Studies in homes, schools, and workplaces repeatedly show similar results: When people are empowered to make their own decisions, they are more satisfied and likely to yield more thoughtful results. The Manhattan Free School is based on many of the same principles as the Summerhill School in England, the Sudbury Valley School in Massachusetts, The Albany Free School in Albany, New York, and the Brooklyn Free School in Brooklyn, New York. Since the Sudbury Valley School opened its doors in 1968, educators have conducted extensive research of Sudbury graduates. Former students of the school clearly expressed that their democratic, free education helped them immeasurably. Their educational experience aided them greatly in the pursuit of an occupation, higher education, or other life choices - providing strong evidence that this approach works.
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*Greenberg, Daniel, & Mimsy Sadofsky (2005). The Pursuit of Happiness: The Lives of Sudbury Valley Alumni. Framingham, MA: Sudbury Valley School Press.
