Inspire Roots is a learning cooperative community that believes in the power of supporting self-directed education. Children explore their interests through creative arts, hands-on experiences, peer collaboration, and daily rhythms connected to the natural world – with core academics organically structured into all lessons.
We emphasize freedom to learn, respect for individual pace – while gently guiding and remaining true to our ethos.
Our current / flagship location is in the heart of Taos, New Mexico. [302 Camino de la Plactia]
We reside in a private space within the INSPIRE bilingual early learning center. At INSPIRE, they are deeply committed to nurturing the whole child and their thoughtfully crafted, child-centered, interest-based approach flow seamlessly into our offering. We love their sprouts and are beyond grateful for INSPIRE’S continued support of our Roots!
We primarily serve children roughly ages 5–12 (elementary / early middle school range). In an effort to assure that everyone receives the MOST out of our offerings; our program will have two ‘groups’ 5-8 years old and 9-12 years old.
There will be times throughout our days where we are all together; but also times where our groups will dive deeper into the age appropriate aspect of the lesson or creative exploration.
We focus on mixed-age collaboration rather than strict grade levels and the exact groupings are flexible – based on the community of learners who join us.
No — we are not a conventional school. There are no mandatory curricula, standardized tests, grades, or rigid schedules. Instead, we offer a rich, prepared environment where children direct their own learning with gentle guidance from experienced mentors.
No – Traditional homeschool co-ops (or parent cooperatives) usually mean parents take turns teaching classes, leading activities, or handling significant day-to-day responsibilities— but it often relies heavily on parents’ availability, schedules, and willingness to commit time/energy consistently. That can make things feel inconsistent if people get busy, which is exactly the challenge many families face with solo homeschooling.
Inspire Roots is intentionally designed differently to address that:
It’s a self-directed learning space with trusted educators/mentors/facilitators who hold the primary responsibility for day-to-day flow, safety, guidance, creating a rich, prepared environment and dynamic curriculum.
Drop-off is preferred, but we are open to a conversation, should you wish to become more involved. Our parents trust and believe in the guidance of Inspire Roots’ experienced mentors for a holistic, community-based homeschool-style approach to their child’s education [without needing to be on-site teaching or managing the schedule themselves].
That said, it does have strong cooperative/community elements [hence “Cooperative” in the name], but in a more collaborative, input-driven way rather than operational sharing.
Families are encouraged to bring ideas to co-create the experience / offer contributions when feeling called ([ie: sharing a skill, leading a special project, or suggesting themes].
There will be regular parent/child/facilitator meetings to review what is emerging, discuss your child’s specific interests, and design/customize plans together.
In short: Inspire Roots is a facilitator-led, drop-off-friendly self-directed community that embraces the spirit of cooperation and collective dreaming—without the traditional co-op model of parents sharing heavy teaching/responsibility loads. We feel that this hybrid gives you the best of both: the ease and resources of a community [easier than homeschooling alone], the freedom and personalization of self-directed learning, and the reliability of dedicated mentors holding the space!
Yes– Especially if you would like to receive any OST / Wrap Around Care funding. Please reach out with any questions.
Our open hours are Monday through Friday 8:30am – 5:30pm. This includes qualifying OST or ‘wrap around care’ – However, Inspire Roots core program hours are Monday – Thursday 9:30 – 2:30
[[Details on scheduling and pricing can be found in the member handbook]]
Our part time option is 2 out of 4 days a week. For consistency all around we offer a Monday/Wednesday option and a Tuesday/Thursday option.
[[Details on scheduling and pricing can be found in the member handbook]]
9am – 5pm [with optional early drop off as requested]
Fridays at Inspire Roots are not part of our regular hours, however, we are still OPEN! They are designed to be a more flexible, lighter extension of the core program rather than a scheduled full day like Monday through Thursday.
Fridays children will focus on their ‘self-directed studies’ – working with our mentors to really dive deep into their areas of interest. Fridays are time to freely explore and create utilizing the resources we have available without having to stay within the flow and structure of our regular days. This is very important for growth and personal development; it also allows us to gauge where the children are at and gain a better understanding of what they have been learning/retaining throughout the week. Some Friday activities will include: deeper seasonal nature time, special interest-led projects, guest mentors/presentations, family/mentor co-created activities, reflection circles, or even field trips/outings that build on the week’s energy.
Although we very much encourage Friday participation – it is not required, and will not disrupt the rhythm we create Monday through Thursday – it is simply meant to reinforce and add enrichment to the curriculum [Think…. icing on the cake – not necessary, but for sure enhances the experience]!
In essence: The pace tends to honor the approaching weekend with an outdoor focus—so it feels restorative rather than structured like mid-week days. This setup helps maintain overall consistency [the program doesn’t “rely” on Fridays happening perfectly every week) while giving space for spontaneity, parent input on themes, or lighter attendance for families with varying needs.
OST is supervised child care and enrichment for school-age kids [kindergarten to age 13] when regular school is not in session. This includes before/after school, non-school days [like Fridays or school/program breaks, summer, holidays. It focuses on activities like play, arts, nature, projects, and supervision to support families’ work or school needs.
Wrap-around care is child care that “wraps around” [fits around] an existing main program, like NM PreK, Head Start, Early Head Start, or regular public school hours. It provides before-school, after-school, and full-day coverage during summer/breaks so families get continuous care. It’s designed for steady provider payments year-round [part-day during school year + full-day in summer].
OST is the broader category — any care when school isn’t happening. This is great for homeschoolers like Inspire Roots, including optional Fridays as full OST days.
Wrap-Around Care is a specific type of OST that complements an existing school schedule [more for kids in traditional programs needing extra hours around it].
Both OST AND Wrap-Around Care fall under the same universal child care assistance [no-cost for qualifying families]. When applying via ECECD, describe it as “out-of-school time care” or “school-age child care” — the state reimburses based on the provider’s setup and your approved hours.
Because we are working as an extension of INSPIRE – you must use INSPIRE as the provider and NOT ‘Inspire Roots’
YES! Fridays align with OST definitions because:
Inspire Roots is not a traditional school (no mandatory attendance or standard curriculum), but because we are partnering with INSPIRE, as a licensed or qualifying community learning center/cooperative offering child care during out-of-school periods, it can participate in the Child Care Assistance Program. Families apply through ECECD, select INSPIRE as their provider, and the state reimburses based on approved hours/slots.
**For AUGUST 31st ENROLLMENT – PLEASE START THIS PROCESS MID JUNE – reach out ASAP should you have any questions at all :)**
No – Inspire Roots does not associate strictly with any single educational model or modality. To create a truly child-empowered experience, we draw inspiration from a blend of approaches — including Montessori’s respect for child-led learning, Reggio Emilia’s emphasis on creativity and the environment as teacher, Waldorf’s nurturing of imagination and rhythm, democratic/self-directed education’s trust in children’s innate curiosity, and permaculture’s deep honoring of living systems and sustainability.
We see the great strengths in each of these modalities and thoughtfully incorporate elements that best honor the unique learning styles, interests, and needs of every child who joins us.
At the heart of Inspire Roots is a commitment to inclusivity and belonging — we are welcoming, non-discriminatory, and neutral when it comes to politics, religion, lifestyle, cultural backgrounds, and family structures. Our focus is always on nurturing emotional safety, community connection, and joyful, nature-rooted learning for all.
Our 2026/2027 Member Handbook can be found HERE.
August 31st, 2026
