K12 A Stride Company Review: Services and Reviews

As a Stride company, K12 is a major player in the online educational service space. The company offers a wide range of e-learning solutions and programs that aim to address the needs of students, parents, and adult learners in various situations and environments. But is K12 really worth it?

This K12 review outlines the company’s structure and history, the available services and programs, the staff qualifications and background, the costs of different products, the terms and conditions, and the required software to benefit from educational modules. Moreover, we analyze online K12 reviews by students and parents to determine whether the platform truly delivers the scope and quality that it promises on its website. Finally, we summarize the pros and cons of K12 education and provide a few viable alternatives for students with different needs.

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for comprehensive e-learning services used by school districts and schools across the nation, check out Fullmind.

K12 Overview

K12 is a Stride company, which is an umbrella organization for a number of enterprises that operate in the online, blended, and offline educational field. K12 focuses exclusively on online education and provides various services to students, parents, and adult learners. Military families are frequent beneficiaries of K12 e-learning services.

As part of Stride, K12 was founded in 1999, by Ronald J. Packard. The company headquarters are located in Herndon, VA. Nevertheless, K12 has nationwide coverage in addition to offering online educational programs to international students too. Available services and products include but are not limited to online public and private schools, supplemental courses, summer schools, online tutoring, and adult learning. While some services are rather costly, there are financing and scholarship options.

K12 aims to remove barriers to learning and to meet students where they are through a customized approach. They are pioneers in online learning as an innovative, flexible alternative to brick-and-mortar schools that fail to meet the needs of all students in a constantly evolving educational environment.

To date, K12 has empowered more than 3 million students with online learning programs. The company focuses on a personalized approach, public and private options for all budgets, dynamic curriculum, and strong community.

K12 Services

A K12 review shows that the company offers a diverse range of e-learning services that are available to students, parents, and learners of all ages. Available services include:

• Tuition-free online public school for students
• Tuition-based online private school for students
• Homeschool help for parents
• 1-on-1 live online tutoring for students
• Supplemental courses for students
• Online summer school for students
• Adult learning for learns of all ages

Following is a detailed description of all services provided by K12 as a Stride company:

Tuition-Free Online Public School

K12 runs a network of tuition-free and tuition-assisted public schools throughout the US that cover all ages and levels, from preschool to 12 grade. While K12 public schools are fully accredited, they allow students to attend school from home and work at their own pace through a flexible schedule. In this way, students face fewer distractions than in a more traditional schooling setting and benefit from stronger parent involvement in their education. Moreover, they get access to various extracurricular activities to mimic student life at in-person schools.

K12 public schools are categorized into four main groups:

• Preschool: The K12 school curriculum, called Embark, offers over 1,200 online preschool activities in 18 thematic units including language arts, math, science, social studies, music, and art. This option allows parents to engage more actively in their children’s early education.
• Elementary School for K-5 grade: K12 online public elementary schools offer courses in all compulsory subjects as well as electives. These schools feature an advanced learner program as well as special education options.
• Middle School for 6-8 grade: K12 online public middle schools allow students to choose from multiple courses in addition to enrolling in an advanced learner program, STEM education, or special education depending on their needs and requirements.
• High School for 9-12 grade: K12 online high schools provide a wide range of courses as well as AP and Honors programs, dual enrollment, credit recovery, STEM education, special education, and diploma. In addition, students can choose from a career prep curriculum, explore career pathways, benefit from project-based learning, gain life skills, obtain certifications, join student clubs, and get assistance in preparing for college.

Applying for a K12 public school is done entirely online by the parent who needs to access the Parent Portal, choose a school, and submit documents such as the child’s birth certificate, transcript, and  medical records. Approvals take up to 2 weeks.

Tuition-Based Online Private School

K12 manages online private schools for grades PreK-12 in the entire US that are also accessible to students abroad. Unlike public schools, these schools are tuition-based. This option is designed to address the diverse needs of different students from anywhere with an internet connection and to empower students to achieve their full potential on their own terms.

Similar to K12 public schools, K12 online private schools cover preschool, elementary school, middle school, and high school. In elementary school, students obtain fundamental skills and the building blocks of knowledge. In middle and high school, they gain more independence and prepare for the next step in life, whether college or career.

K12 online schools offer live virtual classes, interactive labs, and extracurricular activities.

To enroll their children, parents need to choose a school, create an account on the Enrollment Portal, respond to a few admissions questions, and upload some paperwork. Both beginning-of-the-school-year and mid-year enrollment options are available.

Homeschooling

K12 offers educational support for parents who decide to homeschool their children. Options are available for all grade levels, from PreK to 12 grade. K12 helps families find the right personalized approach that meets their children’s unique educational needs. The company has the capacity to deliver materials, support, and flexible coursework.

