As students of all ages return to school this fall, the Philanthropy Roundtable recognizes educational reformers Jeff and Laura Sandefer for their incredible work. Acton Academy is a network of innovative her K-12 schools that encourage students to “live curious and independent lives.” , lifelong learners. Acton is a private “one-room schoolhouse” that fuses Socratic law with his 21st-century technology, “equipping each student to change the world.”

Philanthropy Roundtable President and CEO Elise Westhoff recently sat down with entrepreneur, teacher, and philanthropist Jeff Sandefer for an episode of Roundtable’s interview series, “Doers to Donors.” During the conversation, Sandefer discussed his motivations for starting Acton, the Academy’s approach to education, and why the program works so well.

revolutionize education

Like most entrepreneurs, Sandefer likes solving problems. At age 16, painting an oil tanker for minimum wage under the blazing Texas sun, Sandefer saw an opportunity to improve the process. He hired high school football coaches and players to do their jobs and charged them according to the work rather than the hours. As a result, his productivity increased by 900%.

It was the first of seven businesses founded or co-founded by Sandefer, including Sandefer Capital Partners, an energy investment firm with billions of dollars in assets.

In 2009, Sandefer ran into another problem that needed to be resolved related to the education of his children. At the time, Sandefer’s two boys were attending Montessori school. He wanted to know when to transition them to a more traditional school setting. Sandefer sought guidance from teachers at the best public schools in her hometown of Austin, Texas. The teacher’s answer shocked him.

“He said, ‘As soon as possible… when they have that kind of freedom, they won’t want to be tied to a desk and take eight hours a day in lectures,'” Sandefer said of Westhoff. recollected during the conversation. “Before I knew it, I was like, ‘Well, I’m not going to blame them.’ [the teacher] I was looking down all the time. I thought I pissed him off. And he looked up, shook his head with tears in his eyes, and said very softly, ‘Neither do I think so.’ “

After that encounter, Jeff and Laura Sandefer decided to start their own private school, Acton Academy. Their mission was to create an exciting educational experience that helps each student discover their own unique genius.The school started with seven students in a small rented house. Today, there are 300 Acton Academies operating in over 25 countries, teaching students from elementary through high school.

“[It] It looks like we’ll reach 1,000 schools by the time we’re done,” Sandefer said.

Respect the student’s point of view

When asked why Acton Academies are so successful, Sandefer cited two main factors. True to its mission and a student-centered approach.

“We believe that everyone who walks through our doors is a genius deserving of a world-changing vocation. If you don’t believe that, you have no right to enter Acton Academy,” Sandefer said. Told. “I mean, all parents, all guides… [and] all learners. “

Sandefer is quick to point out that his definition of the word genius includes more than human intelligence.

“One of the great lessons of Acton Academy is that of IQ, but patience and guts and kindness are more important,” he said.

Sandefer also believes that Acton leaders listen to learners and give them what they want most in their education: being surrounded by friends and feeling successful every day. is successful.

“You can talk to your kids and chain them to their desks, but that doesn’t lead to learning,” Sandefer says. “You can call it an education. not [in] Seeing the world through their changes and their eyes.”

Watch the full “Doers to Donors” episode featuring Jeff Sandefer here and listen to the podcast now available on Spotify, Google and Apple.