A growing network of private schools named Alpha is pioneering an educational model that replaces traditional teachers and textbooks with artificial intelligence. Students spend just two hours a day on core subjects using AI tutors, with the rest of their time dedicated to life skills workshops. This approach has attracted high-profile supporters, including government officials, but is also facing scrutiny from education experts and some parents who question its effectiveness and impact on student well-being.
Key Takeaways
- Alpha schools use AI tutors for a two-hour academic block, eliminating traditional homework and teachers for core subjects.
- The model has gained support from figures like US Education Secretary Linda McMahon and billionaire Bill Ackman.
- Concerns have been raised by education scholars about a lack of independent research and the potential social drawbacks of individualized learning.
- Some former parents reported issues with student anxiety and a heavy focus on performance metrics over genuine learning.
A New Educational Blueprint
Alpha, founded in Austin in 2014 by education entrepreneur MacKenzie Price and tech billionaire Joe Liemandt, presents itself as a solution to a struggling US education system. The school's network has since expanded to cities like Miami, San Francisco, and Chantilly, Virginia, with tuition fees ranging from $10,000 to $75,000 annually depending on the location.
A typical day begins with a group activity focused on a life skill. Students then spend two hours on laptops, using specialized software and AI tutors to learn math, science, social studies, and language. Human staff, referred to as "guides," are present to provide motivation and support but do not teach academic subjects. The remainder of the day is spent in workshops on topics like financial literacy or problem-solving.
By the Numbers
According to a Walton Family Foundation and Gallup poll, 6 in 10 teachers used an AI tool during the 2024-2025 school year, indicating a broader trend of AI integration in education.
Support from the Top
This innovative model has captured the attention of influential figures. U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon visited an Alpha campus in 2025, praising the opportunities she observed. The Department of Education has described Alpha as a school that is "reimagining K–12 education" and preparing students for a technology-driven workforce.
The school also counts billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman among its advocates, who has called it a "breakthrough innovation." This high-level endorsement coincides with national data showing a decade-long decline in student achievement scores in math and reading, pushing many parents to seek alternatives to traditional public schooling.
Mixed Experiences from Families
For some families, the Alpha model has been a resounding success. Jennifer Gabler, a parent in Brownsville, Texas, enrolled her three children in March 2023. She reported that her youngest daughter's reading skills improved dramatically within weeks. "She would come home and voluntarily do it because she was so excited to learn," Gabler said.
She also highlighted the school's use of incentives, where students can earn rewards like a pajama day or even funded trips for meeting performance goals. Her two oldest children have taken excursions to Italy and Switzerland. However, Gabler acknowledged the model's challenges, noting that the strict "no teaching" policy for guides can be difficult when a child is struggling. "I know it’s not for every single family," she concluded.
"What if I told you this school has no teachers, and students learn academics through an AI tutor, on AI apps that give each students a one-to-one personalized mastery-based academic journey that guarantees success." - MacKenzie Price, Alpha Co-founder, in a 2024 promotional video.
Other parents have had more troubling experiences. Jessica Lopez withdrew her two daughters from the Brownsville campus in 2024, citing concerns about the stress induced by the school's focus on metrics. She observed that her children's curiosity was replaced by an intense focus on performance data, which she said made them "zombie-like."
The Brownsville Campus Controversy
During the 2023-2024 school year, several families at the Brownsville campus voiced concerns. They reported that children were staying up late to improve their metrics, leading to anxiety. Alpha has since stated that the Brownsville school at that time operated under a "confusing and ineffective" homeschool-hybrid model that "bears no resemblance to the school model today." The company said the entire experience has been transformed.
Scrutiny from the Academic World
While Alpha claims its students learn twice as fast as their peers, citing results from the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test, some experts are skeptical. Justin Reich, director of the Teaching Systems Lab at MIT, questioned the comparison. He noted that MAP tests are primarily used in public schools, and comparing Alpha's students to a broad national average rather than students in other elite private schools may not be an appropriate measure of success.
Reich also expressed concern about the educational philosophy. "The most powerful moments are these collaborative moments," he said, questioning the long-term societal impact of training children to optimize individual accomplishments over community building.
Calls for Transparency
A significant point of criticism is the lack of independent evaluation. Victor Lee, an associate professor at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education, highlighted this issue. "What has been a big concern amongst scholars and researchers is that Alpha is refusing to allow for any independent research to evaluate the claims or to really scrutinize what’s going on," Lee stated. He added that this behavior "sort of implies there’s something to hide."
Alpha has defended its methods, stating it has hired its own researchers to assess outcomes. The company declined requests from reporters to visit its campuses for this story, citing a high volume of inquiries.
Expansion and Public Pushback
Beyond its private school network, Alpha has attempted to enter the public education sphere through a virtual charter school network called Unbound Academy. While Arizona approved an application in 2024, several other states, including Pennsylvania, Arkansas, and Utah, have rejected it.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education, in its denial, pointed to the lack of human teachers and the unproven nature of the model. "The artificial intelligence instructional model being proposed by this school is untested," the department said, expressing concern over its alignment with state academic standards. As AI continues to integrate into classrooms nationwide, the debate over its role—whether as a tool for teachers or a replacement for them—is only just beginning.