K12 provides the following services for homeschooling:

• Curriculum for purchase
• Individual courses
• Enrichment programs
• Full-time home schools

Online Tutoring

K12 provides 1-on-1 live online tutoring services, under the product name Stride Tutoring. Online tutoring is personalized to the needs, learning style, and interests of each student and happens based on the student’s schedule. The service is available for K-12 grade, and students and parents can choose from multiple core and elective subjects. Each time, the K12 system ensures to connect students with the right tutor. All tutors are state-certified and have experience in working with children with different learning styles and needs.

Supplemental Courses

K12 online courses cover a wide range of subjects and are available from prekindergarten to 12 grade.

Available subject areas include:

• Language arts
• Math
• Science
• Social studies
• Technology and computer science
• World languages
• Art
• Music
• Career readiness
• Driver’s education
• Student success coaching
• Game-based learning (STRIDE)

K12 course content is designed to be dynamic and fun and is delivered via interactive and engaging sessions that follow a flexible schedule. Courses are personalized to each student’s requirements and include both online and offline materials.

Online Summer School

K12 offers an online summer school program as well as individual online summer courses. This provides students with the opportunity to catch up with school material from the past year, get ahead of classmates, explore a new language, or try new activities. Credit recovery courses are available.

K12 runs two summer schools:

• K12 Private Academy: This option includes full-length semester courses with summer start dates and condensed 4-week summer sessions.
• The Keystone School: This option includes credit recovery courses and full-length semester courses with summer start dates.

Adult Learning

K12 supplies personalized adult learning programs that help achieve both diploma completion and specialized certifications.

Available options for completing your education or advancing your career include:

• The Keystone School: For earning a high school diploma
• Galvanize: For part-time and full-time online training in software development, coding, and AI tools to prepare for a career in the tech space
• Tech Elevator: For live, remote coding bootcamps to jumpstart a tech career
• MedCerts: For gaining new skills in healthcare and IT through specialized online training programs to fast-track career growth in these fields
• Tallo: For online networking with professionals to help land new job opportunities and jumpstart your career
• Pathful Connect: For gaining access to virtual job shadows and live career events that allow you to explore a wide range of career options

K12 Staff

Teachers at K12 online public and private schools as well as K12 tutors are state-certified in their subject(s). Moreover, they have years of experience in teaching students with different learning styles and needs. Teachers and tutors undergo a rigorous hiring and background check to guarantee optimal results and student safety.

Meanwhile, adult learning courses are led by professionals in the respective field.

K12 Costs

The price of K12 services depends on the exact service. Following are some common costs:

• Online public school: Free
• K12 Private Academy: Annual tuition from $3,995 for PreK to $6,995 for high school. Family and sibling discounts and scholarships are available.
• Online Tutoring: $19.99/session
• Teacher-Led Courses: $450/semester and $900/year. Discounts are available.
• Independent Study Courses: From $12/month and $240 pay-upfront option. Discounts are available.
• Summer School: Undisclosed cost
• Galvanize: Undisclosed tuition. Financing and scholarships are available.
• Tech Elevator Bootcamp: $16,000. Financing and scholarships are available.
• MedCerts Programs: $1,300-$6,000
• Tallo: Undisclosed cost
• Pathfull: Undisclosed cost

It’s recommended for interested parents and students to get in touch with K12 or Stride to get a quote for the exact cost of the service that they need in addition to discussing available financial assistance options.

K12 Terms

Each K12 service comes with its own terms and conditions. Thus, parents and students need to check the product that they are interested in and ask for a copy of the user agreement to know what it takes to enroll and to cancel in case of not being fully satisfied with the quality.

Generally speaking, online school enrollment is available at the beginning of the school year and mid-year. Online courses come with semester or annual subscriptions. Online tutoring is offered on-demand. Some K12 services offer a money-back guarantee.

K12 Software

Due to the diversity of available options, K12 uses different types of software for each service and product. In all cases, students need access to a laptop, internet, and video conferencing software. Frequently, they also require access to a printer and other tools.

K12 Reviews

There are close to 5,000 online reviews of K12 on third-party websites that show very mixed experiences. While some customer reviews are overwhelmingly positive, others raise red flags that parents need to consider before enrolling their children in K12 schools or courses.

Online K12 reviews can be found on:

• Facebook: 78% recommended based on 4,567 reviews
• ConsumerAffairs: 1.0/5 stars based on 202 reviews
• Niche: 4.0/5 stars based on 94 reviews
• Yelp: 1.5/5 stars based on 63 reviews
• Trustpilot: 1.8/5 stars based on 17 reviews
• G2: 4.9/5 stars based on 5 reviews

Positive reviews of K12 by students and parents focus on the ability to address the needs of students with different learning challenges, the engaging course materials, the flexible schedules, the opportunities for parent involvement, the supportive and always available teachers, and the friendly staff.

