Meet Rachel Schopp

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rachel Schopp and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rachel, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I was an educator, teacher coach and school leader for a long time and took some time off to have children. During these years of motherhood, I have served in other roles personally and professionally, but would consistently be sought out by other parents to support them with questions around education. I would be asked for my opinions on their child’s test results or how to advocate for their child with a teacher or school issue. I would be asked about schools in the area or surrounding districts and to help provide a deeper insight into what makes a good school when you have so much choice. Parents would also reach out to ask questions about behavioral issues that I was uniquely qualified to support with.
After one such support session with a family, I started to see that there really weren’t many types of family support in the education world like this and I started to realize that the service I was providing was extremely useful and very helpful to the small group of families I was supporting and wanted to help even more!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My business, Allied Education, provides personalized guidance and support to families and students. My services are designed to address the unique needs of each student, including school planning, assisting families with the relocation process, admissions preparation, and offering school-to-home support. I aim to help families navigate the complexities of the education system and make informed academic decisions. I also assist parents in advocating for their children, finding necessary resources, and navigating school systems effectively.
I think my time spent in the classroom actually teaching kids and serving as a school and teacher leader, is what sets me apart. I am able to step into this Educational Ally role with extensive educational expertise that other people in this field might not have. There are plenty of people who support with school choice but when it comes to supporting students in a behavioral/ academic way, having someone who has spent their career helping families, students and communities is so beneficial.
So many of my first clients were moms that I know whose kids were starting school or going through elementary and they had SO many questions. They needed services but didn’t know how to access them, their kiddos were struggling academically or behaviorally in the classroom and they didn’t know what to do or the teachers would give them feedback at a Parent-Teacher Conference and they didn’t know how to support them at home. It was such an eye-opening experience to be on this side of the school building and realize how little support families actually have in this educational space. So, I wouldn’t say it was hard to start Allied Education, because I began to see how necessary this service was to so many families.
I really want the world to know that the Allied Education brand is all about collaboration. I want to be an ally to families, students, schools, teachers, communities and everyone working together to do what is best for kids. Children deserve people to come alongside them to make education work for them and supporting all members of their educational team is key to doing that. I think it takes a unique person with a very specific skillset to work with people on all sides of the world of education to do this well.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in Morrison, Colorado about 20 minutes west of Downtown Denver. If folks were visiting, I would absolutely book a concert at Red Rocks where the musical experience is beyond magical. I would do lots of hiking, Mt Falcon is amazing and Lair O’ the Bear is great for families, especially if it includes a lunch stop at SwitchBack BBQ for a creekside picnic on their deck. I would venture into downtown where we have amazing Art, History and Natural History Museums that my kids adore and of course I would take them to eat the best dumplings on the planet at Yuan Wonton. There is so much to see, explore and eat in the greater Denver area!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I think I would shoutout teachers as a whole group. My time in schools, teaching, leading and growing children and adults was hard, fun, so joyful and also extremely impactful. Teachers are holding up the world and are so often unappreciated. I had a principal tell me that my job as an educational family ally was adversarial to teachers and it really bothered me. I think I make a good ally for parents in navigating this educational world because I will always identify as an educator first. I know how passionate teachers are about doing what’s best for kids and I want to help bridge this divide between families and schools to support children as well as we can!
I would also shout out my own children. Having hundreds of students makes you learn so much about how to read kids and the best ways to support them and bring out the best in them but having your own kids takes the learning to another level. I am in constant awe of the growth I have to make daily to be the best mom I can be for them and that makes me such a better ally to families.

Website: https://www.youreducationally.com

Instagram: youreducationally

Linkedin: Allied Education

Facebook: Rachel Schopp

Image Credits
EEDYphoto