A New Model for Learning

How one Miami school is leading a nationwide shift in education

Demand for This Reimagined School Model Took Miami by Storm

What if your child could finish their academic work before lunch – and spend the rest of the day exploring their passions, building skills, and growing into the most confident version of themselves?

That question isn’t hypothetical for dozens of Miami families. It’s the daily reality at Alpha Miami, a bold new school with a model that’s turning heads – and rewriting the rules – just a short drive from Coral Gables on Miller Drive, in front of Tropical Park.

The model, known as 2 Hour Learning, condenses core academics into focused morning sessions, leaving afternoons open for real-world skill building and exploration. Founded in Austin, Texas over a decade ago, Alpha has refined its approach for more than 12 years. In 2025, the academic network will open 15 new campuses across the U.S. – from New York City and Washington, D.C., to Charlotte and Santa Barbara – signaling a growing demand for an education that looks and feels very different from the traditional schools of today.

Miami Momentum: From Small Start to Big Leap 

When Alpha Miami opened in Fall 2024, it welcomed handful of pioneering students. Just one year later, enrollment had grown tenfold.

Families came for the promise of efficient academics, mastery-based progression, and afternoons designed for building confidence through applied skills. At Alpha, students don’t move on until they’ve scored at least 90% on a subject – ensuring mastery before advancing.

Stephanie Montagna, a parent of three Alpha Miami students, says the impact has been remarkable: 

“Because Alpha’s mastery-based model lets our children fully understand a subject before moving on, they’re not just keeping up – they’re excelling on their own paths. Each of them is making gains far beyond what was possible at their previous schools, and that competence has made them more confident in every part of life.”

Making School Something Kids Love

At Alpha, joy isn’t a byproduct. It’s a goal. Every student’s voice matters, with regular surveys and one-on-one st dent-teacher meetings guiding the experience. Teachers act as mentors, using motivational challenges called Limitless Launches to turn obstacles into invitations.

School here feels more like a launchpad than a classroom. One week might include a field trip to the Florida Keys or a pitch competition in front of the Miami Heat business team. It’s learning as exploration, not obligation.

The Gift of Time Back

Time is the one resource kids can’t create more of. Alpha’s approach gives it back to them.

With AI-powered, personalized instruction in the mornings, students complete core subjects before lunch, mastering material at their own pace. Afternoons shift to teacher-led workshops that build critical life skills such as public speaking, entrepreneurship, coding, outdoor fitness challenges, and more.

The result is a powerful combination of deeper academic competence and space for the kind of hands-on experiences that shape who students become.

Preparing Kids for a Future That Doesn’t Yet Exist

According to the International Society for Technology in Education, about 65% of children entering primary school today will work in jobs that haven’t even been invented. Alpha treats that reality as a mandate to tech the critical skill of learning how to learn. That’s why every week includes sessions tied to 24 Life Skills, from creativity and adaptability to grit and collaboration.

Whether it’s a 45-second “Pit Stop Challenge” or training for a “Spartan Challenge,” students build durable skills they’ll need long after academic tests are forgotten.

From a Mother’s Choice to a National Movement

Alpha co-founder MacKenzie Price first sought this reimagined model for her own two daughters. Today, she’s helping bring it to families nationwide, with features in Forbes, Fox News, and The Today Show. Her message is simple: give kids mastery of knowledge, real-world skills, and time to be curious and creative, and they will thrive.

The Next Chapter for Miami

In a time where long school days often yield limited results, Alpha offers something novel: a place where kids love learning, grow at a rapid pace, and spend their afternoons feeding their passions, not just filling their schedules.

Here, students aren’t bound by six-hour routines. They’re launched toward alimitless future.

Alpha Miami Private School