PI's educational philosophy is that all students are highly capable in some way. With plenty of family and school support, an individual learning plan can be developed which will allow the student to make the most of her or his talents, allowing them to become strong students and successful people. Strong, successful students often choose the PI Program in order to have better opportunities to pursue their other interests. Students in the PI Program document their learning by recording the time they spend on schoolwork, in addition to creating products and taking exams. Instead of doing all the work on campus, they do much of it at home.
Family support is critical to success.
Students can arrange their lives so that work is done at times convenient to them. Several PI classes are held at off-campus locations. PI students may find themselves rowing across Port Townsend Bay or hiking through the Olympic Mountains. They can get out in the world and learn about it firsthand. In PI, students have the opportunity to deal with real-world situations, yet remain in a controlled environment.