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.
“We couldn’t find the right school, so we made one,” Tiffany Diamond recalls, describing the origins of Evergreen Elementary in Hudson, New Hampshire. An experienced educator—including serving as a tutor for students with autism and a public and private school teacher—Tiffany wanted a school that focused on the individual child, both academically and developmentally. So she and her husband, who also worked in education, are creating it one step at a time.
Now in its third year, Evergreen currently serves preschool through first grade, with plans to expand through fifth grade. “We have built a school that feels like home, and the families are very involved in the community,” Tiffany explains. “The children love coming to school and forming their relationships and having fun and being children in addition to the fact that they are surpassing grade-level standards by one to two years.”
Evergreen’s approach emphasizes hands-on learning, play, and real-world experiences. Students move between structured lessons and open play throughout the day, with more academically intensive work generally taking place before 1 p.m. Afternoons focus on movement, science experiments, and other interactive activities.
The school’s outdoor space, developed with support from VELA, provides additional learning opportunities. A farmer has brought chickens to teach students about their life cycle, while a botanist helped children explore plants growing on the school’s property.
Tiffany is creating Evergreen’s curriculum and assessment system year by year as the school grows. Although it is based on state standards, it looks very different from conventional schooling. There are no typical tests, quizzes, or homework. Instead, teachers track students’ progress through frequent, informal, one-on-one check-ins.
For example, when teaching kindergarteners about books, teachers might evaluate whether students can identify a title, explain what an author does, or recognize story elements. They record whether each child has mastered individual skills and use that information to guide instruction.
The process is designed to make assessment feel like another part of learning rather than something stressful. Tiffany recalls a student reassuring a newcomer, “If you get it wrong, we always say it’s okay. It’s okay to make mistakes because that means that you’re learning.”
Parents receive detailed trimester reports showing their children’s progress on specific skills, along with suggestions for reinforcing learning at home.
Making Evergreen accessible to lower-income families is another central part of Tiffany’s mission—“I was one of those students,” she notes. All of the school’s New Hampshire families use the state’s Education Freedom Account (EFA) program, which helps families pay for educational expenses. Support from The Drexel Fund and VELA helps bridge the gap between that funding and the actual cost of educating students.
“We’ve grown from our initiative, which was one-third underserved, and now we’re at 50 percent underserved low-income students,” Tiffany says. “EFAs play a huge role in our ability to do what we do at the core of our mission.”
That growth creates challenges, particularly as Evergreen plans to add classrooms and eventually expand its building. But Tiffany says families are enthusiastic about the school’s future, and some have already offered to contribute their construction and trade skills.
For others considering starting a school, Tiffany emphasizes persistence and early community outreach. Evergreen initially attracted significant interest, but construction delays meant many prospective families needed to enroll elsewhere before the school opened.
“Make sure that you are driven by passion, that you have grit, that you value what it is that you are seeking to accomplish,” she adds. “You will come across boundaries and hurdles, and when you do, don’t stop. Just keep going.”
