According to a report on the U.S. Business Insider website on January 4, billionaire Musk now seems to be expanding his influence in the field of education. His new private school Ad Astra (meaning "towards the stars"), which he invested $100 million to build in Texas, will officially open in 2025.

Business Insider said that although the school is not involved in politics, Musk had previously publicly stated during Trump's campaign that "education needs to change." Coupled with Trump's previous statement that he wanted to "abolish the Department of Education," this shows that the Republican Party hopes to reshape the country's education field in the future under the leadership of the Trump administration.

The maximum number of students admitted in the first year is 21, and tuition subsidies are provided for admission

Ad Astra is located in Bastrop, Texas, and is currently open to applications from all children aged 3 to 9 worldwide, with the age of 6 being the cutoff for the course level. The school does not require the nationality or race of applicants, but requires that 3-year-olds be able to use the toilet independently before enrollment, and that 6-year-olds be fully prepared to enter the lower grades of elementary school before enrollment.

Texas authorities announced in November last year that the school had received preliminary approval and would officially open in 2025. Documents obtained by Bloomberg show that the school covers a total area of ​​40 acres (about 161,874 square meters) and is allowed to enroll a maximum of 21 students in the first year. The enrollment plan has now ended. After that, the school is expected to enroll 18 children aged 3 to 6 and 30 children aged 6 to 9.

Ad Astra's educational approach will focus on cultivating children's hands-on skills and encourage them to find solutions to problems through exploration and experimentation. In addition, its educational curriculum will also integrate STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects into the classroom.

The report said that although Ad Astra is not a Montessori school, its operating model is similar to that of Montessori schools, that is, it focuses on child-centered education and personalized curriculum. The school's application form also indicates that it hopes that parents can actively participate in their children's education.

Business Insider pointed out that although Musk's name was not included in the documents submitted by the school to the government, tax documents showed that Musk's foundation donated $100 million to the school.

Regarding tuition fees, the school's official website states that students who enroll in their first year will receive a tuition subsidy, which includes full-year teaching fees, project course fees, daily snacks, campus activities and registration fees. In the next few years, the school's tuition fees will be consistent with local private schools.

US education expert: In order to obtain high-quality talents, politicians and business people value education

This is not the first time Musk has invested in the field of education. As early as 2014, he founded a school for his own and SpaceX employees' children, which was also called Ad Astra. However, after Musk's children graduated, the school also stopped operating.

According to Bloomberg, Bill Gormley, who studies early childhood education at Georgetown University, pointed out that it is nothing new for entrepreneurs to be interested in the field of education. Charles Bart, chairman of the Texas-based U.S. grocery chain, has teamed up with other business leaders to form a non-profit organization, "Raise Your Hand, Texas," which aims to provide funding to schools and support the preschool education industry. "These entrepreneurs have realized the value of preschool education," Gormley explained, saying that politicians and business people are paying attention to education, especially preschool education, "because they really want to see better talents."

Trump has repeatedly claimed that "if elected, he will close the Department of Education." As an important figure around Trump, Musk bluntly criticized the U.S. Department of Education during the presidential campaign last October. He said that the U.S. Department of Education seems to think that its main responsibility is to instill something in children, rather than to give them a better education. "This is crazy." The primary educational task now is to teach children useful skills in their later life. "I have great respect for people who work with their hands. We need plumbers and carpenters."

Business Insider said that Ad Astra School's emphasis on STEM courses also reflects Musk's emphasis on hands-on skills. It is understood that Musk, the founder of Tesla, said as early as 2018 that more power professionals are needed now. In a podcast in 2020, Musk also said, "Too many smart people are now entering the financial or legal industry."