Drew University in Madison, New Jersey, will open an AI-driven school for grades 1 through 8 this fall - the first program of its kind hosted by a U.S. college. The private school, called The Drew School, will pair the university's liberal arts foundation with the Alpha School's artificial-intelligence curriculum, a model its founders say lets students master academic material in half the time.
The university announced the launch as a partnership with 2 Hour Learning, the AI curricular platform used by the Alpha School network, which was founded in Austin, Texas, in 2014. Initial enrollment is capped at 10-12 founding families, with tuition set at $30,000 annually. Students will attend classes at Mead Hall, Drew's first building on its Madison campus.
How the academic model works
The Alpha School model divides the day into two blocks. Mornings are two hours of AI-driven instruction in core subjects. Afternoons are a four-hour block "packed with sports, arts, entrepreneurship," according to the Alpha School website, where "kids dive into their passions while learning crucial life skills like financial literacy, public speaking, collaboration and grit."
A comparison with educators is informative. While many classrooms now incorporate AI for education as a supplemental tool, this model makes AI the primary academic instructor. Drew says its version will blend that approach with the mentorship and community of a university campus, positioning the school as the start of what it calls a "60-plus-year learning trajectory" that extends through college and beyond.
Why the university is doing this
Drew president Hilary Link connects the venture to a broader question about what colleges should measure in applicants and graduates. "Can a person solve problems?" Link said. "Collaborate? Adapt and pivot? Create value in complex situations and contribute to enriching our world? These are the same questions Alpha School has been asking of younger learners since 2014, and we are thrilled to be their first higher education partner."
Brian Holtz, co-founder of Alpha School and leader of the new Drew School, raised the focus on independent thinkers. "Most traditional schools are killing creativity in these uniquely inspired students who don't run with the grain," Holtz said. "The Drew School is looking to give these students the time, space, and mentorship to really zero in on what actually makes them tick."
The model is built on the claim that students learning through 2 Hour Learning's AI platform master the same material as peers in traditional environments in about half the time, freeing remaining school hours for exploration outside academic coursework.
Regional context
The non-AI alternative is nearby, though it isn't new. The Academy of Saint Elizabeth in Morris Township, about a mile down the road, has enrolled prep-age students since 1860, long before computer-assisted instruction existed. Saint Elizabeth University itself bought the academy, founded by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth and operating independently since the college was established in 1899.
How to apply
Admissions information is available by emailing admissions@drew.school or visiting drew.school/contact. Drew currently has more than 2,200 students across its undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs, including the Drew Theological School.
Why this matters for educators
The new venture offers a field-tested example of what happens when AI controls the core academic day, rather than being something to ignore or reject in classrooms. If Drew's founding families see measurable progress in grades 1-8, it provides a template for how AI can actually save teachers' hours spent on whole-class instruction - and what that means for their own shifting role. That's the question schools across the country will face as students are becoming increasingly accustomed to AI tools in learning contexts well before they reach high school.
For educators exploring where AI's role in their own classrooms may be heading next, resources like the AI learning path for teachers can help show how the technology works in teaching practice beyond this single campus example.
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