Alpha School is a private school network expanding from New York to California that removes teachers from daily instruction and replaces them with AI software. Students spend about 2 hours each day doing schoolwork on tablets and laptops. All lessons are delivered by software. Human teachers do not teach classes.
After those 2 hours, students move into activities such as rock climbing, fitness training, building furniture, solving logic puzzles, and learning basic money management. The school refers to this as life skills training.
Tuition can reach $65,000 per year. Alpha says many students score in the top 1 to 2 percent on national MAP tests, despite spending far less time in class than students in traditional schools.
What A School Day Looks Like
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Students arrive in the morning and log into learning apps that cover math, reading, science, and language. History and other subjects are folded into reading assignments. Lessons move question by question. A student cannot move forward until answers are correct.
Software tracks speed, mistakes, and progress. When a student struggles, the program assigns review work or videos. Students do not raise their hands to ask questions. There is no teacher at the front of the room.
Adults called guides supervise the room. Guides focus on behavior, motivation, and time management. Many guides come from sports coaching, business, or technology backgrounds. Teaching licenses are not required.
If a student continues to struggle, a remote academic specialist joins by video call. Alpha says this happens in less than 5 percent of cases.
Heavy Screen Use By Design
All academic learning at Alpha School happens on screens. Reading, math, science, and testing all run through apps. Paper books are available for younger students, but they are not required for lessons.
Students follow a timed system of short work sessions and breaks until they complete the 2-hour block. Some students work at tables. Others sit on couches or bean bags. Some choose small enclosed booths, which the school calls pods.
Photos of students working alone in pods have drawn criticism online, with concerns about isolation and screen dependence. Alpha says students choose where they work, and some prefer fewer distractions.
The Founder And The Money
Alpha School was founded by MacKenzie Price, a Stanford-educated entrepreneur. Price regularly posts online, criticizing traditional schools and arguing that students learn faster through self-paced software.
Billionaire investor Joe Liemandt joined Alpha after enrolling his own children and helped fund early development. His software company assisted in building the AI system before Alpha moved development in-house.
Investor Bill Ackman has promoted Alpha publicly. Education Secretary Linda McMahon visited the Austin campus and praised the use of AI as preparation for future jobs.
Alpha says it operates about 15 schools, with more planned.
Supporters Focus On Speed And Results
Families who choose Alpha often say their children were bored or frustrated in traditional schools. Supporters point to test scores and faster progress through grade-level material.
Alpha says its system allows students to move at different speeds in the same room. A student can review earlier material or advance quickly without waiting for a class.
Some parents say the shorter class time leaves more room for exercise, creativity, and personal projects.
Critics Focus On Human Cost
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Teachers, doctors, and child development experts raise concerns about removing teachers from daily learning. Joe Vercellino, a former Detroit Teacher of the Year, warned that replacing teachers with software risks harming social development.
Health professionals also point to research linking heavy screen use to anxiety, attention problems, and depression in children and teenagers.
Critics argue that teachers notice emotional changes, social issues, and learning problems that software can miss. They also question whether motivation-focused supervision replaces teaching.
Alpha responds by saying guides meet one-on-one with students weekly and help with personal issues. Guides are required to pass background checks and cognitive tests.
A Model That Raises Bigger Questions
Alpha School represents a sharp shift in how school works. AI handles all instructions. Humans supervise behavior and goals. Class time shrinks. Screens dominate learning.
Supporters see efficiency and flexibility, and outline that as the main benefits compared to traditional schools. Critics see risk and loss of human connection.
The model remains expensive and limited to families who can afford it. Whether parts of this system move into public schools remains uncertain.
What is clear is that Alpha School removes teachers from teaching and puts AI in charge. That choice sits at the center of the debate, and it continues to divide parents, educators, and experts as the school expands.
