Alpha School is following the Gartman Hype Cycle. Expectations peaked early 2026. Today, there is increasing skepticism. The important question is not where they are today but where they will be in a few years when they reach the Plateau of Productivity. I've been critical of @Alphaschool in the past for making bold claims but not offering transparency or allowing third-party evaluation. That opens them up to the criticism they're receiving now, like in today's NYT (some of which was unfair). I also think it's unclear how much internal motivation a student needs to succeed there. That said, I greatly applaud them and @jliemandt for experimenting with a radically new model. The current K-12 instructional model doesn't work very well and may be even worse in the future preparing kids for a world with AI. While the promise of ed tech has been a huge disappointment for 20+ years, that doesn't mean it always will be. AI probably isn't good enough to overcome the challenge of engagement with even the median student today. That very well might change in a few years. If so, we need education entrepreneurs building the products, tools, and school models to translate that technology into better student outcomes. Alpha is an important org in that effort. It's important we don't judge that effort prematurely, but they also need to be careful of the claims they make, particularly as they inch into public education.

You Can Just Do Things—Education Edition realcleareducation.com/artic…