In the fall, Kristine Barrios’ 9-year-old daughter faced a challenging lesson on IXL, a personalized learning software used at her private microschool, Alpha School in Brownsville, Texas. The assignment required her to multiply three three-digit numbers multiple times without the aid of a calculator. After making mistakes, the software determined that she needed additional practice, assigning her the same tasks repeatedly. Although she had previously excelled in math, performing a grade level ahead, her repeated errors on IXL frustrated her. She sought assistance from the adult supervising her, referred to as a “guide,” but was told she needed to complete the exercise as expected.
Barrios recounted that the situation grew increasingly distressing. Over the weekend, she and her husband spent hours with their daughter as she struggled through the multiplication assignment, even as she expressed feelings of despair. After they completed the lesson, Barrios double-checked the answers on a calculator before her daughter submitted them. Despite this effort, when she returned to school, her daughter reported she had fallen further behind her learning goals.
Within a few weeks, Barrios noted that the school informed her and her husband that their daughter was skipping lunch, choosing instead to stay inside and work on IXL. The child later explained that she used her lunchtime to catch up on missed assignments. In a statement to WIRED, IXL representatives mentioned that Alpha School’s account had been deactivated in July, suggesting that it was no longer a customer due to violations of their terms of service, and emphasized that their software is not intended to replace trained teachers.
During a routine check-up shortly thereafter, her daughter’s physician expressed concern about her significant weight loss. Following the visit, Barrios’ husband delivered a note from the pediatrician to the school, which recommended that their daughter be allowed to eat snacks between meals. Although Alpha School’s guidelines discouraged sending midday snacks, the family sought to comply with the doctor’s orders.
Initially, the child adhered to the snack schedule, but after a few days, she returned homewith uneaten snacks still in her backpack. Upon inquiry, she explained that school staff had told her she could not have the snacks until she met certain learning metrics. This response alarmed her parents, especially given their daughter’s previous struggles and the guidelines set forth by her pediatrician.
