A new private school opening this fall at Drew University will compress core academics into two hours of AI-powered instruction each morning, then fill the rest of the day with sports, arts and life skills.

The Drew School, a grades 1–8 program launching on Drew's 163-acre Madison campus, is accepting applications for its inaugural class of 10 to 12 founding families at $30,000 annual tuition, according to the Daily Record.

Students will meet at Mead Hall, the university's oldest building, on Madison Avenue in Madison along the Morris & Essex NJ Transit line.

How the model works

The school partners with 2HR Learning, the AI curricular platform behind the Alpha School network founded in Austin, Texas, in 2014. Mornings use adaptive technology so each student advances at an individual pace with a learning coach. Afternoons shift to public speaking, financial literacy, AI fluency, entrepreneurship and what the school calls "real-world impact projects," where students identify problems and develop solutions.

Drew faculty will serve as mentors, and students will have access to university facilities.

Brian Holtz, Alpha School co-founder and leader of The Drew School, said in the university's Aug. 10 announcement: "Most traditional schools are killing creativity in these uniquely inspired students who don't run with the grain. Oftentimes, they're told early on that they have to conform and comply. We're not in that business."

Why Drew is doing this

Drew University President Hilary L. Link described the grades 1–8 program as part of a "60-plus-year learning trajectory," positioning the school as the first step in a lifelong educational relationship with the university. Drew, which enrolls more than 2,200 students across undergraduate, master's and doctoral programs, is the first U.S. university campus to open a 2HR Learning-driven school, according to the announcement.

As we reported Aug. 18, Drew faculty are already exploring AI's role in education through a separate 55-person research collaboration.

MacKenzie Price of 2HR Learning said in the same Aug. 10 release that she looks forward to watching how The Drew School "integrates into Drew University's future vision for education as a 60-plus-year journey."

The school is accepting applications for the 2026–27 academic year. No specific start date has been announced beyond fall 2026. Interested families can reach admissions at [email protected] or visit drew.school/contact.