2010-11

GUIDE TO ONLINE LEARNING

Some children need a

different kind of classroom.

A CLASSROOM OF ONE.
 It’s your child’s life.
It’s your family’s choice.
It’s your chance to take an active role.
It’s online education, the K12 Way.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The K12 Learning Experience........................4-5

K12–Powered Schools...................................6-7

Unleashing the xPotentialTM........................8-9

K12 Curriculum Developers......................10-11

Online Teachers......................................12-13

Social Connections.................................14-15

Two K12 Families.....................................16-17

The K12 Advanced Learner Program........18-19

Find a School and Enroll.........................20-21

Introduction to K-8 Schooling................22-23

Grades K-8.............................................24-41

K12912 High School Approach..................42-43

K12 High School Subjects........................44-53

K12’s Graduates: Where are they now?...........54

The YES List....................................................55

the experience
On these two pages you’ll find highlights of

the K12 experience. Explore this comprehensive,

individualized education that comes with all the

support and quality you need to help develop

the highest potential in your children.

INDIVIDUALIZED LEARNING PLAN LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ONLINE LESSONS

(LMS)
Scantron® assessments Interactive
Initial conference Lessons and Lesson Plans Animated
Individualized plan for each child Daily and weekly schedules Dynamic
Planning and progress tools Engaging
Latest updates

ORIENTATION IN-PERSON COMMUNITY VIRTUAL COMMUNITY

Local events Booster Club K12 Blog

Online tutorials Field trips thebigthinK12
Introductory Course to Online Learning Clubs Online chats, message boards
Family Directory Clubs
Mentor Program Newspaper

Hello,
My name is...
 HANDS-ON MATERIALS TEACHERS ASSESSMENTS

Integrated with online lessons Frequent contact, guidance, State-of-the-art

Books and targeted instruction “Mastery”-based
Science labs Online “classes” After each lesson and unit
Art projects Support: office hours, email, phone

HELP STATE TESTING GREAT YEAR!

K12 Helpdesk Practice tests for preparation New friends

Call your teacher K12 Test Prep Program Report cards
Click the “Help” button Study Island Graduation ceremonies
Feedback loop Feeling of accomplishment

A B C D E
 THE K12 LEARNING EXPERIENCE
Taking the
mystery out of
online education
Online education is being adopted by
families like yours at an increasing
pace. Over the past 10 years, hundreds
of thousands of students have been
educated in a K12 partner school. And,
with a 95% satisfaction rating from
parents, the enthusiasm is spreading.
As Jennifer S., the parent of second-,
third-, and fourth-grade students says:
“The K12 curriculum [is] second to none.
I believe firmly…that this is the best
education available for my children.”
Who is K12? We’re passionate
educators and committed supporters
of individualized learning. We are
the largest provider of online-based
education programs for grades K–12
in America. To date, we have partnered
with 26 states and D.C. to provide
public, tuition-free learning options.
Our curriculum, program support, and
teaching staff—widely regarded as
the highest quality—are also available
worldwide through our private academy.
You can also buy a single course for
summer catch-up or enrichment.
However you work with K12, you’ll find
we are 100% behind you and your child’s
success.
page 4
THE CORE ELEMENTS:
Curriculum, Individualization,
Parents, Teachers, and
Technology
The K12 curriculum and patented
methodology is a powerful, effective
way to engage in individualized learning,
tailored to your child’s unique needs.
The core elements of using the K12
program in a full-time, online public
school program are:
• Curriculum: Rich, challenging, and
engaging content, both online and
off. Our award-winning curriculum
is comprehensive, with over 21,000
online lessons and 210+ courses for
grades K through 12. These dynamic
lessons include more than 120,000
multimedia pieces (including
Discovery® videos) and the latest
in interactive learning. Students
also use traditional materials like
textbooks, CDs, videos, hands-
on manipulatives, and science
equipment that complement their
online learning. This rich mix of
content allows us to deliver lessons
in diverse ways that accommodate
diverse learning styles.
• I ndividualization: A Learning Plan
designed for each student. This
ensures that your child receives a
customized program that fits his
or her unique strengths, needs,
learning style, and aptitude.
• Parents: Usually, parents take an
active role that we call Learning
Coach. The Learning Coach, or “LC,”
facilitates progress through daily
lessons in the K-8 environment and
plays a supportive role to help the
student stay on task in high school.
While the LC is usually a parent,
another responsible adult can fill
this role.
• Teachers: Well-qualified,
passionate, and state-certified.
These teachers are trained directly
by K12 to teach students enrolled
in K12 partner schools. In K-8, one
teacher is typically assigned per
student to focus on each student’s
individual learning, advise the
Learning Coach, manage the
Individualized Learning Plan, and
grade assignments. In high school,
a team of subject-specific teachers
is assigned to each student and
conducts online lectures and
discussions, holds online office
hours so students can drop in with
questions, runs tutorial sessions,
and sets and grades assignments.
The bottom line is that teachers
remain continually involved in
order to monitor progress, ensure
mastery, and develop specific
intervention plans if a student is
struggling.
• Technology: Our cutting-edge
technology enables learning
to happen anytime, anywhere.
Online School provides daily
lesson plans that automatically
update as the child progresses,
delivers announcements, hosts
online school discussions, and has
communication and support tools
to tie the experience together.
Of course, there’s more
to know than any brief
overview can provide.
Be sure to go to K12.com
for informative content,
including some great
videos.
Dispelling Myths about Online Education
Here are some commonly held beliefs about online schooling
that simply aren’t the case with K12:

MYTH: Students spend all day staring at a computer.

FACT: While attendance, planning, and assessment are all recorded online, only about 30 percent of K-8 lessons are strictly online.
The percentage is higher for high school, as students work at more of a collective pace in conjunction with the teacher. The rest of the
K12 curriculum relies on printed and/or hands-on materials, including beautifully crafted textbooks, paint, rocks, math manipulatives,
workbooks and worksheets, and such equipment as microscopes for lab work.

MYTH: Students who attend online schools lack socialization and social skills.
FACT: Students in K 12
online schools have the opportunity to participate in many academic and social outings and activities. These
may include trips to museums, skate parks, and zoos, as well as participation in offline and online clubs, student government, dances,
and much, much more. And since students in online schools have more flexible schedules, many find they actually have more time for
social and community activities than their peers in more traditional schooling environments. In fact, a recent study shows that full-
time online students are at least—if not more—socialized than students in a traditional setting. (See pages 14-15 to learn more.)

MYTH: Attending school online is a part-time endeavor.

FACT: An online education from K 12
is rigorous, challenging, and exciting. You can expect that your child will spend 5-6 hours
per day on coursework and assignments in grades K-2, and up to 7 hours per day as your child progresses further, which most parents
believe is “just right.” Parents of children (or “Learning Coaches” as we call them) in grades K-6 can
expect to spend 3-5 hours per day supporting their child’s education. For students in grades 7-8,
Learning Coach time typically decreases to about 2-3 hours per day as your child becomes more
independent. By high school, a parent’s role usually consists of simple encouragement and
support. Since the program provides a recommended schedule, teacher support, and all the
required materials, parents don’t have to worry about putting together lesson plans, tracking
down materials, sorting out grades, and so on.

MYTH: Online schools don’t meet the curriculum

requirements for public schools.

FACT: K 12
virtual academies are public schools that happen to operate
outside a traditional classroom. As public school students, your children
will be expected to spend a certain amount of time each day engaged in
schoolwork. They will also be required to take standardized tests mandated by
your state, just like students in more traditional schools, and test results and grades
will be recorded on transcripts. The K12 curriculum was developed by experts to meet
or exceed states’ academic standards.

To learn more, please visit us at K12.com.

