Alpha Raleigh is open, and we’re accepting applications for our 2026–27 waitlist. Apply for future enrollment, and our admissions team will guide you through the next steps.
Join us for an info session, and see firsthand why Alpha is ranked among the best private schools thanks to its groundbreaking learning model.
When choosing a school, nothing matters more than hearing from families just like yours.
These Alpha parents share how their children gained confidence, learned faster, and rediscovered their love of school.
In one evening, you’ll see how Alpha kids learn twice as fast, meet guides, and talk with parents whose kids are already thriving. Walk away knowing whether Alpha is the right fit for your child.
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Alpha Raleigh
Stephanie is a former teacher and education policy consultant who helped lead two national initiatives to strengthen K–12 systems. Seeing how difficult it is to create change within traditional schools, she was drawn to Alpha’s bold model and commitment to students. She helped launch new Alpha campuses in Florida and Virginia, and is now focused on building Alpha’s parent community in the Triangle.
Originally from California, Stephanie started her career in education as a Teach For America corps member in the Mississippi Delta. She relocated to the Triangle to attend Duke’s public policy program for graduate school, and now lives in Raleigh.
Education is not the filling of a pot but the lighting of a fire.
Tara-Anne’s career has been one long answer to the same question: how do you help someone unlock what’s already in them? She spent 15 years as a casting director and producer in children’s entertainment, learning to spot a kid’s spark and place it where it could catch fire. She earned her M.A. in Education, founded a children’s foreign language school, owned a tutoring company, and proved, kid after kid, that confidence blooms when learners are given real purpose, clear goals, and visible progress. After a decade coaching adults through confidence, habits, and ownership (and a TEDx talk along the way), she could not stop noticing the same thing: this would have been so much easier if someone had started the work when we were children. That insight, plus 5 kids of her own and a refusal to accept that the current education system is the best we can do, is what drew her to Alpha.
Bailie’s roots are in education: from serving as an English teacher volunteer with the Peace Corps in Indonesia to supporting students with special needs in Wake County classrooms. A Master’s in Special Education and years of hands-on teaching experience gave her a deep understanding of what students need to feel supported and successful. She later brought those same instincts to client success, spending four years building relationships, advocating for others, and ensuring every person she served felt genuinely cared for. That combination of educational heart and people-first mindset is what brought her to Alpha Raleigh, where she is committed to creating a safe, welcoming environment where every student can thrive.
Tamara loves helping students discover what they are capable of through hands-on challenges, creativity, and encouragement. Before joining Alpha, she spent many years leading innovation and operations teams, where she learned how to turn big ideas into reality. Her favorite part of being a Guide is building strong relationships with students and helping them grow in confidence, independence, and leadership. Tamara believes the best learning happens when students are excited to explore, solve problems, and try new things.
Outside of Alpha, Tamara enjoys singing karaoke, seeking out new adventures, and spending time with family and friends.
Jen has spent more than 13 years in education as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, curriculum writer, and district math leader. With a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, and an Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) certification, she has built her career around understanding how students learn and creating experiences that challenge them to go further than they thought they could.
Jen believes every child is capable of extraordinary things. What she loves most about education is watching students begin to believe that for themselves. Whether it is accomplishing something that once felt impossible, persevering through a difficult challenge, or discovering a strength they did not know they had, Jen finds those moments incredibly rewarding. Seeing that shift in a student is what continues to inspire her every day.
Erica is a North Carolina native who loves learning as much as she enjoys educating and coaching! She has 18+ years of experience in community nonprofit spaces as a bilingual counselor and in public school learning environments as a classroom teacher, literacy specialist, equity coach, and site coordinator. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in education from UNC-Chapel Hill (Go Heels!) and her Master of Education degree in Curriculum & Instruction from NC State University (Go Wolfpack!). She knows the incredible value of building positive relationships, acquiring and practicing life skills, and having FUN…she’s looking forward to helping introduce the Alpha model to new friends!
Phil’s work in education has been driven by a simple question: how do you help students build real confidence and take ownership of their learning? He holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Elementary Education from James Madison University and spent 15 years teaching upper elementary, including in some of the nation’s highest-performing public schools. He has designed and taught after school enrichment programs focused on advanced math and financial literacy. He later built an educational business creating gamified math apps, card games, and a fantasy math word problem series. He will be joining Alpha Raleigh in the fall.
