AI, a Two-Hour School Day, and a Bold Experiment: A New Charter School to Open in Arizona

AI schools are gaining definition. Unbound Academy is about to open in Arizona and preparing to redefine education through a model centred on artificial intelligence (AI) and a drastically reduced school day. With lessons delivered in just two hours daily by adaptive AI platforms like IXL and Khan Academy, this experiment raises significant questions about the future of learning. Could this be the dawn of a new educational paradigm or a risky gamble on technology?

What is Unbound Academy?

Slated to open for the 2025-2026 school year, virtual Unbound Academy will serve students in grades 4 through 8, leveraging AI to deliver personalized academic content. Lessons in science, math, and literature will adapt in real time to student performance, adjusting difficulty and style to suit individual needs. The promise: students will learn faster, retain more, and gain additional time to explore their passions and develop life skills.

Its mission statement goes as follows:

Unbound Academy is built on the belief that every child deserves access to a personalized and engaging education. We harness the power of technology and innovative teaching methods to create an environment where students thrive. Our unique approach allows students to master academic concepts at an accelerated pace, freeing up time to explore their passions and develop crucial life skills, all within a supportive online community.

Approved by the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools in a narrow 4-3 vote, this approach has sparked debate. Advocates hail it as an innovative step toward efficiency and personalization in education, while critics express concern over the lack of traditional teachers, who play vital roles in mentorship and emotional development. The virtual academy is “dedicated to launching a virtual online school in as many states as possible” and has submitted applications in other states, such as Utah, Arkansas, North Carolina, South Carolina and Pennsylvania.

Beyond Academics: Life Skills and Mentorship

Here’s how the system works:

• Adaptive Curriculum: AI tailors lessons in real time based on student performance, analyzing factors like engagement, accuracy, and emotional feedback.
• Personalized Pacing: Each student progresses at their own speed—excelling where they thrive and slowing down where they struggle. For example, a 5th-grade student could work on 8th-grade reading while tackling 3rd-grade math.
• Human Support: Teachers, redefined as “guides,” monitor student progress, provide emotional support, and help with targeted interventions.

According to cofounder MacKenzie Price, as cited in this Education Week article, this model enables guides to prioritize connecting with students and addressing their emotional and motivational needs, while AI takes charge of academic instruction.

While academic lessons are brief, the rest of the school day focuses on workshops in areas like financial literacy, entrepreneurship, public speaking, etc.

Students work with mentors, rather than teachers, in hands-on sessions designed to cultivate practical skills. This balance aims to create well-rounded individuals prepared for real-world challenges.

Learning More With Just 2hr A Day?

According to the founders, the 2hr Learning model, detailed in this white paper, is grounded in several educational theories: 

• Bloom’s 2 Sigma Problem (1984): This theory suggests that students who receive one-on-one tutoring outperform those in traditional classroom settings by two standard deviations. 2hr Learning’s personalized approach mimics the benefits of individual tutoring at scale. 
• Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (1978,2017): Vygotsky proposed that students learn best when challenged just beyond their current level of knowledge and skill, with appropriate support. 2hr Learning’s adaptive technology ensures that students consistently operate within their optimal zone of learning. 
• Dweck’s Growth Mindset (2006): Carol Dweck’s research highlights the importance of fostering a growth mindset, where students believe that their abilities can be developed through effort and perseverance. 2hr Learning cultivates a growth mindset through its emphasis on mastery, personalized feedback, and celebrating progress. 
• Constructivism: This theory posits that learners construct knowledge through active participation rather than passive reception. Research supports that hands-on, problem-solving activities lead to deeper understanding and retention of material (Tprestianni, 2023). 
• Self-Determination Theory: According to researchers Deci and Ryan, environments that support students’ needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness increase motivation and engagement. When students feel a sense of ownership over their learning, they are more likely to pursue challenges and achieve higher academic success. 
• Hattie’s Visible Learning (2008): Hattie’s meta-analysis shows that teaching strategies that enable teachers to see learning through the eyes of students significantly enhance achievement. He quantifies the effect size of different teaching interventions, with many student-centered approaches showing high impacts.

AI in Action: Local and Global Context

Unbound Academy’s model isn’t entirely untested. Similar programs have been trialled in private schools in Texas and Florida, which have reportedly shown students learning twice as much in half the time. Arizona officials hope this success can translate to charter schools, which often operate with more flexibility than standard public schools.

Globally, AI integration in education seems to be gaining traction:

• Arizona State University (ASU) uses AI tools like ChatGPT to assist students and faculty, though not to replace teachers.
• London’s David Game College runs an AI-taught program employing virtual reality and adaptive learning, offering a glimpse into the potential (and limitations) of AI-driven education.

The Promise (and the Perils?)

Proponents highlight AI’s ability to deliver hyper-personalized learning while freeing time for essential life skills. Critics, however, warn against over-reliance on technology. Human teachers provide mentorship, emotional support, and a nuanced understanding of individual student needs—elements AI cannot replicate.

While AI can complement education, replacing teachers entirely may prioritize cost-efficiency over the holistic development of students. Critics and advocates agree on one thing: AI cannot replace the human touch in education. While adaptive technology excels at delivering personalized content efficiently, it lacks the empathy, mentorship, and creativity that human teachers bring to the classroom.

Price acknowledges this, emphasizing the irreplaceable role of human connection:

“You cannot get rid of the human in the classroom… We’re allowing teachers to focus on what they do best—connecting with students.”

What’s Next?

Unbound Academy’s model is an ambitious experiment with lessons that could resonate with educators worldwide. Can this hybrid of AI-driven academics and hands-on mentorship deliver a superior educational experience, or will it highlight the shortcomings of sidelining human teachers?

With enrolment beginning this January, Unbound Academy is set to push the boundaries of AI-driven learning. Will it strike the right balance between efficiency, personalization, and humanity? The results may shape future conversations about the role of technology in education. For now, all eyes are on the students at Unbound Academy as they pioneer this different approach to learning.

To dive deeper into this initiative and its implications, read:

• AI System Will Drive Academics at New Virtual Charter School (Government Technology)
• AI educators are coming to this school – and it’s part of a trend (techradar)
• Arizona’s getting an online charter school taught entirely by AI (techcrunch)
• This School Will Have Artificial Intelligence Teach Kids (With Some Human Help) (Education Week)