page 5
 K12 – POWERED SCHOOLS
What is a K12 online
school program?
K12 has a unique, flexible approach that
combines the comforts of home with the
structure of school…a dynamic, interactive
online curriculum with traditional books
and materials…and a true learning
partnership between teachers, students,
and parents. Everything is focused on
your child’s individual learning and
success.
Our major public school options are:
• Public Virtual School: This is a
full-time, tuition-free school. These can
be charter schools or schools run by a
state or district. The school day takes
place primarily in the home. Unlike
homeschooling, there are certified
teachers to guide the learning, daily
lesson plans, and an entire support
system – including principals, guidance
counselors, an online attendance tool,
assessments, and a progress-tracking
system.
• Public Blended School: These
full-time, tuition-free schools offer
what’s known as a hybrid or blended
experience in which most schooling
takes place in the home, but some
school time is spent face-to-face in a
brick-and-mortar setting.
K12 programs are currently used in
outstanding public schools in 26
states and the District of Columbia.
The two schools profiled on these
pages will give you further insight
into how our schools work.
Find out more at K12.com.
page 6
A PORTRAIT OF THE OHIO VIRTUAL ACADEMY
There are more than 7,000 students, but no school building; however, that’s no
impediment to the quality of education children receive from the public, tuition-
free Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA).
Founded in 2002, OHVA ranked as the top-performing statewide e-school in
Ohio for five years in a row. In addition, OHVA was recently named the Parent’s
Choice winner as best high school in Ohio (of any type!) by GreatSchools.net
and Business Week magazine. Visit the GreatSchools.net website and you’ll see
such comments as: “I just cannot say enough about the staff or teachers.” “An
awesome experience…a spectacular curriculum.” “I went from being an F-student
to an A-student.”
How do OHVA and K12 do it? OHVA’s Principal Jeff Shaw says, simply, “We do
whatever it takes to help a child succeed. If a child fails, we fail.” Jeff continues,
“We hire teachers who put kids first. We provide the parent who has the motivation
to educate his or her child at home with a great curriculum, developed by experts,
with best practices for online learning, licensed teacher support, plus exciting
extra-curricular programs.”
The OHVA program, powered by K12, says Jeff, is “rich and complete.”
• Licensed teachers work with parents and students using a blend of traditional
and technology-based teaching strategies and support.
• Each month, outings to museums, science centers, and sometimes just roller-
skating in the park are organized by OHVA to bring students and parents
together. An online Family Directory provides a way for OHVA families to
network with each other.
• Special web-based sessions are offered for students who need added
instruction in a particular subject or for Learning Coaches (in most cases,
a parent) who need additional assistance in supporting their students.
In sum, the school’s program is challenging, engaging, and academically
outstanding. Yet, there is another basic truth about online education that OHVA’s
Jeff Shaw says is crucial to each student’s success, and that is commitment—on the
part of the parents and the school. “If you’re committed, we’re committed. And we
will help you succeed.”
Community Days,
Parent Co-ops,
ParaEducators
These are important, emerging
opportunities in many K12 schools
around the country, as we continually
strive to improve each child’s
education, enhance socialization, and
provide support for parents/Learning
Coaches.
For instance, in California, eight
sites are dotted throughout the
state where regular “Community
Days” are held. Anywhere from 60
to 180 students attend, and during
the 3 1/2-hour sessions, Math and
English/Language Arts classes are
held. Then there’s time for various
activities: from practicing a play to
a cooking class, arts and crafts, test
prep, and so on. It’s also a place
where parents can meet and share
advice with one another.
Another trend is Parent Co-ops,
managed directly by the parent
community. In Co-ops, parents and
their kids get together for part of an
academic day, and Learning Coach
responsibilities are shared.
Finally, in Pennsylvania, we’ve
begun to work with ParaEducators.
ParaEducators are skilled facilitators
—often certified teachers—focused
on children who need extra attention
in order to be more fully engaged in
their studies. As one K12 ParaEducator
said, “I have parents who thank me
every day” for helping to keep their
children on track in their studies.
A PORTRAIT OF THE CHICAGO VIRTUAL CHARTER SCHOOL
With 550+ students concentrated in Chicago, the Chicago Virtual Charter School
(CVCS) has been able to blend at-home schooling with a face-to-face, brick-and-
mortar component: one day a week for elementary students, two days a week for
high schoolers. As CVCS Principal Dr. Bruce Law explains, “Students get to see their
instructors, plus staff and fellow students on a regular basis, which helps strengthen
relationships.”
Clearly, the model is performing extremely well. In 2009, CVCS (which is 51% low-
income and 66% African-American) out-performed every other Chicago public school—
with comparable school populations—in state achievement testing for Reading, Math,
and Science for grades 3-8, and has successfully met the Annual Yearly Progress goals
of No Child Left Behind legislation every year since 2007. And CVCS just received an
Illinois Honor Award for achieving significant gains in academic performance for 2009.
This blended school was founded in 2006, with strong support from the then-head
of Chicago Public Schools, Arne Duncan, who is now the U.S. Secretary of Education.
A recent review of Chicago’s varied public charter schools, conducted by Chicago
Magazine, called CVCS a “standout” for its strong programs and success. The article
quoted a mother of two kids in CVCS: “This is totally individualized instruction, going
at the child’s own pace. I know the traditional schools say they’re doing that, but they
can’t go this far.”
Going the distance for every child is what CVCS’s Bruce Law emphasizes, “The nature
of our program is that the teacher, the school, the parent—we all get our arms around
that child. And, when the motivation is there, I’ve seen amazing things happen. There
are kids who had little deficiencies that had become gaping wounds—and we’ve helped
them get back to grade level. We also excel in challenging gifted children and helping
them accelerate.”
In Chicago, and wherever K12 schools operate, the story remains the same: a total
commitment to each child’s success, through a high-caliber, individualized approach
to education.

At K12, we never stop pushing to help

each child, each family, have what
it takes to succeed. Go to K12.com
to see what types of programs are
available in your state.
page 7
 UNLEASHING THE xPotentialTM

xPotential \ek-spe-’ten(t)-she-l\ n (2010) 1: the innate “possibility factor” unique to every child < hard work and the
right education can unlock and completely develop a child’s ~ > 2: LIFE PROMISE; LIFE POSSIBILITY 3: the personal, visceral
and intellectual zenith that a child can reach by immersing herself in the passionate combination of cognitive science,
individualized learning approaches, and rich engaging content found in the K12 curriculum.

At K12 Partner Schools, “His confidence and

Successes Happen Every Day self-esteem are the
K12 was founded on the idea that all children deserve a chance to achieve their strongest I’ve ever
full potential—what we call their xPotential. The online learning alternatives we
offer—most often in partnership with public schools at no cost to families—provide seen them.”
a different path for children, one proven to be a great fit for children who aren’t
thriving in their traditional school. Mike A. entered 8th grade at the Idaho
Virtual Academy as the typical awkward
Meet Laurel Maestas: K12 Director of School Counseling kid with low self-esteem. To top it off,
Laurel Maestas’s own education includes a master’s in education, as well as a post- he was a special-education student.
master’s certification in counseling. She spent nearly ten years in brick-and-mortar “Mike was uncertain about attending
schools, teaching and working as a school counselor. a public school online,” says his mom.
“He was used to traditional brick-and-
The difference with K12 is, as she tells it, “dramatic.” “In too many schools,” says mortar schooling.”
Laurel, “kids get put in a box. Middle school and high school kids are often tracked
in a group, even if their strengths vary by subject. If they do get placed in a more To Mike A.’s and his mom’s relief the K12
appropriate mix of honors and non-honors courses, a stigma can be attached to the online learning environment worked,
so-called easier courses.” beautifully. Mike A. felt safe to be an
8th grader in classes full of 6th and 7th
“A really important thing we’re able to do at K12 is look at the individual student in an graders, and he quickly became a leader
accepting, non-judgmental way. We’re able to put together a customized plan and among his peers. He was often chosen to
meet kids’ needs, without them having to worry what other kids think.” be a student moderator, turned in 100%
of his work, and was one of the most
School counselors begin meeting with K12 students in middle school, helping them helpful participants in the live, online
define and pursue their academic goals and, ultimately, career and college choices. classes.
Counselors also pay close attention to each student’s emotional development.
So no child gets lost in the shuffle. And when it was time for grade-level,
direct assessment prep classes, Mike
stood out as one of the top students—
his disability didn’t hinder him at all.
In fact, no one would have ever guessed
that he had any deficits at all. Mike A.
had finally overcome. His mother puts
their feelings about K12 best: “The
outstanding educational progress
Mike A. Michael has made this year is very
exciting, and his confidence and self-
esteem are the strongest I’ve ever seen
them.”

