Elon Musk’s experimental school, Ad Astra, is now accepting students in Bastrop, Texas. Founded by Musk in 2014 to educate his own children, the school originally operated out of SpaceX’s headquarters in California and focused on a STEM-heavy curriculum. After temporarily closing during the pandemic, it shifted to an online school called Astra Nova before being resurrected in Bastrop. Ad Astra is now accepting applications for the 2024-2025 school year and plans to offer a subsidized tuition for the first year.
The new Ad Astra location in Bastrop will continue to emphasize a curriculum heavy on math, science, artificial intelligence, and robotics, though details about specific classes are limited on the school’s website. Ad Astra does not prioritize traditional grade levels, instead focusing on having all children progress through the same material simultaneously. The school plans to accept 18 primary students and 30 lower elementary students in its first year, with tuition costs eventually aligning with local private schools.
Last year, reports suggested that Musk was considering opening a Montessori school in Bastrop, though the Ad Astra website does not confirm this. The school has been recruiting teachers in the area through a staffing firm called Xplor Education, indicating that the school may be looking to build a diverse staff. Ad Astra will be located on a former horse farm in Bastrop, as part of Musk’s larger development plans in the area, which include new manufacturing sites for SpaceX and The Boring Company, as well as a housing community and shopping plaza.
Musk’s land acquisitions in Bastrop have stirred controversy among residents, with accusations of reckless land development along the Colorado River. The Boring Company, one of Musk’s companies, has recently faced environmental fines for infractions like improper disposal of wastewater. Despite these challenges, Musk appears to be forging ahead with his development plans, including the opening of Ad Astra in Bastrop. The school is open not only to Musk’s employees but to a wider range of applicants, who are invited to apply for the 2024-2025 school year.
Overall, the opening of Elon Musk’s Ad Astra school in Bastrop represents a new chapter for education in the area, bringing a unique curriculum and educational approach to students in the community. As the school begins accepting applications and preparing for its launch in September, it remains to be seen how Ad Astra will impact the local educational landscape and contribute to the development of the next generation of innovators. With Musk’s ambitious plans for the area, including new housing and commercial developments, Bastrop is poised for significant growth and change in the coming years.
