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