page 8
“All kids have strengths and weaknesses. We build on the
strengths and address the weaknesses, one child at a time.”
Jennifer Sims, Senior Director of Academic Services
Unleashing the xPotential—
Step-by-Step
Placement and assessment
Kids enter schools using the K12 program
at the grade level that’s age-appropriate
for them and are then administered
Scantron tests that give staff and
teachers an immediate snapshot of where
students are academically.
Individualized Learning Plans
Based on these initial tests, we develop
an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) for
each student, custom-designed to build
on each child’s strengths and to address
challenges. For instance, your child may
change grades, or take courses at a
variety of grade levels, if that’s what is
appropriate.
Monitoring throughout the year
Performance is measured throughout
the school year with regular course
assessments and Scantron tests. If these
reveal that a child isn’t on track, the
teacher designs a Strategic Intervention
Plan—a focused intervention that
addresses particular academic needs.
One year’s growth in one year’s time
At the end of the school year, we
repeat the tests the students took at
the beginning of the year. The goal is a
minimum of one year’s growth in one
year’s time. A number of children do
even better than that, even most of
those identified as “struggling” at the
beginning.
We Develop Children’s xPotential Across
A Wide, Wide Spectrum
Advanced & Enrichable Learner Program
Teaching gifted kids is about challenging their young, talented minds and stretching
their abilities. The K12 approach makes it possible to accelerate kids in one or more
subject areas, while allowing them to remain at grade level in others. And our Advanced
Learner Program adds many enrichment opportunities. See pages 18-19 for more
information.
Help for Struggling Students
K12 can turn struggle into success for kids who are falling behind. The K12 curriculum
has been highly praised by educators and parents alike for its ability to support flexible,
individually paced learning and to help get students back on track. K12 can give students
more time to grasp concepts, can accommodate kids with disabilities, and make it easy
and convenient for kids to repeat a failed course.
Families (and Kids) on the Move
Military families…student athletes…children of executives who are overseas…these and
many others have found a “home” with K12, one that helps avoid disruptions in a child’s
educational progress. Stateside, they are often able to take advantage of one of the
many public virtual schools that are powered by K12; beyond our borders, they can enroll
in the K12 International Academy, a private virtual school available wherever an Internet
connection can be found. A K12 education provides the ultimate in flexibility, excellence,
and continuity.
Homeschoolers No Longer Go it Alone
With a complete, integrated curriculum and support tools, K12 is there to help.
We have teachers when you need them in challenging subjects, built-in planning and
progress tools to shape your day, week, and year, plus complete teaching guides
and assessments to ensure your child’s mastery of subject matter. For so many
homeschoolers, this is truly the best of both worlds: to be actively engaged in their
children’s education while enjoying a comprehensive K12 solution.
Whatever your need, there’s likely to be a K12 educational
option that will make the most of your child’s xPotential!
To learn more, please visit us at K12.com
page 9
 K12’s CURRICULUM DEVELOPERS
The People Behind the Curtain
Exceptional, effective
lessons are the backbone
of the K12 curriculum, and
the domain of our lesson
development team.
We have assembled an amazing
assortment of master teachers,
cognitive scientists, mathematicians,
botanists, musicians, interactive
designers, writers, historians, and more
who share two things in common: deep,
deep expertise in their area of focus
and a tremendous personal passion
for shaping young minds the right way.
It takes all of these people working
together to create the quality content
and experiences that promote true
learning.
No other company has this kind of
team working for your kids. And we’re
never satisfied: no other company
maintains the level of vigilance we do to
keep improving every aspect of online
learning. K12 does continual testing
and research, and responds to real-
time feedback from you through the
“feedback” button available in all our
lessons.
Learn more about how we create America’s #1 online
education by going online: K12.com.
page 10
BEHIND THE SCENES
It takes a diverse and expert team
to build successful online learning:
• C
 urriculum specialists and lesson
developers plan each lesson and
make sure that the material is
right for the age and skills of the
student.
• I nstructional designers build the
activities, working with visual
designers and media specialists
to choose the best way to present
concepts and information.
• W
 riters and editors make sure that
the content is accurate, engaging,
and appropriate.
• I nformation architects analyze how
people will use the online program.
• E
 ngineers design and build the
software that makes K12 run.
• Q
 uality assurance specialists
make sure that everything works
properly.
That’s how we lead the charge for online
learning and stay on the forefront of
technology. And that’s what has made
us the number one choice of parents
looking for an outstanding education
alternative.
Dr. Dan Franck
Senior Science
Content Specialist
- Ph.D. in Botany from the University
of California, Berkeley
- Former botany professor at the
University of Wisconsin, Madison
- 30 years’ experience in educational
publishing
As senior content specialist, Dan (and his
fellow members of the K12 science team)
operate by the motto, “Science is a way
of thinking.” It is his team’s mission to
help kids develop that scientific way of
thinking—to acquire both habits of the
mind and the ability to apply science
skills to their studies.
“How do we deliver complex scientific
information in a way that really gets
through to kids? The clear presentation
of scientific information is a skill that I
love to develop, and that I continue to
develop every day.”
Kristen Kinney
Senior Content
Specialist for
Remedial Reading
- Ph.D. in Education, George Mason
University
- Former reading and special-education
teacher for Fairfax County Schools
Kristen is serious about education, and
about reading in particular. In fact, she
has been known to approach strangers,
ask about what they’re reading, and
talk about the latest research in reading
education. She works every day to help
K12 create a “world of readers.”
“You can’t get anywhere in society
today if you don’t know how to read.
I’m very passionate about making sure
every kid knows how to read.”
Amelia Jackson-
Zaremba
Senior Instructional
Designer, History
- BA in History and Political Science,
Delaware State University
- 20 years of experience teaching
middle and high school history
Amelia is responsible for designing K12’s
History lessons and making sure that
the content is educationally sound and
grade-appropriate. Her specialty is to
take content that may seem “boring” to
kids and make it exciting—to bring out
the story in history.
“What I try to do is to make history
come alive. It’s so rewarding to hear
a child say ‘Cool!’ or ‘Awesome!’
while doing a history lesson that I’ve
worked on.”
Beth Zemble
Director of
Alternative Learning
Strategies
- MA, English, Columbia University
- More than 15 years of experience in
curriculum development and online
education strategies
As an educator and curriculum
specialist, Beth has spent years crafting
every aspect of the K12 Language Arts
curriculum, helping students connect
to books and reading. She knows that
reading is about more than just words on
a page—it’s about becoming an effective
thinker and communicator. She knows
that the right reading program can help
kids make that connection.
“Books to me are like silent friends.
At K12, we try to make reading come
alive for our students.”
John Holdren
Senior Vice
President of Content
and Curriculum
- BA, Johns Hopkins University; MA
in English and American Literature,
University of Virginia
- Literature and writing teacher at the
University of Virginia and Harvard
University
- Former Vice President and Director
of Research and Publications at Core
Knowledge
Since the very earliest days of K , John
12
has been instrumental in using the latest
educational research and cognitive
science to create engaging, effective
curricula that emphasize hard work—
and the rewards of that work.
“We owe it to our students to
acknowledge the importance of hard
work, to set explicit expectations
that they will do it, and to support,
encourage, and (as needed) prod
them in their efforts.”
Tim Saguinsin
Senior Visual
Designer/Animator
- BFA in General Fine Art, Maryland
Institute, College of Art
- 15 years of experience in creating
graphics and animation for education
As one of the senior designers at K12,
Tim has visually contributed to every
subject in the curriculum. His creations
help make the learning experience fun
and engaging for students.
“I make it my personal goal to create
memorable learning experiences for
our students.”
Paul Thomas
Senior Content
Specialist for middle
and high school Math
- Degree in Mechanical Engineering
from MIT
- BS in Mathematics and MS in
Operations Research, George Mason
University
- Previously taught Math at the
prestigious Thomas Jefferson High
School for Science and Technology
As the content specialist behind K12’s
middle and high school Math programs,
Paul’s philosophy is to work with a
student for as long as it takes for a
concept to take hold. When it comes
to designing a strong Math program,
Paul is determined to give teachers and
students a variety of the best tools to
do just that—to focus on what makes
the “light bulbs” turn on.
“I am someone who doesn’t believe
in silver bullets when it comes to
teaching; it’s whatever works best for
a particular student.”
These are just a few of the
talented, creative minds
behind the development
of the K12 curriculum. It’s a
team effort, and our team is
dedicated to providing the
best possible education to
students everywhere.
page 11
 ONLINE TEACHERS

Expert Teachers—Your built-in support system

In all K12 schools, teachers play an integral role, even though that role is mostly

“virtual.” K12 teachers are certified, highly qualified, and widely experienced.

The majority of these dedicated educators have advanced degrees in their

subject areas, coupled with many years of classroom experience. But the one

thing they all have in common is a forward-thinking perspective—and

a passion for helping today’s students learn in today’s ways.

In grades K-8, teachers are in frequent contact with their students and

Learning Coaches. Teachers provide instruction and guidance, answer

questions and make suggestions, check and grade work, and monitor

attendance. They just do most of this remotely, rather than in the classroom.

High school teachers help guide and track students’ progress.

They’re available to help with coursework and answer questions online

or over the telephone, or even in face-to-face meetings. They respond

to students’ personal questions, and post information and advice for all

students in the Teacher’s Office threaded discussion board. Teachers also

host live “ClassConnect” online sessions to help their students through

difficult topics and prepare for assessments.

page 12
How Teachers Change Lives
Teri Cady of the Colorado Virtual Academy
(COVA) taught for two years in another
virtual school, prior to joining COVA, an
experience that she says was nowhere near
as “organized as K12.” Today, she teaches high
school Science and serves as Department Chair.
“K12 offers so many exciting and new ways to connect with my
students. Once a week, I hold live online sessions; I even host
science demonstrations using a video camera. All this keeps
my students engaged and eager to learn more.” She also loves
school outings. “When you think of online learning, you think
that the kids might miss opportunities to develop socially, but
we take field trips, visit museums and science centers—even
get together for ‘spaghetti’ dinners.”
With her 11 years of teaching—seven at a traditional school—
Teri has never seen a richer curriculum or a more innovative
online learning environment than what K12 offers, where
connecting with a student is merely a keystroke or phone call
away.
When Eric Buffington, second-year math
instructor at Agora Cyber Charter School,
noticed some of his students struggling with
algebra, he didn’t just sent them back to their
books and tell them to study harder, nor did he
slow his whole class down to address the needs of
a few. Rather, he took an innovative approach—developing a
series of video demonstrations to actually show the struggling
students how to apply patterns and logic to solve algebra
problems. These demos, delivered through Elluminate Live!,
an online “classroom” tool used by K12 and our affiliated
schools, allow Eric and his fellow teachers to help their
students who are struggling with a concept to understand
what might otherwise elude them forever.
Eric is now working with more than a dozen algebra and math
teachers in K12 schools across the country to create more of
these video demonstrations. “This is just a way to add on
to what we already have,” he says, “[and to] give students
another way of seeing things.” It also demonstrates the
remarkable level of collaboration among K12 teachers, who
constantly share ways to improve student learning.
Jena Kugel has been teaching for 11
years, seven of which have been with
the Arizona Virtual Academy (AZVA).
She specializes in writing, but AZVA has
encouraged her to branch out as a teacher
into the areas of math and history as well, for
grades K-8. She inspires great loyalty among her students—
so much so that 25 of them transferred from their brick-
and-mortar school to AZVA just to keep her as their teacher,
because they and their parents were so pleased with her
methods. Jena was the recipient of the National Coalition for
Public School Options American Pioneer of Teaching Award for
the state of Arizona, which just serves to emphasize her vision
to “be on the cutting edge of where education is going.”
Lynne Sommer of the Colorado
Virtual Academy (COVA) believes that
good teaching comes with knowing each
student—his or her passions, challenges,
and individual ways of learning. “If I know
the curriculum but am not able to present it
in a way that engages and excites each individual student,”
Lynne says, “then I have no wind in my teaching sails.” In
her seven years of teaching in traditional brick-and-mortar
schools, Lynne believed she was a good teacher, but at the
same time felt limited in what she could accomplish with all
of her students. “Being on the COVA teaching staff allows me
to partner with parents to meet individual student goals and
needs.”
Lynne is also a big believer in setting high standards for
her students. For example, she set her second through fifth
graders a challenge to write 500+ paragraphs—collectively
—in February. “With only 19 days of schooling in February,
I thought the goal might be a bit lofty, but the children rose
to the challenge.” When Lynne and her students gathered
to celebrate their accomplishments, the final total was 504
paragraphs!
“I consider it an honor to share my training and insights
to empower students to exceed expectations, and to give
committed Learning Coaches the tools to help their kids reach
their goals,” Lynne says. “It is empowering to see success for
students who weren’t thriving in traditional schools.”
page 13
 SOCIAL CONNECTIONS

