Copyright CBS News
A revolutionary way of education is in North Texas, and most people don't know about it. Two private schools are powered by artificial intelligence teachers. It's called Alpha School for grades K-8, and it's the most expensive private school in Texas. One campus is in Plano, where the cost of enrollment is $50,000, and the other is in Fort Worth, where it's $40,000. Alpha School has locations nationwide. There are four campuses in Texas, with another campus set to open this year in Houston. Its flagship is in Austin, then there's Plano, Fort Worth and Brownsville. Alpha School leaders claim their model fixes faults in traditional education and the technology does things humans can't. "Alpha School is the future of education," said Samantha DePalo. DePalo has been called a teacher for nearly 15 years, but at Alpha School, she goes by something else. She's now called a guide and essentially supervises the students. The Fort Worth campus is tucked in a small room of a rec center, and students are taught by AI teachers on their laptops. "It's not like an AI person on the other end," said DePalo. "It is just these lessons and questions that are being generated exactly for them." Kate Johanns with the Association of Texas Professional Educators is skeptical of this AI model. ATPE is the largest community of public educators in Texas with 70,000 members. "I think with an experience like that, it may work well in some instances, but I think the benefit of a good teacher is the ability to differentiate instruction," said Johanns. "The other thing that I think AI might miss is the ability to form relationships with parents." DePalo is confident in Alpha School's model and believes it's the way of the future. "You cannot teach every single student exactly what they need every moment, you just can't as a human being," said DePalo. "That's better left, in my opinion, to the technology." Below is a Q&A with CBS News Texas lead education reporter Lacey Beasley, DePalo and Jacob Vandercook, a seventh grader who attends Alpha School. DePalo: "I don't have to teach out of a textbook or an online curriculum. I don't have to teach to a test and say, 'you must get these questions right.'" Beasley: "Well, do you teach?" DePalo: "At Alpha School? No, I don't teach at all. Well, what I should say is what I'm designing are workshops." No teaching, but at Alpha School, leaders claimed students will learn twice as much in only two hours of core subject instructional time per day, taught by AI. When students have a question, they do not raise their hands and ask the guides. Instead, students schedule online appointments with human teachers on their laptops and ask them the questions. The other six hours of their school day are spent off technology. Students participate in what they call 'life skill workshops.' It focuses on teaching things like perseverance and independence, which Alpha School leaders believe traditional education does not teach. Vandercook: "This workshop was about balance. Balance in our lives, minds, school, work, food, anything." Beasley: "Would you rather be in school or on vacation?" Vandercook: "I would rather be in school. Alpha is the best of the best." DePalo: "We have nine enrolled. We have a few more starting in January." Beasley: "Oh, nine? Single digit nine?" DePalo: "Single digit nine right now." Beasley: "The classroom that we were in, is that the whole school?" DePalo: "As of right now, yes." Beasley: "If there is such a high paywall, an education like this is not accessible to everyone. Why does it cost so much?"
