Alpha School announced plans to open a new AI-powered elementary school campus without traditional teachers in Chicago’s Loop this fall. The private school chain, which relies entirely on AI for core instruction, is now enrolling students for the location at 350 E. South Water St. in Lakeshore East, formerly GEMS Academy.
Details of the Chicago Campus
The school will serve 100 students from kindergarten through eighth grade, with tuition at $55,000 a year. Founder Mackenzie Price told Block Club Chicago it starts with at least 10 staff members acting as “guides” who motivate students, provide emotional support, and coach life skills. Guides need a bachelor’s degree and start at $100,000 salary; no teaching credential required since AI handles subject instruction.
How the AI Model Works
Students spend two hours each morning on core subjects—reading, language arts, math, science, and social studies—using the school’s AI platform plus apps like Khan Academy, Membean, Mentava, and MobyMax. No textbooks or homework. Afternoons shift to hands-on workshops on projects such as running a food truck, TEDx Youth Talks, app creation, or Airbnb management. The setup aims to pack academics into less time, leaving room for active breaks and teamwork.
Alpha claims its 1,000 students across 13 U.S. campuses love school: 94% in a recent survey, with 60% preferring it over vacation. Test scores place long-term students in the top 1-2% on the Measures of Academic Progress exam, per school spokesperson Anna Davlantes.
Enrollment and Broader Expansion
Thirty students are already applying after a recent shadow day where families tested the model. Price expects to draw from Chicago’s teacher network for guides. This fall, Alpha adds Chicago alongside new spots in Puerto Rico, Atlanta, and North Carolina, pushing past 35 locations total.
The expansion follows national growth from 200 to over 1,000 students in two years. CBS Chicago also covered the announcement in a video report.
