Built by a Family Who Lives Your World
NavEd was created by Ike and Sami Lacey, a husband and wife team who co-op their kids in central Virginia. We're not just building software, we're serving the community we're part of.
Grades, paperwork, payments, and curriculum: built for your specific educational setting.
“I grew up in a co-op school, and it completely changed my outlook on learning and what's possible in life. I'm deeply thankful for the community I was part of and the mothers and fathers who mentored and taught me.”Ike Lacey, Co-Founder
How We Got Here
Still small, still hands-on, still built by the people who use it.
Ike starts writing NavEd nights and weekends after our co-op's staff asks for something better than spreadsheets.
Our own co-op becomes the first tenant. Every early feature request comes from people we see at pickup.
Word spreads between microschool families. Grades recorded pass 2.3 million. Pricing stays built for small schools.
Same husband-and-wife team, same commitment: software priced and designed for the community we're part of.
Our Story
Ike and Sami Lacey
Co-Founders of NavEd
We're Ike and Sami Lacey, a husband and wife team who co-op our kids in central Virginia. Like many of you, we've experienced firsthand the incredible impact of co-op education on our children. But we also witnessed the challenges: expensive software solutions that didn't fit our needs, and administrators struggling with spreadsheets and disconnected tools. When the staff at our co-op asked us to build something better, something that truly understood our community's needs, we knew we had to act.
Growing up in a co-op school shaped who I am today. The personalized attention, the community support, the parents who invested in me, it changed everything. Those mothers and fathers who mentored me, taught me, and believed in me gave me opportunities I never would have had otherwise. I saw what real education could be when a community comes together with a shared purpose.
That's why we built NavEd. As a software engineer, I have skills that can serve our community in a meaningful way. This isn't just a business for us, it's our way of giving back to the community we're part of, the same way those dedicated parents gave to me years ago. We want to be for today's microschool families what those mentors were for us. NavEd is built with love, built to serve, and built by people who understand your world because we live it every day alongside you.
Our Core Values
Education-First
We prioritize learning over profit. Our features are designed to enhance education, not complicate it. Teachers should teach, not manage software.
Community-Driven
Built for microschools, co-ops, and small schools, by someone from this community. Your feedback shapes our roadmap. We grow when you grow.
Affordable for All
Quality educational tools shouldn't break the bank. Our pricing grows with you: small schools start for free, larger schools pay fair rates.
Transparency
No hidden fees, no surprises. Clear pricing, honest communication, and open about what we can and can't do. You deserve honesty.
User-Focused
We design for real people: busy teachers, engaged parents, curious students. Simple, intuitive interfaces that just work.
Continuous Improvement
We're constantly learning and evolving. Regular updates, new features, and improvements based on your real-world needs.
Our Mission
To empower microschools, hybrid programs, co-ops, and small schools with affordable, powerful tools for grades, curriculum, paperwork and payments, so administration stops competing with education. Every student deserves a personalized learning experience, every teacher deserves tools that save time, and every parent deserves visibility into their child's education.
Our pricing grows with you. Small schools can start for free. As you grow, you pay only for what you need. No school should be priced out of quality educational software.
What NavEd Actually Gives You
Built For Your School
- Purpose-built for microschools, hybrid programs, and co-ops
- Affordable: first 5 students free, fair rates after
- Simple, intuitive features you'll actually use
- Comprehensive parent portal for multiple children
- Flexible elective system with capacity management
- Transparent pricing, no hidden fees
- Built by microschool parents who live this life with you
Join Our Growing Community
See why microschools and co-ops trust NavEd to manage their student records, grades, and administration. Start free, grow with us, and experience software built specifically for your needs.