Star Lab named Yass Prize finalist; other Florida schools also win big
Published on: Nov 10, 2026
Star Lab named Yass Prize finalist; other Florida schools also win big
10/07/26 | Lisa Buie
An expanding microschool that offers personalized, mastery-based learning to students in a low-income area of Sarasota County won a $500,000 grant Tuesday to expand its model.
Star Lab, which began two years ago in an unused building at a public housing community, was one of eight providers honored as finalists in the Yass Prize awards. The awards, sometimes called “the Pulitzer of education innovation,” recognizes innovators who challenge assumptions about where, how and by whom education can be delivered.
Founders Jeff and Janine Yass established the program in 2021 to honor and advance the work of education providers who delivered a “best-in-class” experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. They initially offered only a $1 million first prize, but the launch revealed the work of so many innovative entrepreneurs that the Yass’s decided to give 20 of them $100,000 each.
That led to the process of a robust evaluation, business acceleration and pitch presentation to determine winners. That included this year’s awardees announced at the center’s Power of Innovation Summit held Tuesday in Philadelphia, where Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was among the keynote speakers.
Star Lab founder Alison Rini started the small private school after 25 years of serving as a teacher and administrator in district and charter schools. She was especially interested in proving that children growing up in public housing could achieve at the highest levels when given personalized instruction, movement, strong relationships and the right environment.
“Star Lab is humbled by the recognition and thrilled to receive the fuel to expand our model to serve more deserving children and families,” Rini said Tuesday. “This Yass award elevates our message that ALL children can learn when schools work together with their families right in their neighborhoods.”
Rini started with five students due to local regulatory issues. After overcoming those hurdles, the school soon outgrew its initial location. In 2026, Rini opened a second location inside a Boys & Girls Club.
During his speech, DeSantis recalled spirited debates that occurred decades ago about whether school choice would result in better outcomes or destroy public schools.
“Well, I’m here to tell you that the experience of the state of Florida, we can now say that debate is over,” said DeSantis, who in 2023 signed universal choice eligibility into law. “We have won that debate.”
He mentioned the plethora of choices now available to Florida families, including those offered at district and charter schools. He also said studies have shown that public school performance improved in the era of school choice.
“Does that not just validate everything we’ve been talking about for all these years?” he said. He urged other states to follow Florida and those that more recently launched choice programs.
“There’s never been a time in the history of the world where you bring a kid into this world in the state of Florida where you’re going to have more options than somebody 50 years ago who was in the top .001% of wealth,” he said. “You have that at your fingertips now because of these programs and these initiatives, and I think that’s really remarkable.”
This year’s $1 million prize went to Learning Lounge, a private school in rural Arkansas that combines academics with social development, entrepreneurship, hands-on learning and therapeutic supports. The school serves 73 students, with more than 90 on its waitlist. Founders are planning more schools with the goal of statewide expansion.
Seventeen programs were named semifinalists, including two based in Florida. AMIkids Maritime Academy received $150,000. The charter school turns Panama City’s waterfront into a classroom, preparing students for college, careers and military service through marine biology, oceanography, seamanship, aerospace, leadership and workforce certifications. DePaul School of Northeast Florida in Jacksonville, a private school that focuses on students with dyslexia, won $50,000.
National programs with connections to Florida also took home $50,000 grants. Kidvation Global, an Oklahoma-based ed tech platform that teaches entrepreneurship, is embedded in several Florida schools. Regina Caeli Academy, a national Catholic homeschool-hybrid network has locations in Jacksonville and Saint Leo Abbey west of Dade City.
Three former Yass winners also won alumni grants: Career Academy of the Palm Beaches, Freedom Institute of Collier County, and Primer Microschools, a South Florida-based network of small private schools that won the $1 million top prize in 2024.