We put extra effort into extracurriculars,

so you and your child can easily make
friends, and stay connected.

With a child in an online school, you may wonder how he or she will make friends and
develop socially while studying at home.

The truth is, K12 schooling offers many ways for you and your child to connect with
others and have fun—online and offline. In fact, a recent independent study of full-time
K12 programs found that online students’ social skills were at least on par with—or
actually higher than— those of students in traditional schools.*

Some of the options we offer include local sports, clubs, music, and hobbies, local
school events, online K12 clubs and activities, thebigthinK12 (our own social network),
the K12 Booster Program, K12 charitable efforts, and much more.

Connected learners are more successful learners

While many clubs are school-initiated, others are started by energetic students eager to
share their interests with other like-minded learners. There are clubs for Chess, Books,
Photography, Speech and Debate, Inventors, Art, and much more. Students can connect
in person or through a secure web-based meeting tool. The creation of new clubs is
always encouraged.

A sampling from around the country of popular events K12 families love

Many events cost nothing to attend and include free admission to local theme parks,
museums, and other local attractions. Types of events include:

• Winterland of Gingerbread—families build their own gingerbread homes

and create a village of these homes at this annual seasonal event.

• Battle of the Bands—students unleash their inner rock star to compete

for prizes and the chance to record in a studio.

• Science/Learning Fairs—students display their projects and are

recognized for their accomplishments. The events are also a
great way to bring together families and staff.

To find a school in your area where the K12 program

is available and see listings of events, please visit
K12.com.