Dr. Tasha Arnold is a dynamic educational leader with extensive experience in American and international schools across the US, Europe, and Asia. She has spent her career transforming schools, implementing innovative learning models, and fostering personalized educational experiences that empower students to reach their highest potential. She has taught at the Elementary, Middle, and High School levels, specializing in IB/AP Sciences and Learning Support across various curriculums (USA, UK, IB, and AP).
I joined Alpha Schools because I believe in redefining education. Personalization, hands-on learning, and skill development are the pillars of a truly impactful education. Alpha’s approach aligns with my vision of ensuring every child thrives academically, socially, and emotionally in a way that is uniquely suited to them.
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Demand for Alpha in Raleigh was high enough that families were ready to enroll and didn’t want to wait for a full campus to be ready. We opened our launch space so families could start now, and we will continue to expand across the area. Ask admissions for details on where things stand.
Alpha serves families from across the greater Raleigh/Triangle area, currently including Apex, Cary, Chapel Hill, Durham, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Raleigh, Wake Forest, and Fuquay-Varina. While we work to expand across the area, families are making Alpha a reality for their children at our launch campus in creative ways: many carpool, and others opt into our shuttle service.
Yes. Our self-paced model fits students ready to move faster because learners can advance through mastered content without waiting for the whole class. There is no limit on what they can access academically. Should a student complete high school coursework, they have access to college-level courses through a partnership Alpha has established with Arizona State University.
Alpha’s workshop model develops areas such as teamwork, leadership, public speaking, storytelling, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, relationship building, socialization, grit, and hard work. Life skills aren’t just discussed, they’re measured. Each workshop culminates in a real-world “test to pass,” where students demonstrate mastery in action rather than on a worksheet.
Applications are currently open for 9th and 10th grade for Fall 2027 enrollment. We’ll expand to 11th and 12th as our student cohort ages up.
If you will have a PreK child in Fall 2027, contact admissions to express your interest in Raleigh’s expansion to include PreK. Parent demand will drive this decision.
Alpha runs on a five-session calendar from mid-August through early June, with a week off between each session and traditional holiday breaks throughout the year.
The daily schedule runs from 8:45 AM to 3:30 PM. Students arrive for morning drop-off at 8:15–8:30 AM, and the day finishes with afternoon pick-up between 3:30–4:00 PM. You can find more information on what an Alpha day looks like in the info packet linked above.
Students typically spend about two hours a day on academic learning software, which is less time than students in most traditional schools spend on screens. The remainder of the school day includes interactive and collaborative experiences. The goal is to use technology only where it improves learning, and dedicate the rest of the day to human interaction and skill development.
Every school day includes 60–90 minutes of outdoor play, weather permitting.
Tuition supports the full Alpha experience at every grade: personalized learning technology, a school-provided laptop, Guides whose salaries start at $100,000, and hands-on life-skills workshops with the materials, mentorship, and real-world experiences needed to bring them to life. Student activities are included, and parents aren’t asked to fundraise to cover school costs.
Alpha offers month-to-month tuition payments, because we want families to stay because they are thrilled with the experience and not because they are financially trapped. If Alpha isn’t the right fit, you’re not locked in.
Yes, our current Raleigh Guides are experienced teachers.
Across all subjects, students use mastery-based coursework that adjusts to their level and pace. They advance after demonstrating 90% mastery, while Guides monitor progress and provide coaching or extra support.
Yes, as long as students complete their daily learning goals during the morning academic blocks. When those goals are met, there’s no homework to complete. As students onboard to the Alpha model, it is not uncommon for them to do some work at home while they develop the efficiency and focus needed.
The clearest difference is Alpha’s combination of AI-supported mastery learning, guide coaching and mentorship, and structured life-skills workshops. Families should ask each school about the pace of learning, how mastery is measured, what students do in the afternoons, and how life skills are developed and tested to determine the right school fit for their child.
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The Carolinian Newspaper
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CBS News: Inside the $40,000 a year school where AI shapes every lesson, without teachers
ABC News: Exploring the world of AI education
NewsNation: A look inside how one Texas private school uses AI to teach
