Our Outcomes
Powerful results for every kind of student
MicroSociety creates intrinsic motivation to learn and grow. Over more than 30 years and across hundreds of schools, we have seen many powerful, positive changes in our students.
Belonging fuels engagement.
MicroSociety ® creates a strong sense of purpose and community, where every student has a role to play, discovers new interests, and finds where they fit. This sense of belonging draws students in, improving attitudes, attendance, and engagement in school life.
Engagement leads to better behavior.
As students become more invested, behavior problems diminish and chronic absenteeism drops. MicroSociety fosters a positive peer culture where students hold one another accountable—through laws, job roles, and courts—encouraging respect, responsibility, and cooperation.
Confidence drives achievement.
With clear roles and real responsibilities, students feel more competent and capable. They apply classroom learning in meaningful ways on the job and demonstrate academic standards in their work, leading to stronger academic performance and a lasting growth mindset.
Readiness grows from responsibility.
Students gain autonomy, career awareness, and durable skills like communication, critical thinking, and leadership as they run ventures, solve problems, and make decisions. MicroSociety prepares them not just for school—but for success in the world beyond it, opening pathways to economic mobility and lifelong opportunity.
Societies are infinitely adaptable, and creating them with students has proven a powerful tool for meeting the needs of all kinds of students in all kinds of settings.
At-risk students
As one Texas graduate said, “Why would I drop out when I know I have a future?” MicroSociety keeps students engaged by making learning meaningful and connected to life beyond the classroom. At Noah Webster in Hartford, Conn., chronic absenteeism dropped to 11% from 27% after MicroSociety was reintroduced post-pandemic.
Low-income students
MicroSociety equips young people with the skills to break the cycle of poverty—blending workplace readiness, entrepreneurship, and social-emotional growth with hands-on learning in math, civics, science, and more. Through real-world applications, students discover their strengths and expand their sense of possibility.
Language learners
MicroSociety language learners outscore their peers because nothing speeds language learning like necessity and immersion in the activities of daily life. Within a few years of embracing MicroSociety, Sageland Elementary School in El Paso moved from one of the lowest performing schools in its district to a National Blue Ribbon School.
Kids with special needs
In MicroSociety, every child contributes meaningfully and achieves personal growth. Take Colby, an autistic boy in Philadelphia. He didn’t speak a word in school—to anyone—for two years until his peer employer told him that, to get paid, he would have to share his research, out loud, so others could learn from it.
Gifted students
High-achieving MicroSociety students never hit a ceiling—they continually challenge themselves, grow as leaders, and deepen their learning. “It allowed me to utilize brain power and be challenged in ways that were outside of your standard textbook,” says Brooke Cramberg, an alumna of Thoreau Demonstration Academy in Tulsa.
All students develop vital skills as they start and manage their own businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies.
Durable Skills
Teaching children to think for themselves, work with others, and contribute to a community is central to what we do. MicroSociety students learn how to get along with their peers, communicate clearly, and work together in teams by starting and running businesses and forming and operating governments. They develop the ability to focus and pay attention to tasks, set goals and make and execute plans, and persevere and problem-solve when things don’t go to plan. Students learn to recognize and manage their own emotions, recognize others’ emotions and perspectives, cope with adversity, and show respect and empathy for others.