The Free School

Founded in 1969, The Free School in Albany, New York is the longest running inner-city independent alternative school in the United States. The Free School provides a unique alternative to traditional models of education by offering children a self-directed approach to their learning. Students at our school flourish in a nurturing environment that allows them the freedom to chart their own course of learning while fostering emotional growth and interpersonal skills. At The Free School, students not only learn traditional academic subjects, but also valuable lessons about responsibility, problem solving, social justice and most importantly, how to relate to each other. The Free School places great emphasis on student’s emotional well being, fostering loving, caring relationships and developing a community of engaged learners. Free School students learn real skills of community building, conflict resolution, and empathy. In addition to our downtown Albany campus, the Free School is the steward of 240 acres of forest in Rensselaer County. Traditional Subjects / Untraditional Pedagogy True Community-Based Decision Making Food Is Life Teach Children & Let Them Lead: No Child Left Inside Rites of Passage