Partnership Overview

Brilliant Microschools is an accredited K–12 online private school network serving over 1,400 students across the U.S.

We specialize in small class sizes, certified teachers, and personalized, mastery-based learning pathways. Our model blends academic progression with deep support for diverse learners, including many with IEPs, ADHD, or ASD.

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The Brilliant Microschool Fellowship

$5K Fellowships for 5 Researchers Each Year.
One receives an additional $25K to go further.


We fund graduate students exploring how neurodivergent learners thrive——through UDL, therapeutic practices, and AI-driven tools like speech tech, sensory supports, and executive function aids.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rated 4.8 out of 5

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What We Fund

We support graduate research tackling real challenges in inclusive education—through the lens of design, therapy, and emerging tech.

ABA-Informed Instruction

Test and adapt ABA techniques for virtual spaces—rethinking behavior supports for online learners.

Executive Function & OT in Digital Learning

Develop strategies to help students with executive function challenges thrive in structured, self-paced online learning.

Sensory-Friendly Learning Design

Design digital experiences that work with—not against—learners with sensory sensitivities.

UDL in Virtual Learning

Rethink online education to make it truly accessible—built from the ground up using Universal Design for Learning.

AI & Autism

Explore how AI-powered speech and occupational therapy tools can better support autistic learners in digital environments.

Community & Support

Self-led doesn’t mean solo. We match you with a Fellowship Director or Thought Partner.
You’ll check in monthly. You can join our Roundtable calls. And you’ll be part of a growing crew of educators, therapists, and designers rewriting the rules of inclusive learning.

🧭 You’re independent, not alone.

Connection to fellow Fellows (see what we did there 😎?)

🌍 Light structure, not micromanagement

💡 Help navigating publication, impact, and clarity

🧠 Structure that supports you, not boxes you in. Got a wild idea? Bring it.

📣 Turn research into ripple effects.

🧬 Neurodiversity Is a Design Principle

This fellowship starts with the assumption that one-size-fits-all has failed.
We invite research that treats neurodivergence not as a challenge to overcome, but as a lens to clarify design. Your work can help redefine what “inclusive” really means—beyond access, toward agency and belonging.

We’re not just collecting interesting ideas.
We’re looking for research that solves real-world problems inside classrooms, clinics, and platforms.

The Application Process

Show step by step how to get started.

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📄 Fill out the application form

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🧠 Share your 1-page proposal

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📎 Upload your CV

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💌 Recommendation letter

What We Believe About Learning

Here are some short, concise notes about our pedagogy.

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BMS Learning Framework

SEL-first routines: Classroom culture emphasizes safety, consistency, and relationships.
Eduprotocols: We use lesson frameworks to reduce cognitive load and support jagged learner profiles.
Mastery-based assessment: We track standards, not seat time. Student progress is formative, visible, and evidence-based.
5E +ExploreBoards: Project-based, interest-driven scaffolds that build autonomy and deepen engagement.
Universal Accommodations: Built-in scaffolds (responsive pacing, structured peer dialogue, audio tools, guided instruction) in every class. UDL-aligned supports are provided in every class for clarity.
Differentiated pathways: Using UDL principles, students take different paths toward firm learning goals.
High-relevance interdisciplinary units: Fewer units, more purpose. Units are interdisciplinary & product-driven.
Teacher-as-designer: Teachers apply protocols flexibly using data, autonomy, and student voice.

Fully Accredited by WASC

A Registered Florida Private School, Accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges

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For us, every student learns differently.

Join a live learning lab where personalized, mastery-based education meets neurodiversity-informed design. Your research won’t just study innovation—it will shape how we build the future of inclusive, adaptive learning.

FAQ

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Finally, a research fellowship that’s bold, flexible—and actually useful.

We built this for grad students tired of ticking boxes. The ones who want to ask sharper questions, follow real-world leads, and build work that matters.

Clear expectations, no busywork.
You’ll know exactly what’s due—and what’s optional. Freedom + clarity = momentum.

Designed for thinkers, not rule-followers.
You set the vision. We check in, offer support, and help shape your next move.

A final product that lives beyond your thesis.
Conference presentation? Toolkit? Policy brief? You’ll create something that moves the field forward—not just fills a binder.

The Brilliant Microschools Research Fellowship

We fund graduate students exploring bold, field-informed questions at the intersection of education, neurodiversity, and inclusive virtual learning.
If you’re ready to create work that’s original, practical, and genuinely impactful—this is your next step.

Supporting Students With Special Needs & Learning Disabilities

Students with Dyslexia

For students with Dyslexia, instruction and assessments can all be customized for them to go at their pace and dig deeper with their teacher.

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Here are just a few of the accommodations that have helped our students with ASD:

  • clearly established and ordered routines
  • warning and preparation when changes are anticipated
    planning and practicing communication strategies and social routines
  • student breaks & time-out when necessary
  • visual schedules and graphic organizers
  • visual or written, rather than auditory, instructions

Students with ADD/ADHD

Students who have ADD/ADHD are provided with the support they need to thrive. Distractions are managed and students actively engage in class at all times.

Students with Anxiety

Anxiety comes in many forms: social, school, general, test, and more. At BMS we can personalize the experience to create a space where students feel safe and supported. Teachers also act as mentors and check in with students throughout the class period and school day.