In a $40,000-a-year school where AI shapes every lesson, with no teachers

Austin, TX — Fourth and fifth graders at Alpha School in Austin, Texas, aren’t just learning: they’re pioneers in education. new frontier. Every click and keystroke is guided by artificial intelligence.

Students spend just two hours in the morning on science, math, and reading, working at their own pace using custom AI-driven software.

The adults in the classroom are called guides, not teachers, and earn six-figure salaries. Their job is to encourage and motivate.

When asked if an algorithm replaces a teacher’s expertise, guide Luke Phillips replied: “I don’t think it replaces, I think it just works in tandem.” »

Afternoons at school are different. Students tackle projects, gain financial literacy and public speaking – life skills that founder MacKenzie Price says are invaluable.

“There is a huge benefit when students can be accommodated at the level and pace of learning that is right for them,” Phillips said.

Price was not an educator before starting the school in 2014. There are now 16 campuses with support from big donors. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon visited last month.

Asked about concerns about transferring learning to a laptop, Price said: “So our guides are not teaching academic content, but they are logging. In fact, each week, each of our students gets 30 minutes of focused one-on-one time with their guides, and during afternoon workshops, they connect and interact in a group experience.

This progress does not come cheap. Tuition at Alpha School in Austin starts at $40,000 per year.

“We recognize that there is a huge mountain of challenges that present themselves in a large public (school) system, so I hope that Alpha can be an example, an inspiration and help families understand that this model of education can work,” Price said.

While the school says its students rank in the top 1% on standardized assessments, the AI ​​models have been met with skepticism by educators who say they are unproven. While there’s no doubt, it attracts students like Smith Adreon, who calls the program “amazing.”