To describe what AT LAST! does (boarding), while distinguishing it from a ‘Boarding School.’ AT LAST! is not a school. A Scholar-In-Residence attends the school chosen by his/her parent/guardian. During the school year, on Sunday afternoon at 3:00pm, he/she comes to the neighborhood AT LAST! residence to gain access to the type of optimized developmental ecosystem (and educational resources and tools) that are enjoyed by kids who are members of more affluent families, and stays the night. The next school morning, he/she awakens in the AT LAST! House, goes to school, returns to the AT LAST! House once the school day ends, and starts the process again until Friday after Schoo, when they go to their primary home (see answer to next question).

During the school year, a Scholar-In-Residence goes to the AT LAST! Residence each Sunday during the afternoon and returns (after school) each day until Friday. After school on Friday, each Scholar-In-Residence returns home for the weekend. He/she is also at home during each holiday and for the full summer. Bottom line: A Scholar-In-Residence spends more days at home with his/her family during a year than at the AT LAST! Residence.

AT LAST!’s Overton location will begin with one residence, and there will be 16 Scholars-In-Residence in that residence. Over time, the number of Scholars-In-Residence will increase at the Overton location. Given the importance of Early Childhood Education, AT LAST!’s Scholars-In-Residence will be elementary school-aged (1st-through-6th grade). Initially, AtLast! will focus on 3rd, 4th and 5th graders. The program will be offered to 1st and 2nd graders once AtLast! builds its next house on Overton Road.

Yes. AT LAST! Began providing program services to its first Scholars-In-Residence during the spring semester of 2021 at its Overton Road location (405 E. Overton Road, Dallas, TX 7516).

No. AT LAST! is an urban Boarding Experience in the vein of Boarding Schools targeting better academic outcomes from students whose families have high aspirations for them. Its mission is not therapeutic and not punitive. Is not a place built and designed for bad or troubled kids, and it’s not a program to “rescue” kids from “bad” parents. It is a program for good parents and grandparents who value education. They believe in their child’s ability to learn and are willing to make sacrifices to help him/her get better educational outcomes. Kids can only enter AT LAST! If their parent or grandparent decides AT LAST! is a good resource for their family. Thus, AT LAST! (will not accept coercive or mandatory placement of kids from courts, agencies, etc.).

Apply when an AT LAST! Residence is accepting applications in your city. If more kids who meet the criteria apply than AT LAST! can accommodate, a lottery admissions process will determine which applicants are granted admission. AtLast! has slots for 16 Scholars-In-Residence. It has periodic application windows, and conducts lottery admissions processes when needed to fill open slots.

AT LAST! does not ‘charge’ a parent/guardian a ‘fee’ for a Scholar-In-Residence to participate in AT LAST!. However, a parent/guardian will be expected to help make AT LAST! available for his/her child with ‘in-kind’ contributions (e.g., helping tidy up the area in the AT LAST! Residence where his/her child sleeps, communicating with AT LAST! stakeholders, etc.).

Yes. First, AT LAST! will first prove its premise at its Overton Road location in Dallas. Then, AT LAST! will scale and serve as a model to improve educational outcomes in other urban areas across America.

Yes, operations like AT LAST!’s are regulated by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, and cannot operate unless it has a license from that department.

Please take as many of the following actions as suit you: Go to www.atlastboarding.com, navigate to ‘How Can I Help?’ and indicate the areas in which you would be comfortable helping. Go to Facebook, search for ‘AT LAST!’ and ‘Like’ the page. Serve as an informal, deputized ‘brand ambassador’ for AT LAST! by spreading the word that AT LAST! exists and that it is helping its Scholars-In-Residence achieve significant improvement in their educational outcomes.