Negative K12 reviews by parents and learners highlight the poor management of children with special needs, the incompetent staff, the overly complicated assignments, the lack of flexibility, the absence of support to students, the unreasonable convenience fees, the painful registration process, and the unhelpful customer support.

K12 Pros and Cons

Hiring K12, as a Stride company, for your child’s online educational needs comes with important benefits and drawbacks that need to be taken into consideration when choosing between K12 and another alternative.

K12 Pros

The main advantages of K12 include:

• Both public and private online school options
• Comprehensive grade coverage, from PreK to 12 grade in addition to adult learning options
• Wide range of core subjects, electives, college and career readiness classes, and career advancement opportunities
• State-certified teachers and tutors
• Nationwide and international coverage

K12 Cons

Some major disadvantages of K12 include:

• Use of K12 proprietary content which can cause a gap in the knowledge and skills between online and offline educated students within the same district
• Excessive focus on online learning and negligence of the social aspect of the educational process
• Undisclosed pricing for some services

K12 Availability

K12 online educational services are available throughout the entire US. Moreover, the company also delivers e-learning services to students abroad. This wide geographical coverage is possible because of the K12 exclusive focus on online services.

K12 Alternatives

With its wide range of services, K12 has the capacity to provide solutions to many problems that students and their parents face. However, the lack of services to schools and districts as well as some major criticism expressed in customer reviews means that the company fails to address some challenges in the e-learning space.

Following are the top K12 alternatives that offer comprehensive solutions in different situations and to various groups of beneficiaries:

K12 vs Fullmind

Fullmind is a top-rated e-learning services platform that provides solutions to the most pressing needs in the US education system, from K to 12 grade. In specific, Fullmind delivers synchronous core instruction, supplemental instruction, and virtual staffing to help with teacher vacancies, insufficient course diversity across schools, and assistance to students facing different challenges and situations. Services are available in all 50 US states, for all grades, and in all core subjects as well as a wide choice of electives.

A major benefit of Fullmind compared to K12 is that the former uses a district-adjusted curriculum which ensures alignment in the knowledge of Fullmind-educated children and other students within the district in addition to smooth transition between online and offline instruction. Another advantage of Fullmind is that all instructors are state-certified and have proven experience in online teaching. They are carefully vetted to guarantee the highest quality of educational services to students.

The main beneficiaries of Fullmind services are schools and districts, while K12 services target students and families. The company has strong experience in working with homebound students, students in suspension, and students with difficulties. Fullmind services and solutions are personalized to the situation and needs of each student. Instruction and tutoring can be delivered 1-on-1, in small groups, or to whole classes.

The cost of Fullmind depends on the exact service purchased and is meant to be affordable and competitive.

K12 vs Proximity Learning

Proximity Learning is another K12 competitor that provides a selection of services in the e-learning space. The main Proximity Learning products and solutions cover virtual instruction, online tutoring, live virtual summer school, and virtual schools for grades K-12. Available courses include core subjects, electives, AP, and world languages. Services are offered across the US.

Similar to K12, Proximity Learning uses its own proprietary curriculum which can cause various problems and discrepancies across districts. Unlike K12, Proximity Learning serves school districts and schools rather than individual students and parents, and there are no solutions for adult learners. Meanwhile, teachers and instructors are state-certified.

Proximity Learning does not disclose pricing information on the company website, so interested school and district administrators need to get in touch to obtain a quote.

K12 vs Imagine Learning

Imagine Learning is a competitor of K12 that operates within the online education space exclusively. The company offers instructional services, tutoring and intervention services, specialized services including speech teletherapy and education services for fulfilling IEPs and 504 plans, and summer school. Courses focus on core subjects, world languages, and exam prep, with fewer options for electives. In terms of geographical coverage, services are focused on certain areas of the US.

Like K12, Imagine Learning teachers and tutors are state-certified. Solutions address the needs of schools and districts as well as students and parents. Unlike K12, Imagine Learning has gamified learning experience options to make learning more fun, engaging, and effective for students.

Imagine Learning does not provide a cost structure on its website, so interested users need to contact the Support Team to get a quote.

Bottom Line

Our detailed K12 review shows that this platform could be a good fit for students and parents who opt in for getting online education or homeschooling. The company manages full-time online public and private schools in addition to offering 1-on-1 tutoring and supplemental courses. However, the many negative online reviews make one doubt whether this is the right solution for their e-learning needs. Schools and districts that want access to a top-ranked online education platform to solve teacher vacancies and other issues can check out Fullmind.