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IBL News | New York
AI-driven private schools, run by for-profit companies, are expanding their footprint in the U.S. while public schools struggle to attract and retain students, and others accelerate their investments in AI.
These schools teach core subjects for two hours a day and devote the afternoon to developing practical skills, such as financial literacy, public speaking, and entrepreneurship.
Alpha Schools was founded in 2014 as a pricey private school in Austin. Today, with an annual tuition of $45,000, it is leading the parental school choice movement while embracing AI technology that generates personalized learning plans for students.
This fall, Alpha Schools will launch in Santa Barbara, California; New York City; Chantilly, Virginia; and Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina, before expanding to Houston, Tampa, and Puerto Rico.
Existing locations are in Scottsdale, San Francisco, Miami, and Palm Beach. There are also five in Texas, including Brownsville, home of Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
Instead of teachers, these schools employ professional guides and coaches who
come from a range of backgrounds, from tech to law. Their mission is to motivate students. They make over $100,000 a year.
Students learn on third-party apps, such as Synthesis Tutor and Math Academy, as well as Alpha Schools’ own programs. Each subject is taught in 25-minute sessions, with short breaks in between.
Skeptics have questioned the effectiveness of replacing teachers with AI-assisted learning and restricting learning to 25 minutes per subject.
Alpha School is gaining more national attention, boosted by the support of billionaire Bill Ackman, an outspoken critic of DEI.
• The New York Times: AI-Driven Education: Founded in Texas and Coming to a School Near You