page 14
K12 BOOSTER PROGRAM
AND FAMILY DIRECTORY
New parents are given the opportunity
to join the K12 Booster Club Program,
which is a great source of support for
families.
Soon after a family enrolls in a K12
school, they’re generally contacted by
a Booster leader, who keeps them in the
loop through regular e-mail updates.
Parents meet face-to-face with other
parents, and there are also plenty of
family activities and events to attend.
K12 supports the Booster Club with ideas
on how to make the program work best
for their school. Parents receive posters
and other supplies, as well as public-
speaking tips and community service
ideas.
Every parent can access an online Family
Directory that connects parents with
other nearby parents who have kids the
same age.
STATE-OF-THE-ART
SOCIAL NETWORKING
thebigthinK12 is a social networking
community where students, parents,
and teachers gather and share
information, and interact with local
peers in school-specific sections of
the site. Parents use this K12 feature
to connect and build relationships
with other parents, and interact with
their children’s teachers. In addition,
thebigthinK12 offers message boards,
news feeds, blogs, games, and national
art, math, and writing competitions.
Only members of the K12 community
can access thebigthinK12 .
theteenthinK12:
K12 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’
ONE-OF-A-KIND COMMUNITY
This is our virtual town hall, where high
school students can connect through
discussions, polls, news feeds, blogs,
and more. These students can also
get involved in student government or Armed with pencils, chisels, oils,
the school paper, talk about national pixels, or whatever media they choose,
or international affairs (or a favorite students channel their inner artist and
band), and get into political action or submit the final creation to K12. K12
service leadership—just to name a few judges choose the finalists’ works,
opportunities. which are displayed on K12.com.
K12’s web community lets students
“chat” with a friend on the way to class,
join an online group discussion in the
“hallway,” stop by the virtual “office”
to talk to their school counselor, listen
to daily announcements over the
“loudspeaker,” join an after-school
club, or just hang out and simply be
themselves.
Please note: in addition to parents
and teachers, both thebigthinK12 and We constantly look for ways to
theteenthinK12 are only available to K12 keep our students, their families,
students over the age of 13 who have a and teachers connected so they
parent’s permission and agree to meet a can build lasting friendships and
clearly defined code of conduct. lean on each other for support.
Please check out K12.com for
K12 PROMOTES GOOD further details.
CITIZENS, NOT JUST GOOD
STUDENTS *Interactive Education Systems Design
(IESD), Inc., in collaboration with The
At K12, we believe in changing the world, Center for Research in Educational
one child at a time, and that even the Policy (CREP), August 2008.
smallest ripple can make a big wave in
the world.
One way we do this is through K12
Operation Lemonade. One weekend
Find K12 on
a year, thousands of K12 students,
employees, and families set up local Facebook®, and
lemonade stands to raise money for
Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.
The foundation, which raises money for see what other
pediatric cancer, was founded by a young
girl named Alex Scott who lost her battle
against the disease in 2004. In the first
parents think
two years, K12 students raised more than
$70,000 towards finding a cure. about us!
HELPING STUDENTS LEAVE
THEIR MARK ON THE WORLD
All great artists need inspiration to leave
their mark on the world. Each year, the Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc.
K12 Art Competition challenges students
to do just that—draw from the things in
life that inspire them most.
page 15
 TWO K12 FAMILIES
The Lovelady Family:
Nearly a Decade with K12…and Counting
Several years ago, when her son and
daughter were little, Lori Lovelady
researched online schooling and
discovered K 12, which powers the
tuition-free Wisconsin Virtual Academy.
Even then, K12 stood out among the
competition. Lori explains: “The K12
curriculum was rich, engaging, and
challenging—just what I wanted for
my kids.”
Lori’s opinion is shared by her children.
“If my kids didn’t love K12,” says
Lori, “we wouldn’t keep them in the
program.”
“That first year, the whole family was
excited,” says Lori. “It was exactly what
I envisioned. Attending school at home
for your children can seem daunting, but
not with K12. You get excellent teacher
support, which is a lifesaver, and the
program is easy to use, especially for
new parents who feel like they have
to do everything. It actually takes the
burden off you, because everything is
so well thought through.”
“ It’s the Cadillac
And when the Lovelady family moved
to California, their children didn’t miss
a beat. “The decision to transfer them
from the Wisconsin to the California
Virtual Academies was easy—both
schools use the same K12 program
they’d known for years,” said Lori. It
also didn’t hurt that both programs—
as public virtual charter schools—
are tuition-free.
Luke and Kady Lovelady
page 16
The Lovelady family is now into
their eighth year with K12. “Kady, my
oldest, is in high school and really
enjoys it. She loves the structure and
independence the program offers,” says
Lori. “And both Kady and Luke love the
opportunities they get to catch up with
friends! Family events include snow-
tubing, cave-exploring, and hiking.”
Throughout the years, the family has
also been pleased with K12’s continual
efforts to improve the learning
experience. Lori says, “There have been
many improvements. Today, stories can
be read to our kids through audio—
a feature they love!”
Would she recommend K12 to other
moms? “Of course,” Lori says. “I’m so
satisfied: it’s the Cadillac of all curricula.
They offer the best available today,
and that’s all a parent wants for her
children.”
of all curricula.”
The Longer Families
Stay with K12,
the Better They Do
There are more than 70,000 K12 students
in the U.S. and around the world. That’s
a lot of families! And many of them have
been with us for nearly a decade (like the
two families profiled here).
There are good reasons to stick with
a K12 online education. Not only does
this kind of schooling promote greater
independence, more disciplined study
habits, and a more active role for parents
in a child’s education, but also the longer
a student stays with K12, the stronger he
or she usually performs.
For example, a group of children who
studied in a K12 program from 2001 until
now are 97% proficient in reading.
The Lovelady and Miller families have
seen their children grow academically
and personally, day by day, year by
year. They’ve seen that when each child
is treated on an individual, one-to-one
basis—and when committed teachers
and passionate parents are involved—
a K12 education can open the door to
nearly endless possibilities, including
places like Princeton!
The Miller Family: From K12 to Princeton
Alison and Greg Miller, and their four
children, have been with K12 for years.
Their oldest daughter stayed with the
program from seventh through tenth
grade before being admitted to a
residential high school ballet program
at an elite school for the arts.
Today, she’s a freshman at Princeton
University.
Their second-oldest was recently
accepted into the South Carolina
Governor’s School for the Arts and
Humanities, where she studies drama
and supplements her academic work
with K12’s foreign language program.
She also plans on taking K12
International Academy classes during
the summer of 2010. Their oldest son
is in eighth grade, but has accelerated
into Honors Geometry, and also plays
competitive tennis. “The flexibility
of being able to take school with him
enables him to travel to regional and
national tennis tournaments, which he
could not participate in if he were in a
traditional school setting,” says Alison.
And their youngest—another son—is in
third grade.
Life in the Miller home is good, but it
hasn’t always been easy. “We’ve had
our challenges, but throughout them, K12
has always there to help us meet them.
It’s why we’ve stayed with the program
for so long—it works,” she says.
Ensuring children have the right
knowledge and tools they need to
succeed in the future, whether that
means academic pursuits or a career,
is what a great education is all about.
When Alison discovered K12’s excellent
curriculum and learning programs, she
knew she was on to something big.
“Before my daughter was accepted
by Princeton, one of her high school
advisors said to me, ‘I don’t know how
your daughter knows all that she knows,
but I’ve been teaching for decades, and
she brings forth ideas that stop me in my
tracks. I replied, ‘I know why: it’s K12!’”
K12 gave Alison a way to offer her
children a great education that includes:
• M astery-driven individualized
instruction
• Rich content that included a
chronological approach to history
• A variety of classical literature,
from Western civilization and other
cultures
• Math that taught her children how
to “think mathematically” rather
than just “do problems”
• Intensive instruction in written
expression
• Skill-building in written and oral
communications
“. . .thanks to shared
experiences, and the
time we’re able to spend
together as a family,
we’ve grown closer.
And you can’t quite put
a price on that.”
In addition to the curriculum’s richness,
its flexibility helped her boys, who have
learning disabilities (mild dyslexia and
ADD) advance in their studies.
“My son with dyslexia can dig deeper
into a lesson and take the time he needs
to focus,” she explains. “He continues to
advance in reading using K12’s phonics
program and has started to look forward
to ‘reading time with Mommy.’”
Alison knows that families can face
multiple challenges with online
education from home. The Millers
faced those same challenges. “But
K12 aligns with the hopes you have for
your children—that they be adequately
prepared to do anything they want,
without limitations,” explains Alison.
“When you realize you’ve found an
education that makes this possible,
you feel like your kids can accomplish
anything.”
“Not only are our children experiencing
the true joy of learning with K12, but
thanks to shared experiences, and the
additional time we spend together as
a family, we’ve grown closer. And you
can’t quite put a price on that.”
To learn more, and see
more family stories, go
to K12.com.
Jessica, Matthew, Alec,
and Samantha Miller
page 17
 THE K12 ADVANCED LEARNER PROGRAM
Greater Opportunities + Bigger Challenges = A More Stimulating Education
Twelve-year-old Olivia, from Idaho,
wants to be the first female President.
And she’s already confident about
the item she’d address first: illegal
immigration. “I hear about what’s going
on in the world today, and I want to be
there to change it,” she says. Spend a
few minutes talking to this bright young
girl, and she’s likely to win your vote.
Olivia, who attends the Idaho Virtual
Academy (a K12 partner school), is
a student in K12’s Advanced Learner
Program (ALP), developed by K12 to
give Advanced and Enrichable Learners
unprecedented support and exciting
learning opportunities. She’s currently
a sixth grader, though she also takes
seventh grade Language Arts.
Where ALP really kicks in for Olivia is the
extra enrichment, such as clubs. Last
year, she led discussions in an online
Book Club, plus edited and designed a
school newspaper; this year, she’s in the
Technology Club, demonstrating cool
tech tools to the group. In a recent Club
session, Olivia gave her fellow students
an overview of a fun, create-your-own
cartoon website, ToonDoo.com. As
her Mom, Trish, explains, “Olivia’s ALP
teacher has opened up her world, with
new avenues to express herself.”
Extra-curricular enrichment is only one
piece of the ALP program. One of K12’s
ALP Coordinators, Nancy Kelly of the
Agora Virtual School in Pennsylvania,
explains: “ALP works with families to
ensure their gifted student is placed
properly in the right course level—even
down to the proper pacing. We help
page 18
families understand whether a student Learning Circles have been on such
should accelerate through a course, topics as Dinosaur Discoveries and
but also how to enrich their child’s daily Careers in Math.
lessons.” Nancy, one of over 50 ALP
specialists at K12, previously taught in
a Gifted and Talented seventh grade Olivia, a student
program in a brick-and-mortar school.
in K12’s Advanced
FANTASTIC LEARNING
OPPORTUNITIES
K12’s Senior Manager for ALP, Dr. Gary Learner Program
Smith, was supervisor of Gifted and
Talented programs for the Little Rock,
Arkansas school district for nine years. wants to be the first
He loves to talk about ALP’s nationwide
enrichment opportunities, including
monthly National Learning Circles, a quiz female President.
bowl called “Odyssey of the Mind,” and
a Speaker Series for ALP parents.
“In National Learning Circles,” Gary
says, “we have an expert presenter,
who kicks things off in an online
Elluminate® interactive session.
Students are invited to create follow-up
presentations on a topic of interest to
them and can present their work locally.
Then, a small group is picked to present
to a follow-up national session. It’s a
fantastic learning opportunity!”
A recent National Learning Circle was
called “Extreme Astronomy” and led
by K12 educator Pat Keeney, who taught
science in a brick-and-mortar school
for 17 years and was an educational
consultant to NASA for 10 years. More
than 200 students from across the
country participated in two age groups,
one geared for grades 3-5; the other
for grades 6-8. Other
A Program Built on
National Standards
The K12 Advanced Learner Program “The public school
(ALP) provides educational
advancement for your child across
a wide spectrum of curriculum couldn’t keep up
options, enrichment activities,
and progressive administrative
policies. ALP’s leaders and teachers
with him.”
do whatever it takes to optimize
your child’s learning experience.
Below is a list of some key program
components:
Tyler is 11 years old and in seventh grade at the Agora Virtual School, another
K12 partner. Having quickly completed the sixth grade curriculum, he was able
• Early entrance to school
to skip a grade. Tyler’s experience with K12 began in third grade because, as his
Grandmother Fonda (and Learning Coach) says, “The public school couldn’t keep
• Curriculum compacting (a way up with him. ALP is great…he absolutely loves it. He couldn’t do what he does in
to move more rapidly through a brick-and-mortar school.”
certain subject matter)
The seventh grade curriculum is truly giving Tyler a challenge, but he’s keeping
up with the advanced work and has high praise for his teachers, noting that his
• Subject acceleration
Math teacher is “one of the best I’ve ever had.” Tyler particularly loves K12 History,
“because of how many examples there are…it’s not just workbooks.” He cites K12’s
• Topic enrichment (a whole host award-winning text, The Human Odyssey, for the way it brings history alive.
of activities and assignments,
including the National Learning Some of the ALP enrichment opportunities Tyler likes the most are the Math
Circles described on this page) Olympiad and the Geography Club, as well as the global iEARN program, which
has let him connect with kids from Canada, Russia, Kenya, and Ukraine; currently
they’re creating a newspaper together.
• Individual subject advancement
ADVANCED AND “ENRICHABLE” STUDENTS
• Whole-grade advancement At K12, inclusiveness is important. We are less concerned with screening out
students from enrichment programs, but rather take special care to “screen in”
• Mentorship students with potential. This is why we talk about both advanced and “enrichable”
students, which we define this way:

• Uniquely trained teachers and

• A
 dvanced student: one who is performing above grade level in one
specialists or more subjects.

• Dual enrollment (college-level • E

 nrichable student: one who is motivated to increase his or her knowledge
coursework while still in high beyond the basic course offering on a specific subject.
school)
We would rather that more students, rather than fewer, enjoy great learning
opportunities. Because, as Olivia so eloquently put it, “ALP has made me more
• Credit by examination
confident, more excited, and given me a chance to try things I never would have tried.”

K12 has developed ALP in close

coordination with the National To learn more about ALP, just go to K12.com.
Association for Gifted Children.

page 19
 FIND A SCHOOL AND ENROLL
Enrolling in K12
is easy. See how.
We’ve broken down the enrollment
process into four easy-to-follow steps.
The whole process usually takes a
couple of weeks depending on how
quickly the steps outlined below are
completed.
To get started, visit K12.com
and click on “Find a school.”
This will take you to a map where you
can find K12 school options in your state.
Click on your selected option to get the
appropriate school’s website, where
you can begin enrolling! You may also
call us using the number on your local
program’s website, or at 866.YOURK12
(866.968.7512).
Remember: Many states have more
than one option, so take your time to
research the one that’s best for your
family.
Note: Some states do not yet have
a tuition-free public virtual school
option, but the private K12 International
Academy is available in all 50 states
and around the world, too. You can also
purchase individual courses directly
(please see the back cover of this
brochure for all contact options).
page 20
What to expect: Steps to enroll*
Ready to enroll? Simply follow these four easy steps:
1  ET UP A USER ACCOUNT AND COMPLETE
S
THE ONLINE ENROLLMENT APPLICATION
This step will create your own personal and secure online
account that will help you keep track of your progress.
2 SUBMIT YOUR FAMILY’S DOCUMENTATION
After you complete the online application, print the
Enrollment Forms packet. Then gather and fax or mail any
additional required documentation with your Enrollment
Forms packet. Examples might be proof of residence and a
copy of your child’s up-to-date immunization records. Many
schools also request official school transcripts (grades 10-12)
or report card (K-9).
Visit the website of the program you are enrolling in for a
complete list of required documents.
3 MEET YOUR “PAL”
Within 48 hours of completing your application, a Personal
Admissions Liaison (PAL) will follow up with you to complete
your Admissions Conference and discuss next steps.
4 APPROVAL
 pon receipt and successful review of the required
U
documentation—and as long as there is room
available— your child will receive an “approved”
mark on your personal online enrollment
dashboard!
 You’ve enrolled. What happens next?
Here’s what you can expect during the days and weeks following your student’s
approval as you prepare for—and then begin—your journey with K12.

