What is Alpha School?

Alpha School is a private K-12 school that uses an AI-powered platform to teach all academic subjects in a hyper-efficient two-hour block, allowing students to learn up to 10 times faster than in traditional schools. The rest of the day is spent on project-based "life skills."

Why hasn't the education model changed in 200 years?

The current model of a teacher in front of a class of 20-30 students was created for the industrial age as a way to deliver mass education. While learning science has known for 40 years that this is one of the worst ways to teach, there hasn't been a technology that could deliver individualized, mastery-based instruction at scale until the recent advent of Generative AI.

What does "mastery-based learning" actually mean at Alpha?

It means a student must prove they understand a concept with over 90% accuracy before the system allows them to move on. In traditional schools, a student can pass with 70%, meaning they miss 30% of the material. Alpha's approach is like sports: you master the fundamentals (like dribbling) before you practice advanced plays (the alley-oop). This prevents the knowledge gaps that cause students to struggle later on.

Can this system help students who are already far behind?

Yes. Because the learning rate is so fast, students can catch up quickly. An entire grade level of material in one subject only takes 20 to 30 hours to master on the platform. A student who is two years behind is only about 40-60 hours of work away from being at grade level, a gap that can be closed in a matter of months.

What do kids do for the rest of the day after the two hours of academics?

They participate in hands-on, collaborative workshops designed to teach life skills. Examples include fifth graders running a profitable Airbnb, launching a food truck, second graders training for and running a 5K, and high schoolers producing a Broadway-style musical.

How do you scale the "life skills" portion of the day? Isn't that hard to standardize?

For K-8 students, Alpha has developed a structured curriculum of workshops and projects that can be rolled out systematically across campuses. For high schoolers, the model shifts to a "super passion project" where students have four years to work on a major, self-directed goal with mentorship, forcing them to become self-driven learners who can source their own resources.

What is the role of teachers? Are they replaced by AI?

Adults are critical, but their role changes completely. They are called "Guides" and do zero academic teaching. Their entire job is to motivate, mentor, build relationships, and facilitate the afternoon life skill workshops.

How much are "Guides" paid compared to traditional teachers?

The minimum pay for a Guide at Alpha is $100,000, which is roughly double the average teacher pay in the Austin market. This allows the school to attract top talent from both inside and outside the traditional education field.

What are the biggest challenges or skeptical arguments against this model?

The primary challenge is proving it can work at scale outside of a well-funded private school with a select student body. Another issue is that parents have very different ideas about the purpose of education; some prioritize academics, while others value social aspects or other skills, making a "one-size-fits-all" solution difficult. The technology itself also needs refinement to eliminate AI errors or "hallucinations."

My child will be on a screen for two hours straight. Is that healthy?

Alpha views this as "very good screen time." Unlike passive consumption, your child is actively engaged in a learning dialogue with the AI tutor. The system is designed for focus, using 25-minute "Pomodoro" sessions for each subject. The goal is maximum efficiency to free up the rest of the day for screen-free, collaborative activities.

How do you prevent my child from just using the AI to cheat?

This is a key design feature. The "Time Back" platform is not a chatbot like ChatGPT, which is often used for cheating. The AI's purpose is to generate personalized lessons and questions and then provide targeted feedback. It acts as a tutor and a coach, not an answer machine. Functions that would enable cheating are not activated.

How do I know this is actually working? Do you use standardized tests?

Yes. Alpha uses third-party standardized tests, like the MAPS test, to measure progress. Parents receive a mid-year update showing their child's growth. The results consistently show that in two hours a day, students learn twice as much as their peers who spend six hours a day in a traditional classroom.

What happens if my child gets stuck on a problem? Is there a human to help?

Absolutely. While the AI is the primary academic instructor, the "Guides" (teachers) constantly monitor student progress. During the two-hour academic block, Guides will frequently pull students aside for one-on-one check-ins to offer encouragement, discuss challenges, and ensure they feel supported.

My child is already gifted and ahead of their grade. Will they be bored?

No, this model is ideal for gifted students. Because learning isn't tied to a grade level, a student at the 99th percentile isn't capped. The system will continue to feed them advanced material at their own pace, allowing them to get years ahead of their peers.

With only two hours of academics, does this mean no homework?

