A Texas-based school group continues to launch its revolutionary AI-based schools, claiming their methodology delivers faster results than other educational formats. Last year, the Austin, Texas-based Alpha School made headlines with its “2 + 4” teaching method that frees students of traditional chalk-and-talk, sit-down learning.
The private school’s educational day lasts six hours, though processes differ greatly from those of traditional American public schools. Alpha School faculty guide learners through two morning hours of Common Core-focused work using AI. The remaining four hours focus on communal classes that cover life skills, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship, with less of a focus on things like world history.
Unsurprisingly, teachers and parents fear what continued changes could mean for their kids’ future and public education.
Educational Standards
American COVID-19 protocols complicated the public education system’s already checkered past. Implementing remote learning and more profound tech involvement alongside nationwide educator disillusionment and strikes throws repeated blows to the status quo.
Thomas B. Fordham Institute educational writer Daniel Buck conducted an online diagnostic earlier this year, asking teachers on social media site X (formerly Twitter) to message him privately and divulge teaching woes. Not long after, hundreds of replies landed in Buck’s inbox. Admittedly, he expected more responses from conservatives but received something else entirely.
The results show what Buck assumed and what most American public school teachers know all too well: school faculty are overwhelmed by students’ seemingly uncontrollable behavior.
“We allow behavior that would not be acceptable in any public square,” one anonymous poignant reply reads. “Teachers are cussed out, threatened, disrespected with no consequences. The general public doesn’t understand the crisis we are in. It’s embarrassing. It’s tragic.”
A Reckoning
Evidence of other teachers’ plights comes in anecdotes from professionals taking the blame for student conduct. Many educators lament how unruly student behavior is now commonplace; keeping students engaged is near impossible in some cases, even during more fascinating lessons. Buck believes such a revelation points to something far more profound than a lack of consequences for bad behavior — no accountability.
While sociopolitical factors primarily drive this trend, American public schools have collectively faced criticism in recent years.
Pew Research Center reports just over one-half of American adults (51%) are concerned that K-12 public education is “going in the wrong direction,” with near-constant controversies surrounding lesson plan content, budgeting, and pupils’ academic capabilities.
Respondents’ party lines play a role — 65% of conservatives are weary of U.S. public education compared to just 40% of those who identify on the left.
Parents Stepping In
Pandemic procedures drove a wedge between parents and educators. Teachers became targets for guardians’ frustrations toward sweeping systemic changes many believed irreparably damaged American children’s futures. Additionally, learn-from-home mandates opened parents’ eyes to their kids’ learning. Carers weaponized public school curricula and teaching practices when given greater access to teaching materials.
In correlation, the number of homeschooled children in the U.S. skyrocketed, though they were expanding before any public health crises. Homeschool enrollment has dropped since 2023, but 50% growth over six years positioned the practice as the fastest-growing American education format.
The Rise of Homeschooling
Last year, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten posted a news article on X addressing Americans’ increasing interest in homeschooling, writing, “What is behind the rise in homeschooling.” No question mark made the statement ambiguous; it was unclear if she was asking or telling.
A recent Washington Post educational review collated dozens of states’ educational data to find the largest concentration of homeschoolers and compare its rise to that of public and private schools. Researchers named Anderson City, South Carolina, the predominant homeschoolers’ hub — area homeschooling interest rose 373% from 2017 to 2023.
The Bullying Question
It isn’t only learning that drives parents to rethink their children’s schooling; campus safety remains another palpable concern. A Gallup poll, taken at the start of the 2023-2024 school year, showed 38% of parents with kids in grade school feared for their kids’ safety. In 2022, the rate was 44%, echoing the slight drop in homeschooling rates during the same period.
Despite the dip, Gallup says these figures are among the highest recorded since calculations began in 1977.
A Symptom or a Solution?
A source from a D.C. school district who wished to remain anonymous spoke of their experience operating a virtual classroom compared to in-person lessons. He says interruptions or fights are not an issue in his diverse classroom — students are far too interested in their phones. Devices’ allure for young people means many professionals must compete with them for attention. Some states have banned cell phones from the classroom entirely.
As for AI use in the classroom, they are upbeat. “I’m taking a class this summer to use it more for writing items like letters of recommendation,” he explains. He then recalls an incident that reveals how some students just won’t use the old method anymore.
The teacher details how he caught a pupil using AI for a writing assessment, which was simple to notice compared to his previous submissions. Nevertheless, the culprit got a second chance. “He did have the option to write it out longhand in class, but just chose not to submit.” Would that student have been so reluctant in a machine-based learning environment?
The Pros Outweigh the Cons
Of course, connotations of less face-to-face lesson planning may mystify some pedagogical purists. Many experts believe personalized, automated learning pathways using gamification and instant feedback will benefit most students. Additionally, novel learning technology could better engage students already under the spell of screens.
Education sector analyst Febriana Ramadhanya argues in a ClassPoint article that teachers shouldn’t fear machine learning but welcome it. Some teachers would say they have evolved from educators to statisticians and bookkeepers. Automated student diagnostics and assessments alleviate previously mundane data-gathering tasks, giving teachers more time for each student.
The Results Are In
Alongside the notable Alpha School model are their equally eye-opening results. “Alpha students achieve 2.6x more growth compared to their peers,” the Alpha School website reads. Other achievements listed include Alpha students ranking in the 99th percentile of national scores, and the upper 20% of students achieving a “6.5% growth rate.”
With such impressive numbers, it’s only a matter of time before federal school leaders take notice. The future of teaching is unclear, but augmented learning is now firmly in the present.
