coordinator for 15 years. What's the 504 issue?"
• On neurodivergent students: "They need to find relevance in information... It needs to be important right now"
• On her calling: "I feel like that's who we would cater to, though, like the neurodivergent population. Which is great. That's who we need."
• Gary on partnership: "I'd be not very interested in exploring this without you"
• Ida on Gary: "Sometimes when we're talking, I pretend like I know what you're saying and I don't sometimes. And then later I'll be like, Carlos, Gary said this. What does that mean?"
• On microschools: "If they're hungry, okay, let's take time and eat a snack. Just because they're little doesn't mean they don't have the same needs as an adult human."

Action Items

1. Gary to build the quiz/survey for $100 Facebook ad experiment
2. Ida to test the quiz when ready
3. Explore whether Alamo Community College Promise applies to private microschool students
4. Develop "support package" pricing model for churches launching microschools
5. Research Medicaid billing requirements for future (3-year practice threshold)