AltSchool, the alternative to traditional schools designed by Silicon Valley billionaires
A new kind of school created by billionaires from Silicon Valley is facing a growth spurt, according to Business Insider.
As a SEC filing reports, AltSchool, an educational software developer and network of “micro-schools” with locations both in California and New York, has raised $40 million in a new session of funding. The new funding will make it possible for the network to grow beyond the few schoolhouses in the Bay Area and New York.
The startup business has already managed to raise over $130 million from Silicon Valley giants such as Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund and Andreessen Horowitz.
loading...
At AltSchool, the students between the ages of 4 and 14 are divided into three groups: lower elementary, upper elementary and middle school. Old-school grade levels are non-existent. A normal day there begins with attendance. When kids arrive, they sign in to the school’s attendance app on a designated iPad. The attendace app has been developed by an in-house product team, made of former Apple, Uber and Google’s employees. Those products can be found on My.AltSchool, a digital platform that tracks students’ attendance, their grades, their food allergies and their Personalized Learning Plans (PLPs).
The PLPs are the basis of the AltSchool experience. With the help of students and their families, teachers work to design a set of goals based on the learner’s interests, likes, strengths and weaknesses. Each kid then receives a weekly “playlist” of individual and group activities that are meant to aid achieving the goals. During playlist time, the younger kids wear headphones to avoid distractions. Some of the students’ work is documented with the help of technology.
Classrooms aren’t designated ares for different grade levels, as students move from room to room during the day. This is vital for micro-schools, as the space is maximized and not cramped. Craft and cleaning supplies are stored at a reachable level for smaller kids, which gives them a sense of efficiency. There are also cameras mounted at eye level for kids. This way, teachers can review successful lessons. Some kids even use them as confessionals, sharing their secrets in front of the camera. After lunch and Physical Education in the nearby park, students work on group-oriented projects.
Loading...