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Preparing for Back to School: Vertical Planning & Learner Pathways
June 18, 2026 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm PDT
Session Recap
Tara Laczynski of The Mathletes joined us to share how she’s built a thriving, sustainable teaching program on Outschool around the concept of learner pathways — also known as looping or vertical planning.
The core idea: instead of starting over with new students each term, you build a structured progression so families can follow a clear path through your offerings year after year. Tara has students who’ve been together since 2022, classes already full for fall as of March, and a schedule that runs 10am–2:45pm instead of 7am–9pm.
What we covered:
Why learner pathways work — for teachers (predictable schedule and income), for families (less decision fatigue, “set it and forget it” enrollment), and for students (social continuity, accountability, excitement about moving up together).
Building your pathway — start with the end in mind: what’s your entry-level offering and where does it top out? Map the progression, then fill in the middle. You don’t have to build it all at once — add one level at a time as your oldest cohort ages up.
Scheduling strategically — block unavailable time first, then CEO time (email, planning, curriculum), then classes. Prioritize filling classes to your minimum enrollment threshold before opening more sections. Condense your schedule rather than spreading yourself thin.
The VIP enrollment model — open your fall schedule 6–9 months out as a private, first-access event for current families. Tara opened December 1st and had 25% of her prior year’s enrollment by January 12th; she’s at 60% right now with 10 weeks still to go. Give families a deadline, direct links, and a reason to act early (price lock, early access, etc.).
Plug-and-play curriculum — use a consistent class structure (warm-up → mini lesson → practice) across all levels so you’re swapping content into a template rather than rebuilding from scratch. Same goes for parent communication: create outreach templates you personalize lightly.
Marketing without selling — your current families are your best marketing. Students who have friends in your program will lobby their own parents to re-enroll.
Questions from the session covered: scheduling for homeschool vs. international learners, managing curriculum creation as your program expands, how families can hold spots before ESA funds arrive, lesson post scheduling workarounds, and whether pathways work for ongoing classes (yes).
📹 Session Recording
Watch the recording here
📊 Presentation Deck
View the slides here
Want to go deeper?
Join Tara for office hours on July 10th at 2 PM ET — bring your questions, your current class lineup, or your “is this a good idea?” moments. It’s an open Zoom session, cameras on, no agenda.
Additional resources coming soon.