1) RECEIPT OF MATERIALS
Once your student’s enrollment is approved,
materials will be shipped to you. These include
everything you’ll need for the school year:
books, art supplies, lab equipment such as
microscopes, and more! Please keep in mind
that the earlier a student enrolls and receives
approval, the sooner he or she will receive
materials before the school start date.

2) INVITATIONS TO ORIENTATION
AND OTHER SPECIAL EVENTS The planning tools allow you to easily schedule or view
We strongly urge you to attend a school lessons online, log attendance, and even monitor your
orientation and other social events at the children’s progress to ensure they are moving at the right
beginning of the year. Parents and students pace. Lessons are mapped out from start to finish for the
who participate in orientations will feel more year, but can be modified to accommodate family vacations
comfortable and in control of their virtual school or holidays.
experience. Event types and listings are updated
regularly on each online school’s website,
as well as on the K12 International Academy’s
website.

3) TEACHER ASSIGNMENT
Your teacher will contact you prior to the first
day of school either via e-mail or phone. You
may also be invited to a new family event to
meet your teacher face-to-face.

4) SCHOOL BEGINS  rogress tools show completed lessons and assessments.

By setting up your home with our guidance,
taking the “Introduction to Online Learning”
orientation class, connecting with your teacher,
as well as meeting with other families, you’ll feel
well on your way by the time school starts. And
when you sign on to K12’s Online School, you’ll
be delighted to see how robust and easy to use
our planning and progress tools are, as well as
how integrated they are with online lessons.
P
Parents and students alike can see which lessons have
been mastered out of the total lessons in a unit, or when
more work needs to be done before the unit can be
completed. With K12, we help you take control and stay in
control like never before.
Questions? Our knowledgeable enrollment
consultants are available to assist you along the
way. Call toll-free: 866.YOURK12 (866.968.7512).

*Steps vary by state and program. Some schools may require a placement test to help determine the appropriate level for your student. Please consult the local
program’s website, or call using the number on the site for more information. Individual courses can also be purchased through buy.K12.com in an easy-to-use
and convenient online store. In addition, some states do not yet have a public virtual school option, but the K12 International Academy is available in all 50 states
and around the world, too. Click on your selected option and you’ll go to the appropriate school’s website, where you can begin enrolling!

page 21
 INTRODUCTION TO K-8 SCHOOLING

“Our goal is for all kids to develop a love of

learning, and that starts at the earliest ages.”
Jennifer Sims, Senior Director of Academic Services

GRADES K-8:
Nurturing the Naturally Inquisitive Mind
All parents know how naturally inquisitive kids are. Children love to explore,
discover, and learn new things. For our K-8 curriculum, we tap into that
natural inquisitiveness with a simple yet powerful approach to learning:
big ideas + consecutive down payments + practice = subject mastery.

Getting kids into learning, so learning gets into them

The K12 curriculum brings learning to life by bringing lessons to life—engaging kids with a rich
mixture of online and traditional teaching tools. Our award-winning K-8 curriculum includes
interactive animations, books with beautiful illustrations and appealing narrative, original
CDs and videos, and plenty of materials for hands-on learning. And since lesson plans for each
subject are integrated, your child may be reading Homer’s Odyssey in Language Arts/English
while he or she is learning about ancient Greece in History. Lesson integration reinforces
concepts in a child’s mind, and is a big help in learning.

Planning and assessment tools that keep your child on track

Our K-8 program is mastery-based, which means your child won’t move on to the next lesson
until he or she has mastered the material in the current one. We measure subject mastery with
online assessments that are built right into the curriculum. These assessments are integrated
with the planning and progress tools as well, making it easy to find the right pace for each
subject and to stay on track. And with a unique Individualized Learning Plan, your child can go
as fast or as slow as needed.

Taking an active role in your child’s education

With K12’s K-8 curriculum, you or another responsible adult will serve as your child’s
“Learning Coach” and will work in conjunction with certified teachers via e-mail, telephone,
web meetings, and sometimes face-to-face to facilitate progress with your child’s daily
lessons. Teachers work with you to modify the curriculum’s pace and schedule according to
your child’s needs. Parents of children in grades K-6 can expect to spend 3-5 hours per day
supporting their children’s education, decreasing to about two hours per day in grades 7-8
as children become more independent.

Ready to learn more?

The next page gives overviews of each of our K-8 curriculum offerings.

page 22

New for 2010!
Adaptive Learning in Reading
Remediation and Math
“Adaptive” learning is advanced
technology that individualizes learning.
In an adaptive course, the system
intelligently “adapts” to the student’s skill
and knowledge level, providing help and
practice in areas they are needed most.
K12 is proud to bring this state-of-the-art
learning method to our students.
MARK12 Reading (Mastery. Acceleration.
Remediation. K12.) is designed for students
in grades 3-5 who are reading two or more
grades below grade level. The course gives
students the opportunity to master missed
concepts in a way that accelerates them
through the remediation process. The
engaging course features new graphics,
learning tools, and games; adaptive
activities that help struggling students
master concepts and skills before moving
on; and more support for Learning Coaches
to guide their students to success and back
to grade level.
Math for Grades K-5:
+
These exciting, research-based courses
focus on computational fluency, conceptual
understanding, and problem-solving. The
engaging approach features new graphics
and animations, learning tools, and games;
adaptive activities that help struggling
students master concepts and skills before
moving on; and more support for Learning
Coaches to guide their students to success.
K-8 CURRICULUM: Your Child’s Love of Learning Starts Here
Learn more about our curriculum and how it helps get your kids into learning. Then, in
the following pages, you’ll find more detailed information about each of these curriculum
areas by grade.
LANGUAGE ARTS/ENGLISH K12 Language Arts/English helps students develop
important reading and writing skills, while also inspiring a love of literature. Combining
phonics, literature, language skills, and spelling lessons, the Language Arts/English
program emphasizes classic works, teaches writing as a process, and prepares students
for standardized tests in the areas of language skills and reading comprehension.
MATH K12 Math balances mastery of fundamental skills with critical thinking and
problem-solving, emphasizing an active, multi-sensory approach to ensure that students
understand the concrete realities that underlie mathematical concepts. Regular practice
and review ensure mastery of basic skills. Online games and animations motivate students
and help illustrate concepts, while challenge problems help develop critical thinking skills.
SCIENCE K12 is unique in offering real science for young students, balancing hands-on
experience with systematic study of scientific terms and concepts. Students perform many
experiments to help them understand scientific principles, and receive guided instruction
in important scientific concepts. K12 Science nurtures curiosity, analytical skills, and an
appreciation of how the world is shaped by ongoing scientific and technological advances.
HISTORY K12 History opens young minds and imaginations to far-off lands, distant
times, and diverse cultures. The kindergarten History program takes students on a world
tour of the seven continents, and provides an overview of American History through a
series of biographies of famous Americans. The History program in grades 1–4 tells the
story of civilization from the Stone Age to the Space Age. Older students explore major
themes and topics in greater depth.
WORLD LANGUAGES WITH powerspeaK12 K12’s World Language offering—
powerspeaK12—is designed specifically for kids. It is a fun and effective way for students
in grades 3-12 to read, write, speak, and listen in up to five languages—Spanish, French,
German, Latin, and Chinese. Combining a variety of games, simple narratives, and regular
writing and speaking challenges, K12’s World Language program is language learning your
child will actually enjoy.
ART Following the timelines in the History lessons, K12 Art lessons introduce students
to great works of art from different cultures and eras, while engaging them in creative
activity—painting, drawing, molding with clay, etc. Students are introduced to the
elements of art—line, shape, color—and identify different types of artwork as they learn
about important paintings, sculpture, and architecture.
MUSIC K12 Music teaches basic music concepts at different, age-appropriate levels,
so that all students have a consistent understanding of the essential concepts governing
Western music. The curriculum builds quickly, in a structured, sensible way. The concepts
in the lessons are critical to fostering music comprehension, which is taught in stages as
students move through their years in K12. Much more than simple music appreciation,
this is an approach that will help students train their own ears, voices, and bodies in the
fundamental building blocks of music.
page 23
 KINDERGARTEN

“K12 Kindergarten goes in depth daily as to what

we need to do and how to do it. It has a good
balance of online and offline materials, and has
made learning fun and rewarding.”
Amy, parent of a K12 kindergarten student

