Journal of Unschooling and Alternative Learning 2018 Vol. 12 Issue 24 ISSN: 1916-8128 THE EXPERIENCES OF PROGRESSIVE SCHOOL STUDENTS By: Dean Kloss Abstract Progressive schools have shown a remarkable resiliency in recent decades, continuing to operate as an alternative to the public schooling system. This study draws upon interviews with graduates of one small progressive school in Upstate New York to investigate how their schooling affected their subsequent lives. Alumni were asked to describe their educational experiences and the advantages and disadvantages they provided them with as they went on with their lives. The former students’ comments were overwhelmingly positive. Four advantages are described here---Community, Small Setting, Freedom, and Trust, along with two disadvantages-- -Limited Extra-Curricular Opportunities and Limited Socialization The author draws upon the work of Mollie Gambone and her, “Trusted to Teach: An Ethnographic Account of' Artisanal Teachers' in a Progressive High School,” to frame the results. Connections between her work and the interviews of these alumni are provided. Keywords: Progressive schools, student interviews, learning outcomes, alternative learning settings, trust, artisanal teachers.