An AI-powered private school has touched down in Northern Virginia.
The Washington Post reported that Alpha School will launch with 25 students in grades K-3 this fall. Tuition costs vary by campus, but can range from $15,000 to $65,000, per The Washington Post. The Alpha School also has classes that have started on campuses in Austin, TX; Brownsville, TX; and Miami, with 11 more on the way in states like New York and California.
The Virginia campus, situated near the Dulles International Airport, will not be led by teachers but by AI tutors called “guides.” Guides are not required to hold teaching licensure or have a background in education, per The Washington Post.
Over two hours, students learn academics through a combination of adaptive apps and one-on-one personalized instruction, customized by software learning diagnostics and machine learning. The company website says that with a focus on the appropriate level and pace for students, learners will “progress with concept-based mastery and without any knowledge gaps.”
Furthermore, the program allows students to tailor their afternoons to learning life skills such as public speaking and coding. AI “guides” can then dedicate their time to supporting student emotional well-being, taking on a mentor and life coaching role.
“We motivate kids by giving them the gift of time to pursue the things they want to do and develop life skills. Adults in the room support motivated students to foster a growth mindset and independent learning,” a description on Alpha School’s website reads.
Per The Washington Post, MacKenzie Price, the co-founder of Alpha School stated, “What we realized is that kids do not need to sit in class all day doing academics.”
Price also addressed some concerns. She shared with the outlet that AI does not generate the curriculum, and students will not use chatbots. She also mentioned the AI will monitor instruction, screen activity, and keystrokes. Even if students attempt to breeze through the lesson plans, the AI technology will respond by prompting them to slow down and take their time.
Ying Xu, an assistant professor at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, told The Washington Post that although AI integration into school could be valuable for highly motivated students, it could create problems for students who don’t share that same enthusiasm about learning. Therefore, he believed AI would become a “shortcut.”
Still, the Trump administration has been outspoken about its stance on AI in schools, issuing an executive order in April. The order offered an action plan to ensure students will be equipped with AI skills to drive innovation and succeed in an “AI-ready workforce.”
“To ensure the United States remains a global leader in this technological revolution, we must provide our Nation’s youth with opportunities to cultivate the skills and understanding necessary to use and create the next generation of AI technology,” the order stated. “By fostering AI competency, we will equip our students with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to adapt to and thrive in an increasingly digital society.”
