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A democratic school is a school that centers on democratic principles and participatory democracy with "full and equal" participation from both students and staff. These learning environments position youth voice as the central actor in the educative process by engaging students in every facet of school operations, including learning, teaching, and leadership. Adult staff support students by offering passive and active facilitation according to students' interest.

Another tenet of democratic schools is giving students the power to choose what to do with their time. There are no required classes, and sometimes there is no requirement to take classes at all. Students are free to choose an activity that they desire, or feel the need to do. They are free to continue activities for as long or short a time as they see fit. In this way they learn both self-discipline and self initiation. They also gain the advantage of the increases in both learning speed and learning retention that accompany engagement in an activity that one is passionate about. The students at these schools are responsible for and empowered to direct their own education from a very young age.

The oldest surviving democratic school, Summerhill School in England, was founded in 1921 by A.S. Neill. Summerhill is a private school that receives no public funds. Kirkdale School was another A.S.Neill inspired "free" day school that existed between 1964 and the 1980s. Sands School, also in England and also a private school, was established in 1987. In the United States, well known successful examples include the The First Street School (described by George Dennison), Sudbury Valley School, The Circle School, Albany Free School, The Highland School and the Hudson Valley Sudbury School.

At least 100 schools around the world identify themselves as "democratic schools" today, in countries such as Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa, The Netherlands, United Kingdom and United States. Since 1993 there has been an International Democratic Education Conference (IDEC) which is held in a different country each year. In 2008, the first EUDEC (European Democratic Education Conference) is going to be held in Leipzig, Germany.

• Collaborative learning
• Teaching for social justice
• Free schools
• Michael Apple
• Jane Addams School for Democracy
• Hull House
• Shimer College
• Brisbane Independent School, QLD, Australia
• Pine Community School, QLD, Australia
• Hudson Valley Sudbury School
• Sudbury model of democratic education