Our Story | The Homeschool Collective

The founders

Two educators. One shared vision.

Rachel Herrick

Founder · PhD, BCBA-D

Rachel has spent more than 15 years supporting children and families through compassionate, individualized care. A certified general and special education teacher and BCBA-D, she is committed to creating environments where children thrive and clinicians feel fulfilled.

Approach

Her work is family-centered, with a strong value placed on meaningful social skills. She uses evidence-based intervention tailored to each child, and her background as a general and special education teacher helps her bridge school and intervention—including IEP consultation and advocacy support.

She believes in errorless learning and in integrating educational settings, community participation, and family dynamics. Rachel also teaches and supervises RBTs and students seeking board certification, with a compassionate approach to feedback, high ethical standards, and child-centered care.

Intervention methods

Functional Communication Training, including AAC and PECS
Discrete Trial Training (DTT)
Structured Methods in Language Communication (SMILE)
TEACCH Method
Antecedent-based interventions
Natural Environment Training (NET)
Cognitive behavior intervention, including self-regulation
Social Stories
Pivotal Response Training (PRT)
Peer- and sibling-mediated instruction
Social Skills Training and Structured Play Groups
Errorless Learning
Video and peer modeling
Social Thinking

Education

Undergraduate degree in Sociology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario, Canada
Education degree, D’Youville College, Buffalo, New York
Certified general and special education teacher
Autism Endorsement, St. Petersburg College
M.S. in Developmental Disabilities and Applied Behavior Analysis, Nova Southeastern University
PhD in Psychology and Behavior Analysis, Capella University, with research on stimulus control during LEGO therapy for social skills among children with autism

Her career includes supporting children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, genetic disorders, and a range of behavioral and emotional challenges.

Professional memberships

Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI)
Florida Association for Behavior Analysis (FABA)
Regular attendee of national and international conferences
Supervising Analyst for students pursuing BCBA certification

Jordan Martinez

Founder · M.A., BCBA

Jordan is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst whose passion for the neurodiversity movement began while volunteering with Young Athletes, Special Olympics, and Best Buddies. She is driven by helping children connect with their families, friends, and communities.

Background

Jordan earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Florida, with a minor in Educational Studies and a specialization in Positive Psychology. After completing her undergraduate studies, she returned to South Florida and began working as a Registered Behavior Technician with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Over the years, she has provided therapy in homes, schools, centers, and community-based settings. She has collaborated with a diverse range of families and practitioners and is passionate about designing and implementing effective interventions that support progress across providers.

Clinical experience

Jordan has supported students with a wide range of needs, including:

Cognitive deficits and developmental delays
Severe aggression and self-injurious behavior
Attention deficits
Alternative communication
Other behavioral needs related to ASD and diagnoses within the neurodiversity spectrum
Co-occurring diagnoses and genetic disorders

Education and leadership

She earned a master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis with a specialization in Autism Spectrum Disorder from Ball State University and became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. As part of the JumpStart Interventions family, Jordan oversees direct support to staff, including growth opportunities for RBTs, clinical oversight for student analysts, and mentorship for new behavior analysts.

She takes pride in providing high-quality care to the children, families, and clinicians she works with.

Our founders have served in many schools and many roles—general education, intensive autism classrooms, ESE support, and as BCBAs across public, private, micro, charter, and homeschool settings in Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade.

They have seen the very best, and the hardest, that schools have to offer. While every setting has strengths, they kept returning to the same questions.

What if education could be truly different?

What if children could learn at their own pace, be challenged in ways that build confidence and self-advocacy, develop meaningful friendships, and grow within a community that partners closely with their families?

The Homeschool Collective is our answer to that question. It is a place where children can be truly known, where learning is intentional, and where families become true partners in the educational journey.

Why we began

A new pathway, with children and families at the center.

A shared passion

A belief in every child’s potential, and years of experience supporting children, teachers, and families.

A proactive path

We wanted to create something new—not wait for a system to change, but build a community that already works the way families need it to.

Our commitment

To partner with families and build a community where every child is known, supported, and empowered.

A child practicing independent life skills in a kitchen

Who we serve

Children with diverse learning needs, and the families who know them best.

Our founders’ work has included supporting learners with autism, ADHD, anxiety, and other learning differences—always with the conviction that the right environment changes everything.

We are not simply creating students who complete assignments. We are helping children become confident, capable learners for life.

Read our four pillars

A shared passion for education, and a belief in every child’s potential.