• Case Studies
  • Posts
  • Why Traditional Schools are Broken and What Comes Next

Why Traditional Schools are Broken and What Comes Next

Matt Clayton left Wall Street to build a new model of education. Here’s why it matters and what we can all learn from it.

Author

Casey Baugh
April 9th, 2025

The School That Changed How I Think About Education

In this week’s episode of Case Studies, I sat down with my good friend Matt Clayton. Founder of Slope School, former Goldman Sachs analyst, and one of the most intentional thinkers I know.

This episode hit different. Because it’s personal.

All five of my kids have gone through Matt’s school. And over the years, I’ve watched it do something most schools don’t: help kids love learning.

From Goldman Sachs to Grade School

Matt started his career in high finance. But he left it all behind to build something that didn’t exist yet a better way to educate kids.

Not just test scores. Not just credentials. A model built around curiosity, real-world learning, autonomy, and purpose.

Slope School doesn’t feel like school. It feels like a launchpad. And it works.

Why the Old Model Doesn’t Fit the New World

Traditional education was built for the industrial age. Uniformity. Compliance. Rigid schedules. That’s not what our kids need now.

Matt shares:

  • Why small, student-led schools can actually offer more variety than large institutions

  • How digital tools and experiential learning flip the old classroom on its head

  • Why kids should be encouraged to collaborate not punished for "cheating"

“The future belongs to learners who know how to learn, unlearn, and relearn.”

How to Teach Kids to Think Like Entrepreneurs

Slope isn’t just about academics. It’s about ownership.

Matt’s team uses real-world challenges startup pitches, city-wide scavenger hunts, expedition-style trips to help kids build confidence, leadership, and grit.

They’re learning how to think. How to solve. How to lead.

And maybe most important of all: they’re learning how to believe in themselves.

P.S. If this conversation opened your mind, you’ll love our recent newsletter on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People especially Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind. Read it here.

And if you haven’t already, RSVP to our upcoming Case Studies Live event it’s going to be an incredible night of real stories, live lessons, and community. Reserve your spot now.