The Open School is Orange County's first and only democratic free school. There are no standardized tests, no compulsory courses, no set curriculum, and the students preside over virtually all aspects of the school, down to governance and finance. Present day schools in America have become restrictive assembly lines of busy work and standardized tests, eschewing creativity and innovation in exchange for rote memorization and sitting quietly. Based in sound and widely-lauded academic research, The Open School's student-centered model of "unschooling" promotes self-actualization, passion-driven discovery, and compassionate responsibility. Rather than teaching kids how to be students, The Open School strives to teach kids how to embrace challenges, confront obstacles, create goals and discover their own identities.