"They're getting all of the things they need to do between 8 and 3, and the evenings are theirs," Brandi Dowell, co-founder of the Bennett School, said.
The school operates as an affiliate of Texas Sports Academy, part of a network connected to an Austin-based education company. The program combines academics with athletics, using artificial intelligence to tailor lessons to each student's level.
Students begin their day with a concentrated, two-hour academic block. The rest of the day is dedicated to athletic training and practice.
"We work in kind of a pomodoro method - short, focused learning times followed by five-minute breaks - and we repeat that several times, which then unlocks the rest of their day," Dowell said.
Families in Texas can enroll students in affiliated schools like Bennett using a $10,000 school choice voucher to cover most of the school's $15,000 tuition. Supporters said the model offers personalized learning and flexibility.
But critics argue that taxpayer-funded vouchers should not support programs with limited classroom time.
"It's unbelievable that these people will be able to qualify to take a voucher from the state," Jackie Anderson, president of the Houston Federation of Teachers, said.
Anderson believes two hours of academics is not enough, particularly when public funds are involved.
"It's appalling that anyone thinks a person could be in school for two hours a day and academics are going to be crushed in," she said.
Texas Sports Academy schools meet current state requirements for voucher eligibility, including having a Texas location and at least two years of accreditation.
In a statement, the parent organization said students are showing "tremendous growth" on standardized Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) tests. Officials also emphasized that academics and athletics together make up a full day of personalized learning, rather than just two hours of instruction.
Dowell said the unique approach is making a difference.
"We here are able to individualize or tailor the educational piece of it, and it's really a game changer," she said.