LANGUAGE ARTS MATH

Our acclaimed K12 PhonicsWorks
program prepares students to become
independent readers through systematic,
multisensory instruction in phonemic
awareness and letter/sound knowledge,
using a kit of magnetized letter tiles
and a variety of games and activities.
Handwriting Without Tears provides
gentle instruction to help students print
letters correctly. Plenty of read-aloud
literature kindles the imagination while
building comprehension and vocabulary.
The emphasis is on classic literature—
fairy tales, fables, folktales, and poems.
Course materials include:
• The Frog Prince
• Beauty and the Beast
• Tom Thumb
• The Velveteen Rabbit
by Margery Williams
• Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
by Virginia Lee Burton
• The Runaway Bunny
by Margaret Wise Brown
This research-based course focuses
on computational fluency, conceptual
understanding, and problem-solving.
The engaging course features new
graphics, learning tools, and games;
adaptive activities that help struggling
students master concepts and skills
before moving on; and more support for
Learning Coaches to guide their students
to success. This course introduces
Kindergarten students to numbers
through 30. Students learn through
reading, writing, counting, comparing,
ordering, adding, and subtracting.
They experience problem-solving and
encounter early concepts in place value,
time, length, weight, and capacity.
They learn to gather and display simple
data. Students also study two- and
three-dimensional figures—they
identify, sort, study patterns, and relate
mathematical figures to objects within
their environment.
Course materials include:
• Math+ Activity Book
• Math+ Lesson Guide
• Custom K12 block set

Postcards from Around the World

Kids travel the world virtually in this interactive lesson for Grade K History,
collecting and sending postcards as they learn about countries around the world.

