K12 Leads the Way Back To School

August 24, 2009

Largest provider of K-12 Online School Programs Delivers Online Courses, Materials To Thousands of Students

HERNDON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 24, 2009-- K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation’s leading provider of proprietary curriculum and online school programs for students in kindergarten through high school (K-12), is engaged in the largest back-to-school effort in the company’s history. With innovative web-based courses, over 2,000 online school teachers, and the delivery of more than 1,500 tons of education materials, K12 is bringing school directly to tens of thousands of students in the U.S. and across the world.

“K12 has developed the most robust and dynamic back to school operation in the K-12 online education industry,” said Ron Packard, Founder and CEO of K12 Inc. “This is a very exciting time of year for us as we deliver our world-class academic program to schools and families across the globe, and expand our mission to provide an exceptional education for every child.”

Bringing School to Every Student

The K12® virtual school program combines an award-winning curriculum – using engaging online lessons and hands-on education materials – with professional teachers, advisors, and state-of-the-art technology that connect students to a vibrant world-wide school community. This gives K12 students the opportunity to receive a complete education in their home, on the road, or wherever an Internet connection can be found.

Before the school year begins, K12 ships boxes full of education materials and supplies directly to the doorstep of every student. By Labor Day, K12 will have delivered over 1,500 tons of materials, including: 1.6 million books (texts, novels, workbooks, and printed materials); 40,000 globes; 14,000 microscopes; 50 tons of dirt, sand, and clay; 5 tons of rocks and minerals; and 13,000 gallons of paint.

Using a personal log-in account, students access their daily lessons through the K12Online School (OLS), which hosts more than 21,000 lessons, along with assessments and academic progress tools. K12 provides courses in English/Language Arts, Math, Science, History, Music, and Art for students in grades K-8. The K12 High School program offers students a catalog of more than 90 core, elective, and AP® courses. The K12 powerspeaK12 world language program offers 29 courses for students in grades 3-12 across the most popular languages, including Spanish, French, German, Latin, and Chinese.

The award-winning K12 curriculum can be customized for every child. This enables K12 to provide differentiated instruction down to the individual level so that all children, regardless of their educational needs, receive an academic program that works best for them.

Largest Network of Online School Teachers

K12 has been mobilizing and preparing teachers for the new school year. The company recently concluded a four-day training seminar for new and returning teachers at its headquarters in Herndon, VA which was broadcast via the Internet to teachers working in K12 virtual schools Throughout the year, K12 conducts multiple online and in-person professional development and training sessions for teachers.

K12 provides management, training and professional development for more than 2,000 teachers across the U.S., which represents the largest national network of K-12 online school teachers in the industry.

“K12 is privileged to work with such a talented and dedicated group of professional educators who are passionate about helping children succeed academically and reach their true potential,” said Chip Hughes, Executive Vice President of School Services for K12 Inc. “We are constantly receiving feedback from parents about how much they value the partnerships with their teachers and appreciate their support and hard work.”

K12 Virtual Academies:

The K12 program is predominantly used by students enrolled in public virtual schools – or K12 Virtual Academies. In these tuition-free public schools, students are able to receive a high quality, comprehensive education outside of a classroom, usually at home, and connect to their virtual school through the Internet.

Students work with a “learning coach,” usually a parent, to help guide them through their lessons and they communicate with their teachers and schoolmates through interactive technology. Working in partnership with parents, K12Virtual Academy teachers provide instruction, guidance and support and regularly communicate with students and parents via phone, email, web-based “e-classrooms,” and face-to-face meetings. Teachers also organize a variety of school field trips, activities, and events for students and families.

K12 Virtual Academies follow state and federal accountability requirements, and students participate in their states’ assessment tests.

In partnerships with school districts, charter schools, and state education agencies, K12 operates Virtual Academies in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Chicago, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington state, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia.

K12 also operates the highly-acclaimed K12International Academy – an online private school with students enrolled from over 35 countries across the world. The K12International Academy is a fully accredited, diploma-granting online school offering full-time or part-time enrollment for students in grades K-12.

Last year, more than 50,000 students were enrolled in K12 virtual schools. Students graduating from K12 virtual schools have been accepted to over 150 post-secondary schools, including many top-ranked universities and colleges.

Continued Growth

According to the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL), online learning was one of the fastest growing segments in education over the past decade and is projected to continue to grow rapidly. K12 Inc. has been at the forefront of that growth. Since the company was founded in 2000, it has grown to become the largest K-12 online school provider in the industry, offering popular education programs for children of all ages and abilities, designing customized online learning solutions for school districts, and operating high quality virtual schools.

“We’re very proud of all we have accomplished on behalf of families, teachers, and school administrators, and the high level of customer satisfaction we receive every year,” said Ron Packard. “Our goal is to continue to innovate and lead, and consistently provide our families and school partners with outstanding education programs and services.”

About K12 Inc.

K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), a technology-based education company, is the nation’s largest provider of proprietary curriculum and online education programs for students in kindergarten through high school. K12 provides its high quality, award-winning curriculum and academic services to online schools, traditional classrooms, blended school programs, and directly to families.

K12 Inc. is accredited through the Commission on International Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA), which recently joined AdvancED, the world’s largest education community. K12 is the largest national K-12 online school provider to be recognized by CITA.

More information can be found at www.K12.com

Source: K12 Inc.

K12 Inc.
Jeff Kwitowski, 703-483-7281
VP, Public Relations
jkwitowski@K12.com
or
DCI Group
Jamie Loftus, 202-777-3709
jloftus@dcigroup.com