K12 is available in about 30 states and is free. The main caution with K12 online school that gets overlooked is that the student IS a PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT! Although the student is not in the school building, they are on the roll for that school district and they get the federal funding for them.
You can see why school systems would want a student to use this method of education. They do not have to deal with any behavioral or physical challenges, but still get money for the student.
Here's how it works:
There is a teacher assigned to each student. The teacher keeps in contact with the student and the parent. They make sure the student is staying on track. These are certified teachers that handle most of their job over the phone.
The student is provided with a computer, printer and partial financial reimbursement for an Internet connection. They receive all their textbooks and hands on materials to use for the year. Everything has to be returned at the end of the year except for the workbooks that the student wrote in.
The family chooses the location where the work is done. If the family travels or the student is in sports or has a medical condition, their work can be done anywhere in the United States as long as they have an Internet connection.
Families can NOT choose their own curriculum. The coursework is assigned and is expected to be completed. The coursework may be too difficult or too easy, but the family will have to stick with it throughout the whole year.
The student is expected to take a standardized test at the end of the school year at one of several test locations. The parent is expected to take their child to the test location and be sure that they take the test.
From my experience the K12 online school also requires students to participate in several field trips throughout the year that the parent is responsible to make sure their child attends.
Pros:
Hopefully this will give you a good idea of what is all involved in the K12 online school program and will help you make an informed choice for your child's education.
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