That's the goal. The system is designed to be so efficient that the traditional model of a six-hour school day plus homework becomes completely unnecessary. The only exception is for students who are significantly behind when they start and choose to do extra work to catch up faster.

How do you motivate my child to do the work? What if they don't want to?

Motivation is 90% of the solution at Alpha. While the main motivator is earning back four hours of their day for fun projects, the school uses many other tools tailored to the child. This can range from earning stickers or a class petting zoo for younger kids, to friendly competition on leaderboards, to earning "Alpha Bucks" to fund their passion projects or learn financial literacy.

If kids are on computers, how do they develop social skills?

Socialization is a primary focus of the other four hours of the day. The afternoon life-skill workshops are team-based, collaborative, and project-driven. This is where students learn teamwork, leadership, and relationship-building by working together on real-world challenges, like running a business.

You set very high standards, like running a 5K. What if my child fails or isn't athletic?

The philosophy is "high standards, high support." The goal isn't just the achievement itself, but teaching the process of reaching a difficult goal. In the 5K example, students are taught "atomic habits" and start by simply walking the track. They build up incrementally with constant encouragement from their Guide. The program teaches them how to do hard things, building resilience and a growth mindset.

This sounds very different and risky. How can I be sure it's the right choice for my child?

The founder acknowledges that it can seem "weird" at first because it's so different from our own experience. However, the model is based on 40 years of proven learning science. The school's commitments are clear: your child will love school, they will learn twice as fast, and they will learn critical life skills. The school uses hard data from standardized tests to prove the academic results, and the high engagement in the afternoon workshops speaks for itself.

This is a high-end private school. Is this model just for rich kids?

The physical Alpha School campuses are expensive, but the long-term vision is the opposite. The goal is to perfect the "Time Back" software platform and make it accessible and affordable for everyone. The vision is a future where any child on the planet can get a world-class education for two hours a day on a sub-$1000 tablet.

Why is American K-12 education doing so poorly despite massive spending?

The system is built on a flawed, time-based model. We advance students every year based on age, not on whether they've mastered the material. This creates compounding knowledge gaps, leading to a steady decline in performance as students are promoted with a weak foundation.

What is the single biggest unlock to fix education?

Switching from a time-based system to a mastery-based system where students must demonstrate proficiency before moving on. This ensures every child has a solid foundation. When powered by AI tutors, this approach is highly efficient and scalable.

How can kids really learn 10 times faster?

Traditional classrooms are incredibly inefficient, with retention from lectures as low as 5%.4 An AI tutor provides a personalized, one-on-one lesson plan for each student, keeping them in the optimal learning zone (the "zone of proximal development").5 It ensures they master basics before advancing, eliminating time wasted on remediation and allowing them to cover material much more quickly. An entire year's math curriculum can be mastered in just 20-30 hours.

Isn't paying kids to get good grades a bad idea?

It can be a powerful "unlock." For a student who believes they "can't" succeed, an extrinsic motivator like a $1,000 reward can provide the initial push needed to do the work. Once they achieve a high standard they thought was impossible, their entire self-perception changes, creating a powerful intrinsic motivation that lasts long after the reward is gone. It's the kindling that starts the fire.

What is the role of human teachers if AI is doing the teaching?

Their role becomes more important, not less. Freed from grading tests and delivering repetitive lectures, they become guides and mentors. They focus on connecting with students one-on-one, providing motivational and emotional support, setting high standards, and teaching the life skills—leadership, teamwork, public speaking—that AI can't.

What is a mastery-based system?

It's an educational approach where students progress based on their mastery of a concept, not on a fixed schedule. If you don't understand fractions, you don't move on to algebra. This prevents the knowledge gaps that plague the traditional system.

How does the "2-hour learning" block work?

Students spend a focused, two-hour block on core academics using AI-powered apps. Once they complete their daily lessons to a mastery standard, their "school work" is done. The rest of the day is freed up for workshops, sports, and projects focused on life skills.

What are the key principles of learning science you use?

The model incorporates well-established concepts like Bloom's 2 Sigma (the effectiveness of tutoring), the zone of proximal development (keeping content not too hard, not too easy), cognitive load theory (not overloading working memory), and active learning (testing over passive listening).

How is AI the "light microscope" for education?

