AltSchool, a collaborative community of micro-schools that aims to transform K-8 education in the United States, raised $100 million led by Founders Fund, Andreessen Horowitz and Silicon Valley Community Foundation with participation from Emerson Collective, First Round Capital, Learn Capital, John Doerr, Harrison Metal, Jonathan Sackler, Omidyar Network and Adrian Aoun.
Founded in 2013 by ex-Google executive and Aadvark founder Max Ventilla, AltSchool has raised over $133 million to date. Tuition costs around $19.000 per year.
AltSchool aims to build a new education system for the 21st century from the ground up and has a strong focus on technology and personalized learning in the classroom. Each school is built upon a technology platform that takes care of administrative and organisational tasks with the aim of freeing up time for teachers and students.
Through the platform teachers can create and track individual lesson plans for each individual student. AltSchool’s platform also handles non-educational tasks like admissions, student assessment, parent communication and classroom supply procurement.
The AltSchool network has grown from 20 students in one school in 2013 to 500 students in eight schools today with additional locations in San Francisco, Palo Alto and Brooklyn opening this fall. AltSchool’s staff grew from 30 to 115. AltSchool will also offer its operating system to other schools across the United States during a trial run next year.
Further Reading
- AltSchool Raises $100 Million in Funding to Reimagine Education for U.S. Students and Teachers | Business Wire
- Inside the School Silicon Valley thinks will save Education | Wired
- AltSchool Raises $75 Million to Expand Its High-Tech Primary Schools | WSJ.D