IN a recent article posted by the Foundation for Economic Education, education expert Kerry McDonald talks about new school models writing their own rules in the age of AI. These include fast-growing school networks such as Alpha School, which “recognizes the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence…tools and platforms,” and teaches students how to master and benefit from these innovations.
Writing for Forbes, Ray Ravaglia says Alpha School uses AI to “unleash” students. The school, he adds, leverages “AI-driven, adaptive learning technology,” allowing students to “complete an entire day’s worth of academics in just two hours. The rest of the day is dedicated to life skills, passion projects, and co-curricular activities, creating a balance between independent mastery and communal engagement.”
This approach, Ravaglia says, avoids the “inefficiency of one-size-fits-all instruction and the isolation of individualized learning.”
How does it work?
According to Ravaglia, Alpha School replaces traditional classroom teaching with AI tutors and adaptive learning platforms. In the mornings, students work through personalized lessons in core subjects such as math, reading, science, and social studies. The system tracks their progress in real time, identifies areas where they need help, and makes sure they fully understand each topic before moving on. This mastery-based approach allows students who are ready to move ahead beyond grade level, while giving others time to strengthen foundational skills before advancing.
At Alpha School, teachers are known as “guides.” They do not lecture or grade work in the core subjects. Instead, they support students as mentors, helping them stay motivated and on track. In the afternoons, students join workshops and group projects focused on skills such as public speaking, leadership, entrepreneurship, and coding. They may also take part in debates and creative activities, which are often limited in traditional school schedules.
Older students can use this time for internships, research, or other meaningful experiences outside the classroom. Ravaglia says the goal is not just to learn information, but to apply it — building confidence, communication skills, and problem-solving abilities along the way.
Alpha School, he adds, keeps students highly motivated by eliminating boredom and disengagement.
Clearly, Alpha School is preparing students for this digital world — not the offline world of their parents.
Alpha School, however, is quite pricey, with annual tuition costs ranging from $25,000 to $40,000. But perhaps, like many new and useful things, an AI-based education will eventually cost less.
Whether Alpha School will transform traditional education or remain a high-end alternative, Ravaglia says, is yet to be seen. Still, he adds, “Alpha School prompts educators to reconsider what is possible. Demonstrating how students can learn twice as quickly while engaging in meaningful, real-world activities raises the question: If we were to design a school from scratch today, would it look anything like what we have now?”
McDonald says alternative schools also include those that provide a blend of high-tech and low-tech learning experiences in a classroom. One such school is Colossal Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The school uses AI tools like ChatGPT to create personalized lesson plans, help students with difficult topics, and introduce them to the latest AI technologies.
The educators behind Colossal Academy Colossal believe that AI can enhance learning and improve a student’s overall educational experience. “AI isn’t replacing learning,” they told McDonald. “It’s replacing the friction that used to block learning.”
As AI tools evolve at a rapid pace, McDonald says, “smaller, more flexible learning environments are well-positioned to test new approaches, develop school-based expectations for responsible use, and adjust as needed.” In the States, she says, “the bigger story is that parents are increasingly able to choose a school that reflects their personal views on AI in the classroom. In a more decentralized, entrepreneur-driven education landscape, families can select screen-free schools, tech-enabled programs, or thoughtful blends of both. What is right for one student or school may not be right for another, which is why boosting the supply of assorted schooling models and methods matters — particularly in the age of AI.”
Here, in any case, is the bottom line. The current K-12 curriculum is obsolete. It’s like preparing marathon runners by making them practice tap dancing.
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Zaldy Dandan is the recipient of the NMI Society of Professional Journalists’ Best in Editorial Writing Award and the NMI Humanities Award for Outstanding Contributions to Journalism. His four books are available on amazon.com/.
