Texas AI school accelerates education, frees students up for personal projects, growth

Amid fears of artificial intelligence (AI) wrecking education, Alpha, a private, Texas-based AI school, has cut academic instruction to just two hours while achieving top-tier results – and students seem to love it.

The school has students work with an artificial intelligence tutor two hours per day, then spend the rest of their time on personal enrichment and passion projects, including innovative things such as an AI dating coach for teenagers.

Founded in 2016 in Austin by Stanford-educated psychologist MacKenzie Price and her husband, Alpha has locations in Texas and Florida and is expanding to other states, including a virtual charter school opening in Arizona this fall and a microschool program.

The model is “infinitely scalable and accessible,” Price said during an interview with Fox News.

“We use an AI tutor and adaptive apps to provide a completely personalized learning experience for all of our students,” she told the network. “And as a result, our students are learning faster. They’re learning way better.” 

While many feared AI would be the downfall of education, the school employs it as a personalized learning tool. Students are rarely bored and can learn at their own pace, which is about 2.5 times the speed of conventional learners – and the best students outpace typical instruction by a factor of six, according to the school’s website. The school is even opening a “gifted and talented” school for high achievers. 

Since the learning is AI-based, with classroom teachers serving as instructional “guides” and mentors, it adapts based on the child’s abilities and needs. Deficiencies are addressed and students are motivated to work ahead since they are not held back by their peers. Students routinely score in the top 1-2% on national tests. 

The school costs between $25,000 and $40,000 per year, which includes all programs and fees, similar to other top-tier private schools. 

Elle Liemandt, 16, who has been at Alpha since 2nd grade, absolutely loves it. 

“It’s the best school in the world,” she told Fox. “I have a lot of friends at traditional school, and every day after school and during school they’re doing so much homework. They’re just spending all this time on schoolwork and they’re so stressed out and they’re just miserable.” 

Thanks to the school’s two-hour instructional model, Liemandt, who runs a dating advice site called AskElle, has used her enrichment time to develop an AI safe dating coach app for teens, which was recently featured in The Wall Street Journal. 

“I mean, what 16-year-old has time for that? So it’s awesome,” she said. 

With the AI revolution in full swing and school choice taking root in more states, including Texas, academies such as Alpha could see increased interest. 

Teachers might also find it attractive, since they can spend the bulk of their time motivating students and helping them develop emotionally and socially, not grading and trying to keep them quiet during lessons. 

Another noted strength is the combination of individualized instruction with group activities where students learn 24 life skills, including public speaking, coding and outdoor skills. The school seeks holistic growth, not just academic knowledge, and to foster a social environment. 

“What we’re finding is that families want this personalized education experience,” Price said. “It’s transforming the experience that kids have, but even more importantly, the role that our teachers play. 

“Teachers are so critical, and in our model, we’re able to have our teachers spend all of their time focusing on motivational and emotional support, because that’s where that human connection can never be replaced by AI … That is really the magic in our model.”