For decades, learning science has described a better way to teach, but it was impossible to implement at scale in a traditional classroom. AI is the instrument that finally allows us to measure what a student knows with precision and deliver a perfectly tailored, one-on-one lesson, making the theories of learning science a practical reality for every child.

How will Generative AI create better lessons?

Generative AI can create dynamic, endlessly engaging content tailored to each child's interests.6 If a student loves baseball, their math problems will be about batting averages. If they love the musical Hamilton, their history lessons will be presented as song lyrics. This makes learning compelling and relevant, not a chore.

Is there still a technology risk in this model?

While the technology will continue to improve, the core principles can be implemented today. Even with current "static" AI-curated content, students can learn 3-5 times faster. The primary risk is not technological but sociological: getting society to adopt a fundamentally new model for schooling.

Why hasn't this been done before if the ideas are 40 years old?

Because there was no scalable, cost-effective technology to deliver personalized, mastery-based tutoring. You couldn't give every child a dedicated human tutor. AI is the first tool that can provide that one-on-one relationship to millions of students simultaneously.

What's the biggest obstacle to adoption?

Inertia and mindset. The "teacher in front of a classroom" model is all anyone knows. The biggest challenge is convincing parents, educators, and policymakers to embrace a complete rebuild of the school day, even if it's proven to be vastly superior.

How do you plan to make this model affordable and accessible to everyone?

The cost is primarily in the AI compute, which is currently expensive. However, with the rapid development of on-device AI chips, the expectation is that within 3-5 years, a sub-$1000 tablet will have all the local processing power needed to run these AI tutors. The goal is to make this accessible to a billion kids, including through public and charter schools.

What is Alpha School's core philosophy?

It's built on three commitments to parents: 1) Your child will love school more than vacation. 2) Your child will master academics and score in the top 1% nationally, but in only two hours per day. 3) The key to your child's happiness and success is being held to high standards in a highly supportive environment.

What kind of person is a "Guide" at Alpha School?

Guides are responsible for motivational and emotional support, not academic instruction. Alpha hires two main groups: the world's best traditional teachers who are thrilled to stop lecturing and grading quizzes, and high-achieving individuals like ex-coaches, athletes, and Olympians who serve as impressive role models and can motivate kids to achieve greatness.

How does Alpha deal with students who are behind academically?

The AI platform first assesses them to find their true knowledge level, ignoring their age or previous grades. Because a full grade level of material only takes about 20 hours to master, a student who is three years behind can catch up in just 60 hours. Liemandt says, "We can catch them up in no time."

Why doesn't Alpha use chatbots if it's an AI-powered school?

Liemandt states that chatbots are terrible for learning because 90% of kids use them to cheat, turning them into "cheatbots." Instead of chat, Alpha's AI uses a vision model that watches the student's screen and coaches them on their learning process, with a "waste meter" that shows them how much time they are wasting.

Programs & Events

View all our upcoming events, summer camps and afterschool programs below!

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Alpha Plano

Thought Leadership

[Workshop] From Inspiration to Action: Raising a Self-Driven Child

Monday, October 13, 2025 at 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Alpha Plano, 7220 Independence Pkwy Plano, TX 75025

Alpha Santa Barbara

Thought Leadership

The Secret To Happier, More Motivated Kids

Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at 6:00 PM

Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort

Alpha Austin

Thought Leadership

[Workshop] From Inspiration to Action: Raising a Self-Driven Child

Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Alpha Austin, 1201 Spyglass Dr. Austin, TX 78746

Classroom at Alpha private school in Miami

Alpha Miami

Showcase

Alpha Miami Showcase

Thursday, October 16, 2025 at 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM

8000 SW 56th St, Miami, FL 33155

Event is Full

Alpha New York

Info Session

Alpha New York Parent Information Session

Thursday, October 16, 2025 at 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

180 Maiden Ln, New York, NY 10038

Event is Full

Alpha New York

Info Session

Alpha New York Parent Information Session

Thursday, October 16, 2025 at 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

180 Maiden Ln, New York, NY 10038

Alpha Palm Beach

Showcase

Alpha Palm Beach Showcase

Thursday, October 16, 2025 at 4:45 PM - 6:00 PM

353 Hiatt Dr, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418

Alpha Lake Forest

Showcase

Alpha Lake Forest Showcase

Thursday, October 16, 2025 at 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

