A+ Unlimited Potential

DOES LEARNING BEGIN AT THE DOOR OF A SCHOOL? DOES LEARNING END WHEN THE LAST BELL RINGS? At A+ Unlimited Potential (A+UP), the answer is simple: no. For the scholars of A+UP, learning happens around the clock and throughout the entire community—and is driven by the unique passions, inquiries, and interests each learner brings to the table.

Launched by local non-profit Houston A+ Challenge, A+UP is Houston’s first “mobile” middle school and currently serves 50 learners. A+UP was born out of the non-profit’s commitment to bring innovation to Houston’s education system—set up to act as an incubator for its methodology and framework. A+UP exists with the goal to “unlock the unlimited potential of students while exploring the potential of technology to revolutionize learning.”

Making this mission a reality has meant nothing short of turning just about everything associated with traditional schooling on its head. It all starts with their proprietary learning framework, G.R.E.A.T. Personalized Learning—which focuses on five key aspects: Growth. Relationships. Empowerment. Anywhere, Anytime. Technology.

For A+UP, growth comes in many forms—academic progress, character development, and interest and passion expansion. Ensuring that all these realms are covered means building and fostering strong, lasting relationships not only between the scholar and the learning coach but also with their family. Together, the three players act as a team—building and co-creating the learner’s path forward. And, to support their pursuits and explorations, A+UP provides every kid with high-speed internet, a device, and a personalized online learning platform. So, combining technology with a focus on relationships, A+UP has created a truly personalized environment: The kids are self-directed and empowered; the learning coaches act as guides and supports; the parents are tuned in and engaged: and the community’s resources are leveraged.

And, that’s not all that makes A+UP a non-typical environment. They have abandoned the idea of the “school building” to bring open-walled (or anytime, anywhere) learning to life in a big way—calling Houston’s Museum District home and using the Health Museum as their base. Their ten community partners include the Houston Metro Rail, The Woods Project, and the Museum of Fine Arts. So, built into each scholar’s day and week are trips via public transportation, visits to museums and libraries, adventures into nature, and authentic opportunities to make a difference in their community. The real world isn’t some unknown place that they’ll experience some day. For these A+UP scholars, it is where their learning is made real every day.

Founded in 2013, A+UP began as an experiment of sorts—a proof of concept. And, they’ve been taking ground ever since. Recently granted charter status, they have big plans for the coming years, including three new campuses. In time, going on a “perpetual field trip” might just be what it is like to be a kid in Houston.