You can send your kid to Elon Musk’s new Texas school
As the new school year approaches, parents exploring alternatives to traditional public education might consider enrolling their children at Ad Astra School, a unique educational institution founded by Elon Musk. Located in Bastrop, Texas, the school has recently opened its application portal for children ages 3-9, inviting them to join what it describes as “the next generation of problem solvers and builders.”
Ad Astra was initially established by Musk in 2014 in Los Angeles to provide an innovative learning environment for his own children and those of his employees. The original Los Angeles location closed in 2020, but the school is now reopening in Bastrop, where Musk’s tunneling company, The Boring Company, is headquartered. The school’s educational model emphasizes “hands-on, project-based learning,” encouraging students to explore, experiment, and find solutions to real-world problems.
The curriculum at Ad Astra is designed to focus on STEM subjects—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—while promoting continuous work periods in mixed-age classrooms, similar to a Montessori approach. According to the school’s website, Ad Astra selects students based on merit and maintains a non-discrimination policy. However, one requirement for admission is that children must be potty-trained before starting.
Elon Musk’s involvement in education reflects his broader reputation as a disruptive innovator and a father to at least 12 children. Recently, Musk’s personal life has been in the spotlight due to a contentious custody dispute. The SpaceX and Tesla CEO was seen in Travis County family court on Friday, as reported by the Austin American-Statesman, dealing with ongoing legal matters related to the custody of his three children with musician Grimes, whose real name is Claire Boucher.
Grimes has publicly accused Musk of withholding their children from her family. In a recent outreach via X (formerly Twitter), which Musk owns, Grimes’ mother, Canadian journalist Sandy Garossino, expressed her frustration. Garossino mentioned a Father’s Day card made by one of Musk and Grimes’ children, X Æ A-12, and lamented that her 93-year-old mother, who is in end-of-life care, could not visit the children due to Musk allegedly withholding them and their passport documents from Grimes.
During the court proceedings, a fire alarm disrupted the session, according to Business Insider. Musk’s security team quickly evacuated him from the building and into a Tesla. He returned about 30 minutes later when it was revealed that the alarm was a planned test.
As the debate continues and families consider educational options, Ad Astra presents a distinctive alternative, blending project-based learning with a focus on STEM subjects in a setting that promises an innovative approach to education.