26462 Towne Centre Dr, Foothill Ranch, CA 92610

Alpha New York

Info Session

Alpha New York Parent Information Session

Friday, October 17, 2025 at 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

180 Maiden Ln, New York, NY 10038

Alpha New York

Info Session

Alpha New York Parent Information Session

Friday, October 17, 2025 at 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

180 Maiden Ln, New York, NY 10038

Alpha Palm Beach

Thought Leadership

[Workshop] From Inspiration to Action: Raising a Self-Driven Child

Saturday, October 18, 2025 at 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

PGA National Resort, 400 Ave of the Champions Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418

Alpha San Francisco

Thought Leadership

[Workshop] From Inspiration to Action: Raising a Self-Driven Child

Saturday, October 18, 2025 at 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

La Mar Cocina Peruana City Room, Ferry Plaza #1/2 San Francisco, CA 94111

Alpha Plano

Other

Alpha Discovery Labs

October 20-23, 2025 at 4:00 PM

Alpha Plano, 7220 Independence Pkwy, Plano, TX 75025

Alpha Scottsdale

Thought Leadership

[Workshop] From Inspiration to Action: Raising a Self-Driven Child

Monday, October 20, 2025 at 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows, 6114 N Scottsdale Rd Scottsdale, AZ 85253

Alpha High School

Showcase

Alpha Austin Middle & High School Austin Showcase

Tuesday, October 21, 2025 at 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

201 Colorado St, Austin, TX 78701

Alpha Scottsdale

Showcase

Alpha Scottsdale Showcase

Tuesday, October 21, 2025 at 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

20624 N. 76th St Scottsdale, AZ 85255

Alpha Miami

Thought Leadership

The Power of Purpose: Kids Who Crush School & Life

Thursday, October 23, 2025 at 7:00 PM EST

Alpha Miami | 8000 SW 56th St, Miami, FL 33155

Alpha Austin

Showcase

Alpha Austin Showcase

Thursday, October 23, 2025 at 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

1201 Spyglass Dr, Austin, Texas 78746

Alpha Plano

Showcase

Alpha Plano Showcase

Thursday, October 23, 2025 at 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM

7220 Independence Pkwy, Plano, TX 75025

Alpha Santa Barbara

Thought Leadership

[Workshop] From Inspiration to Action: The Mentor’s Guide to Ignite Motivation

Saturday, October 25, 2025 at 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Alpha Santa Barbara, 27 East Cota St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Alpha Chantilly

Info Session

Alpha Chantilly Parent Information Session

Tuesday, October 28, 2025 at 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM

4550 Walney Road, Chantilly, VA 20151

Alpha Austin

Showcase

Alpha Austin Showcase

Thursday, October 30, 2025 at 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

1201 Spyglass Dr, Austin, Texas 78746

Event is Full

Alpha High School

Showcase

Alpha Austin Middle & High School Austin Showcase

Tuesday, November 4, 2025 at 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

201 Colorado St, Austin, TX 78701

Alpha Fort Worth

Showcase

Alpha Fort Worth Showcase

Tuesday, November 4, 2025 at 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

3300 Bryant Irvin Rd, Fort Worth, TX 76109

Alpha Santa Barbara

Info Session

Alpha Santa Barbara Parent Information Session

Wednesday, November 5, 2025 at 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

27 East Cota St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Alpha New York

Thought Leadership

The Power of Purpose:Kids Who Crush School & Life

Thursday, November 6, 2025 at 7:30 PM

Convene Brookfield Place, NYC

Alpha Austin

Showcase

Alpha Austin Showcase

Thursday, November 6, 2025 at 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

1201 Spyglass Dr, Austin, Texas 78746

Alpha Scottsdale

Showcase

Alpha Scottsdale Showcase

Monday, November 10, 2025 at 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

20624 N. 76th St Scottsdale, AZ 85255

Alpha Scottsdale

Showcase

Alpha Scottsdale Showcase

Tuesday, November 11, 2025 at 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

20624 N. 76th St Scottsdale, AZ 85255

Alpha New York

Info Session

Alpha New York Parent Information Session

Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

180 Maiden Ln, New York, NY 10038

Alpha Palm Beach

Showcase

Alpha Palm Beach Showcase

Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at 4:45 PM - 6:00 PM

353 Hiatt Dr, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418

Alpha Miami

Showcase