Pioneered by and named after Sudbury Valley School (pictured above), operating successfully for 35 years in Framingham, Massachusetts, Sudbury is a very different approach to education: Learning is entirely student-initiated. Students have rights and duties like adults and equal vote in government of the school. In an environment of trust and mutual respect, students learn to make real, responsible choices in pursuing their true interests.

This means in particular:

• Independent study. Students are encouraged to be guided by their natural curiosity and pursue their real passions. While learning to structure their own time, play often becomes their work as it is pursued with intensity, sense of purpose and becomes infused with real life lessons.
• Age mixing. Students and staff freely associate by interest. People of different ages bring different perspectives, skills and experience to enhance each other's development. Practicing cooperation and mutual respect, students develop a strong sense of supporting and caring for each other.
• Self-evaluation and feedback. As each student is bound to pursue a unique and special course through life in this fast changing modern society, self-evaluation and feedback from trial and error, peers and adults are more useful to learning than artificial grading systems.
• Democratic governance. The school is run by the School Meeting, in which students and staff members have equal votes. This process is the key difference from other schools where kids are governed by adults and thereby separated from an important aspect of real life. The School Meeting passes the rules governing daily operation as students learn about the world by having power in an authentic democracy. This is hard and important work where kids have responsibility to help make real policy decisions.
• Due process. When disputes arise, the issues are resolved through fair public process by students and staff through the judicial system. There is no fear of teachers or adults as students learn to solve conflicts eye-to-eye and that justice in a democracy belongs to everyone.
• Role of staff. Staff at Sudbury schools are attentive and resourceful, but at the same time not directive and coercive. By truly respecting children, adults earn genuine respect in return. This crucial relationship of cooperation and trust creates a nurturing environment that is unique to Sudbury.

And yes, this works! More than 90% of Sudbury graduates go on to higher education, 89% of those are accepted by the college of their choice. Sudbury students do very well in college because they have developed their independent study skills way beyond the systematized students who have been trained to do what they are told: "Turn the page now. Answer these questions now."

Instead of memorizing rote knowledge as standardized education requires, Sudbury students learn from inspiration, developing intellect and intuition while making important discoveries and connections. Sudbury School is fun! At Sudbury life is lived, not just prepared for, students become self-confident, zestful, articulate, resourceful and prepared for life.

Sudbury schools operate all over the world. Four are in Northern California. Sudbury schools are non-sectarian, apolitical and not affiliated with any organization.