IBL News | New York
A charter school in Arizona, Unbound Academy, received official approval to offer next year a fully online experience from through to eighth grades, giving students two hours of academic instruction taught entirely by AI.
The Arizona State Board for Charter Schools greenlighted the initiative. Unbound Academy proposed in its application an “AI-driven adaptive learning technology that condenses academic instruction into a two-hour window.”
Unbound’s approach leans on edtech platforms like Khan Academy and IXL, with students engaging with “interactive, AI-powered platforms that continuously adjust to their individual learning pace and style.” Guides, rather than traditional teachers, will provide “targeted interventions and coaching” for each student.
Academic instruction will be whittled down to just two hours. The remainder of the student’s day will include “life-skills workshops” about critical thinking, creative problem-solving, financial literacy, public speaking, goal setting, and entrepreneurship.
The school promised a learning experience without frustration or boredom, ensuring optimal engagement and progress.
Supported by major players like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Unbound aims to refine its model for broader adoption across states like Arkansas and Utah.
“The founders of Unbound Academic Institute began with opening a high-end private school, Alpha, for the same reason Elon Musk started with higher-end Teslas: to create a product that generates insights and funding for future research and development,” the company wrote in its application.
Arizona’s Bold Step into AI-Education. So it begins
Arizona has approved an unprecedented educational model: a charter school where students will receive two hours of daily academic instruction directed entirely by AI. Unbound Academy, launching next year, is a fully online… pic.twitter.com/6ZAd4bPYFX
— Chubby♨️ (@kimmonismus) December 22, 2024
