At Riley, education is a process rather than a product. For many schools, grade levels serve as an important feedback tool. Grades are perceived as a way for teachers to get an immediate sense of a child’s understanding of a given concept, provide a standard basis for ranking, and - in many cases - are determining factors in the kind of funding a school gets.

At Riley, our faculty know each child at a level uncommon in many schools. The nature of our intentionally-small community and the individualized programming means that our faculty have direct insight into each child’s interests, current capabilities, challenges, and celebrations. Riley’s small classes ensure that our faculty have the time to work one-on-one with each child regularly, and to observe and engage students in a manner that demonstrates each child’s grasp of a given concept.

Put simply, though we do use age and grade level to inform our practice, Riley educators understand a child’s skills, motivations, or interests through a deep understanding of and relationship with each student.

While most parts of the Riley School program include self-paced, self-determined learning opportunities, your child’s time at Riley is thoughtfully planned. At Riley we believe children learn best by exploring. Our faculty's job is more than just sharing knowledge - it’s about giving children the space to learn in a way and time that will work for them. Each child’s Riley experience is unique to them, and our program supports each individual in the moment requires both planning and adaptability to respond to each student's needs.

In an effort to mitigate the impact of rising costs, variable tuition is a model that enables the school to more effectively take into account each family's individual financial circumstances when determining tuition fees. Rather than adhering to a fixed tuition rate, variable tuition allows families to pay tuition based on their ability to contribute, taking into consideration factors such as income, family size, and extenuating financial circumstances. By implementing variable tuition, we aim to make Riley more inclusive and equitable, ensuring that families from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds can participate fully in our educational community.

To determine your family's variable tuition rate the school’s Tuition Committee will evaluate the financial information provided by each family in a confidential and secure manner. We understand that discussing finances can be sensitive, and we want to assure you that all information provided will be handled with the utmost confidentiality and respect for your privacy.

After taking all financial information into consideration, the school will provide each family opting into the variable tuition program with an individualized tuition rate.

If you’re interested in learning more about affording a Riley education we encourage you to call us, or send an email to info@rileyschool.org .

Student progress and learning are monitored by all faculty and discussed weekly as a team. Faculty complete regular Staff Review of the Child for each student, which are also discussed in detail, with individualized plans for each child.

Though parents may meet with teachers at any time, there are two formal opportunities per year to schedule conferences, as well as Parent Night at the start of the year for a comprehensive sharing of the school year ahead.

Faculty also complete a very detailed Profile of a Learner for each student twice per year, which highlights what your child has been doing in school and where their skills lie at the time.

Parents are welcome on campus and encouraged to schedule time with your child’s teachers to discuss their learning experience at Riley.

Every child learns at their own pace. While Riley does not believe that specific milestones must always be reached by a certain age, we do understand that a self-paced learning environment can cause angst in today’s hyper-competitive environment. Please refer to the FAQ on how student progress is monitored above for more details.

Other great ways to view your child’s progress are to join us on campus or reach out to your child’s teacher with specific questions.

Play and outdoor learning are integral to our program and are carefully considered but appropriately balanced with instruction and academics.

Yes, your child will play more than they do in traditional learning environments! Play is one of the most important ways that children learn, and is an effective tool used to convey concepts.

Riley encourages social and emotional growth as well as educational rigor, while centering the child’s voice and experience so that they may identify skills and strategies for how they learn best—all the while encouraging them to advocate for themselves as learners and as people.

The nature of Riley’s small and individualized learning program means that we are able to accommodate many different learning styles and differences, but Riley does not currently provide any special education or occupational therapy options.