In most areas of life, when something isn’t working, we look for a better option. In K–12 education, though, children are assigned to public schools based on where they live—and if that school isn’t a good fit, the child is generally seen as the problem. School choice is changing that by expanding access to alternative learning environments. But educational freedom changes lives only if parents and teachers know what options exist, which is why Cato’s Friday Feature highlights the schools, policies, and organizations bringing those choices within reach.
It would be an extreme understatement to say that this has been an exciting week for Kanesha Barnes-Adams and her husband, founders of The Learning Lounge. On Tuesday, it was announced that The Learning Lounge won this year’s $1 million Yass Prize, dubbed the “Pulitzer for Education Innovation.”
“When we started The Learning Lounge in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, we weren’t trying to build the biggest school. We were trying to build a school where every child could be seen, supported, and celebrated beyond the labels placed on them,” Kanesha says. “Winning the $1 million Yass Prize is more than a recognition of our work; it is a reminder that innovation doesn’t have to come from big cities or big institutions. Sometimes, the biggest ideas come from the smallest communities. This moment belongs to our students, our families, our educators, and every rural community that has ever been told what’s possible for their children.”
An experienced public school teacher, Kanesha had an epiphany several years ago when her niece was in kindergarten. As Kanesha was dropping her off at school one morning, the little girl began crying hysterically. She was afraid that her entire class would be punished because another student had broken something belonging to the teacher. When Kanesha asked to walk her niece into the building, school officials refused. Kanesha took her home instead.
Kanesha was very troubled by the idea of a kindergartner having such fear about going to school. She talked to her husband, who had been a public school teacher. “Kindergarten should be the time of the year where students wake up every morning and they love to go to school,” she recalls telling him. “I want to create a place where students love to come and learn.”
They decided to launch an after-school program; her niece was the first student. Soon, other families joined, many with children who had been diagnosed with learning disorders such as dyslexia and ADHD and struggled in conventional classrooms. By February, the program had 14 students.
As it happened, the Arkansas Education Freedom Account program, which allows families to use state education funds for a variety of educational expenses, launched shortly before this. Kanesha began researching the program and realized it would give kids more options. She polled families in her after-school group to see if they would be interested in a full-time school that was smaller and more family focused. Nine of 14 said yes.
Kanesha’s husband lost his job that spring, and the couple realized they could both be part of this new venture. They did a wider community survey over Facebook and generated interest from more than 79 families. Next came the hunt for a suitable location. They found a former elementary school owned by a church that wasn’t in use and asked if they could get it up to code and use it. The church agreed, and The Learning Lounge opened with 27 students for the 2024–2025 school year.
“It was the absolute best, hardest, most challenging, most fulfilling year in education I’ve had,” Kanesha says. The school has grown rapidly, enrolling 55 students in its second year and 75 this year. Another 20 to 30 families are on the waiting list.
This July, Kanesha and her husband purchased the former elementary school building they had been leasing. Although the school’s four classrooms are already at capacity, the property has approximately two and a half acres of land that could accommodate future expansion. Students are also helping develop an outdoor learning center, with three participating in a pre-apprenticeship program that included laying concrete for the space.
The building itself has quite a history. According to Kanesha, it once housed an elementary school that was forced to close after refusing to integrate. Decades later, The Learning Lounge is using that same building to expand educational opportunities for minority children in the community. When Kanesha learned of the building’s history, she printed out the federal court case and cried. “It was just a testament of time to me,” she recalls.
The Learning Lounge serves kindergarten through ninth grade, using mixed-age classrooms that allow students to work at appropriate academic levels rather than being confined to their grade. Mornings focus on core subjects, including math, reading, science, and social studies. Afternoons feature enrichment clubs, social-emotional learning, and targeted academic interventions. Students can explore music, art, entrepreneurship, taekwondo, and even tap dancing.
“Our young men love to tap dance. And I love to see it because it’s giving them access to something that if they were in the public school, they would be made fun of for enjoying,” Kanesha explains. “We don’t live by gender norms when it comes to things that students are interested in.”
The school also incorporates worship and faith-based principles while emphasizing family involvement. One Wednesday each month includes dedicated time for families to learn together through community activities.
For Kanesha, accessibility is essential. Every student attends through the Education Freedom Account program or tax-credit scholarships. The school also operates buses, transporting approximately half its students.
Supporting children with special needs has become another important part of the school’s mission. Kanesha has partnered with outside providers to offer services on campus, including speech therapy and developmental support. She and her husband have also pursued additional education to help address local shortages of specialists.
Kanesha encourages other educators who are considering starting their own schools not to be discouraged by the challenges. “There are so many families waiting on someone to give them what they deserve and are desiring,” she says. Her advice, especially for those who feel called to the work, is simple: “Obey quickly, because someone’s life is waiting on it.”