page 24
SCIENCE
Kindergarten students begin to develop
observation skills as they learn about the
five senses, the earth’s composition, and
the basic needs of plants and animals.
Students will also explore topics such
as measurement (size, height, length,
weight, capacity, and temperature),
matter (solid, liquid, and gas), the
seasonal cycle, our Earth (geography,
taking care of the Earth), motion (pushes
and pulls; magnets), and astronomy (the
Earth, Sun, Moon, and stars; exploring
space; astronauts Neil Armstrong and
Sally Ride).
Course materials include:
• Plastic pipette
• Safety glasses
• Bar magnets
• Magnifying glass
• Mirror
• Inflatable globe
HISTORY
This beginning course teaches the
basics of world geography through a
storybook tour of the seven continents,
and provides an introduction to American
history and civics through a series of
biographies of famous Americans.
Students will explore the Great Barrier
Reef in Australia, the frozen expanses of
Antarctica, the grasslands and rainforests
of Africa, the Great Wall of China, and the
villages and cities of Europe. Students
will learn about American history through
biographies of famous figures, from
Columbus to Abraham Lincoln to Martin
Luther King, Jr.
Course materials include:
• U.S./world map
• Inflatable globe
• Let’s Journey: Around the World (CD)
• Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain
by Verna Aardema
• Possum Magic by Mem Fox
• The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry
ART
Students are introduced to the elements
of art—line, shape, color, and more. They
learn about portraits and landscapes,
realistic and abstract art. Students
will learn about important paintings,
sculpture, and architecture; study the
works and lives of artists like Matisse,
Miró, Rembrandt, Hiroshige, Cézanne,
Picasso, and Faith Ringgold; and
create artworks similar to works they
learn about, using many materials and
techniques. For example, students will
create brightly colored paintings inspired
by Matisse and make mobiles inspired by
Alexander Calder.
Course materials include:
• Come Look with Me: Enjoying Art
with Children by Gladys S. Blizzard
• Come Look with Me: Animals in Art
by Gladys S. Blizzard
• Art print kit
• Tempera paint set
• Modeling clay
• Oil pastels
PREPARATORY MUSIC
Kindergarteners learn about music
through lively activities, including
listening, singing, and moving. Through
games and folk songs from diverse
cultures, students learn musical concepts
such as high and low. Creative movement
activities help students enjoy the music
of composers such as Grieg and Haydn.
Students will sing along with folk songs,
practice moving to music, and listen
actively to different kinds of music. They
will also understand concepts such as
high and low, fast and slow, long and
short, loud and soft, as well as identify
and contrast beat and rhythm.
Course materials include:
• Let’s Learn Music (DVD)
• Let’s Listen (CD)
• Let’s Sing (CD)
• Let’s Sing (songbook)
• Tambourine
• Slide whistle
page 25
 GRADE 1
“Last year, my son was struggling with reading. With K12, he’s no
longer struggling. I’m really impressed with what a first-grader
can learn if it’s presented in the right way.”
Michelle, parent of a K12 first grade student
LANGUAGE ARTS
Students will get structured lessons
on reading skills, language skills,
and literature to help develop
comprehension, build vocabulary, and
promote a lifelong interest in reading.
The advanced K12 PhonicsWorks
program helps students become
confident, independent readers.
Handwriting Without Tears focuses on
careful practice at a pace that matches
each student’s development of fine
motor skills. Literature lessons focus on
classic folktales, fairy tales, fables, and
poetry. Read-aloud and guided reading
lessons help students apply and extend
the skills introduced in PhonicsWorks.
Course materials include:
• L isten, My Children:
Poems for First Graders
• Ready... Set... Read
• F rog and Toad Are Friends
by Arnold Lobel
• Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
• B edtime for Frances
by Russell Hoban
• Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne
• The First Thanksgiving
page 26
MATH
This research-based course focuses
on computational fluency, conceptual
understanding, and problem-solving.
The engaging course features new
graphics, learning tools, and games;
adaptive activities that help struggling
students master concepts and skills
before moving on; and more support
for Learning Coaches to guide their
students to success. This course for
students in Grade 1 extends their work
with place value to numbers through
100, emphasizing fluency of addition
and subtraction facts, and focusing on
number sentences and problem-solving
with addition and subtraction. Students
begin work with money, telling time,
ordering events, and measuring length,
weight, and capacity with non-standard
units. Students identify attributes of
geometric figures and also extend their
work with patterns and data, including
representing and comparing data.
Course materials include:
• Math+ Activity Book
• Math+ Lesson Guide
• Custom K12 block set
• Base-10 blocks set
• Place-value mat
SCIENCE
Students learn to perform experiments,
record observations, and understand
how scientists see the natural world.
They germinate seeds to observe plant
growth and make a weather vane.
Students will also explore topics such as:
matter (states of matter, mixtures, and
solutions); weather (cloud formation,
the water cycle); animal classification
and adaptation (insects, amphibians,
birds, and mammals); habitats (forests,
deserts, rainforests); the oceans (waves
and currents, coasts, coral reefs); light
(how it travels, reflections, and inventor
Thomas Edison); plants (germination,
functions of roots, stems); and the
human body.
Course materials include:
• Seeds
• Directional compass
• Graduated cylinder
• Basic thermometer
• Plastic pipette
• Safety goggles
• Magnifying glass
Ocean Explorer
In this interactive Grade 1 Science
lesson, kids explore the deep ocean,
a coral reef, and a kelp forest from a
submarine.
HISTORY
This course kicks off a program that,
spanning the elementary grades,
provides an overview of world geography
and history from the Stone Age to the
Space Age. Through lively stories and
activities, students will meet nomadic
children in ancient Mesopotamia who
settled in the Fertile Crescent; explore
the great pyramids in ancient Egypt;
learn about the origins of democracy
in ancient Greece, as well as the first
Olympic games, the Trojan War, and
Alexander the Great; travel down great
rivers in ancient China, and witness the
building of the Great Wall.
Course materials include:
• U.S./world map
• Inflatable globe
• The Trojan Horse by Emily Little
• CD: Greek Myths by Jim Weiss
ART
Following the timeline of K12 History, first
grade Art lessons include an introduction
to the art and architecture of different
cultures, such as Mesopotamia, ancient
Egypt, Greece, and China. Students
will identify landscapes, still lifes,
and portraits; study elements of art,
such as line, shape, and texture; and
create artworks similar to works they
learn about, using many materials
and techniques. For example, inspired
by Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry
Night, students paint their own starry
landscape using bold brushstrokes, and
make clay sculptures inspired by a bust
of Queen Nefertiti and the Great Sphinx.
Course materials include:
• Come Look with Me: Exploring
Landscape Art with Children
by Gladys S. Blizzard
• Come Look with Me: World of Play
by Gladys S. Blizzard
• Paintbrushes
• Modeling clay, assorted colors
• Tempera paint set
BEGINNING 1 MUSIC
In this course, traditional games and folk
songs from many cultures help students
begin to read and write simple melodic
and rhythmic patterns. Students are
introduced to the instruments of the
orchestra through Prokofiev’s classic
Peter and the Wolf. They explore how
music tells stories in The Sorcerer’s
Apprentice and are introduced to opera
through a lively unit on Mozart’s The
Magic Flute. Students will sing along with
folk songs; practice moving to music;
listen actively to different kinds of music;
and begin to learn how to read and write
music.
Course materials include:
• Let’s Learn Music (DVD) – Volume 1
• Let’s Listen (CD) – Volume 1
• Let’s Sing (CD) – Volume 1
• Let’s Sing (songbook) – Volume 1
• Let’s Learn Rhythm (CD)
• Tambourine
• Slide whistle
page 27
 GRADE 2
“We are thrilled with the curriculum. The opportunity
to let my child live to his full potential, rather than by
a class timetable, was something that drew us to K12.”
Connie, parent of a K12 second grade student
LANGUAGE ARTS
This course provides a comprehensive
sequence of lessons introducing
students to the writing process,
grammar, vocabulary, and handwriting.
Guided reading lessons on traditional
stories and modern classics, with
an emphasis on works that embody
exemplary virtues, are designed to
develop comprehension and build
vocabulary. Students practice writing
as a process: prewriting, writing a draft,
revising, proofreading, and publishing
(sharing finished work with others).
Students learn basic rules of usage (such
as “may” vs. “can,” and “lie” vs. “lay”),
synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms,
parts of speech, punctuation, and more.
Course materials include:
• EPS Primary Analogies, Book 2
• EPS Reading Comprehension
• EPS Wordly Wise 3000, Book A
• George the Drummer Boy
by Nathaniel Benchley
• Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
• Robin Hood
• Knights of the Round Table
page 28
MATH
This research-based course focuses
on computational fluency, conceptual
understanding, and problem-solving.
The engaging course features new
graphics, learning tools, and games;
adaptive activities that help struggling
students master concepts and skills
before moving on; and more support for
Learning Coaches to guide their students
to success. This course for students in
Grade 2 focuses primarily on number
concepts, place value, and addition and
subtraction of numbers through 1,000.
Special emphasis is given to problem
solving, inverse operations, properties of
operations, decomposition of numbers,
and mental math. Students study money,
time, and measurement; geometric
figures; analyzing and displaying
data with new representations; and
determining the range and mode of data.
Early concepts about multiplication,
division, and fractions are introduced.
Course materials include:
• Math+ Activity Book
• Math+ Lesson Guide
• Custom K12 block set
• Base-10 blocks set
• Place-value mat
SCIENCE
Students perform experiments to
develop skills of observation and
analysis, and learn how scientists
understand our world. They demonstrate
how pulleys lift heavy objects, make a
temporary magnet and test its strength,
and analyze the parts of a flower.
Students will explore topics such as
the metric system (liters and kilograms);
force (motion and simple machines;
physicist Isaac Newton); magnetism
(magnetic poles and fields; how a
compass works); sound (how sounds are
made; inventor Alexander Graham Bell);
the human body (cells; the digestive
system); and geology (layers of the
earth, kinds of rocks, weathering).
Course materials include:
• Seeds
• Directional compass
• Graduated cylinder
• Iron filings
• Bar magnets
• 10-Newton spring scale
• Pulley
Karate Practice with
Alexander the Great
Kids learn basic subtraction by counting
broken karate boards—and get a real
numeric workout—in this interactive,
Grade 2 Math lesson.
HISTORY
Continuing a program that, spanning
the elementary grades, explores world
geography and history from the Stone
Age to the Space Age, this course
focuses on the time from ancient Rome
to the later Middle Ages. Through lively
stories and activities, students will
explore ancient Rome and meet Julius
Caesar; learn about the beginnings of
Christianity during the Roman Empire;
hear stories of the raiding and trading
Vikings; appreciate the achievements of
early Islamic civilization; meet medieval
knights in armor, and hear stories of St.
George, Robin Hood, and Joan of Arc;
and visit the medieval African kingdoms
of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.
Course materials include:
• Knights in Shining Armor
by Gail Gibbons
• Pompeii: Buried Alive
by Edith Kunhardt
• Saint Valentine by Robert Sabuda
• The Hundredth Name
by Shulamith Levey Oppenheim
• St. George and the Dragon
by Margaret Hodges
• Sundiata: Lion King of Mali
by David Wisniewski
ART
Following the timeline of K12 History,
second grade Art lessons include an
introduction to the art and architecture
of ancient Rome, medieval Europe,
Islam, Mexico, Africa, China, and Japan.
Students will examine elements of
art and principles of design, such as
line, shape, pattern, and more; study
and create self-portraits, landscapes,
sculptures, and more; and create
artworks similar to works they learn
about, using many materials and
techniques. For example, after studying
Winslow Homer’s Snap the Whip,
students paint their own narrative
landscape, and design stained glass
windows inspired by the Notre Dame
Cathedral in Paris.
Course materials include:
• How Artists See Play
by Colleen Carroll
• How Artists See Animals
by Colleen Carroll
• Art print kit
• Paintbrushes
• Modeling clay, assorted colors
BEGINNING 2 MUSIC
Through traditional folk songs and
games, students learn to read more
complicated melodic patterns and
rhythms. As the students listen to works
by great composers, such as Vivaldi and
Saint-Saëns, they learn to recognize
these patterns in the music. Students will
sing along with folk songs; read and write
music; learn to recognize melody in three-
and four-note patterns; identify rhythms
in music using half notes; become familiar
with string and percussion instruments of
the orchestra; recognize duple and triple
meter; and begin to understand standard
musical notation.
Course materials include:
• Let’s Learn Music (DVD) – Volume 2
• Let’s Listen (CD) – Volume 2
• Let’s Sing (CD) – Volume 2
• Let’s Sing (songbook) – Volume 2
page 29
 GRADE 3
“As a certified teacher, when investigating the K12 curriculum
I realized it was second to none with regard to content. I am
convinced this is the best education available for my children.”
Jennifer, parent of K12 second, third, and fourth grade students
LANGUAGE ARTS
Reading lessons are designed to develop
comprehension, build vocabulary, and
help students become more independent
readers. Students practice writing as
a process as they write a narrative, a
report, letters, and poetry. Students
learn about sentence structure,
parts of speech, and research skills.
Through weekly word lists, students
learn relationships between sounds
and spellings. Students read works
of nonfiction, as well as four novels.
Students learn and use techniques for
effective oral presentations, and develop
test-taking and critical thinking skills.
Course materials include:
• Classics for Young Readers, Vol. 3B
• Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
• Little House on the Prairie
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary
page 30
MATH
This research-based course focuses
on computational fluency, conceptual
understanding, and problem-solving.
The engaging course features new
graphics, learning tools, and games;
adaptive activities that help struggling
students master concepts and skills
before moving on; and more support
for Learning Coaches to guide their
students to success. This course for
students in Grade 3 provides a quick
overview of whole number addition
and subtraction, but has a greater
focus on whole number multiplication
and division, encompassing early
algebraic thinking. Decimals are studied
in relationship to place value and
money, and fractions are addressed
through multiple representations and
probability. Students are introduced to
specific methods and strategies to help
them become more effective problem
solvers. Geometry and measurement are
addressed through the study of two- and
three-dimensional shapes, early work
with perimeter, area, and volume, and
applying measuring techniques to time,
length, capacity, and weight.
Course materials include:
• Math+ Activity Book
• Math+ Lesson Guide
• Custom K12 block set
• Base-10 blocks set
• Place-value mat
SCIENCE
Students will observe and chart the
phases of the Moon, determine the
properties of insulators and conductors,
and make a three-dimensional model
of a bone. Students will explore
topics such as weather (air pressure,
precipitation, clouds, humidity, fronts,
and forecasting); vertebrates (features
of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and
mammals); ecosystems (climate zones;
tundra, forests, desert, grasslands,
freshwater, and marine ecosystems);
matter (phase changes, volume, mass,
atoms); the human body; energy; light;
and astronomy.
Course materials include:
• A Walk in the Boreal Forest:
Biomes of North America Series
• A Walk in the Desert:
Biomes of North America Series
• A Walk in the Rainforest:
Biomes of North America Series
• The Moon Seems to Change
by Franklyn M. Branley
• Clay (four colors)
Build a Harp
In this interactive music lesson, kids
build a virtual harp to understand
how the length of a string affects
its pitch.
HISTORY
This course focuses on the period from
the Renaissance through the American
Revolution. Through lively stories
and activities, students will explore
the Renaissance and Reformation
through stories of Leonardo da Vinci,
Michelangelo, Gutenberg, and Galileo;
journey through the Age of Exploration
with Dias, Da Gama, and Magellan; get
to know the Maya, Aztecs, and Incas;
visit civilizations in India, Africa, China,
and Japan; meet Queen Elizabeth,
Sir Walter Raleigh, and Shakespeare
during England’s Golden Age; explore
Jamestown, Plymouth, and the 13
colonies in Colonial America; and learn
about the American Revolution.
Course materials include:
• Michelangelo by Mike Venezia
• The Revolutionary War
by Brendan January
• Understanding Geography Level 3–
Map Skills and Our World
• Inflatable globe (3–6)
• U.S./world map (3–5)
ELECTIVE: WORLD LANGUAGES
WITH powerspeaK12
The online language-learning program
designed specifically for kids, K12’s World
Language offering—powerspeaK12—
helps students in grades 3-12 read,
write, speak, and listen in a choice of
five languages. K12’s World Language
program is language learning your child
will actually enjoy. Elementary school
students have the opportunity to take
Spanish 1 and 2, French 1 and 2, German
1 and 2, and Latin 1.
ART
Following the timeline of K12 History,
third grade Art lessons include an
introduction to the art and architecture
of the Renaissance throughout Europe,
including Italy, Russia, and Northern
Europe. Students also investigate
artworks from Asia, Africa, and the
Americas created during the same
time period. Students will extend their
knowledge of elements of art and
principles of design, such as form,
texture, and symmetry, and draw, paint,
and sculpt a variety of works, including
self-portraits, landscapes, and still-life
paintings. For example, after studying
da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, students will
use shading in their own drawings and
make prints that show the features and
symmetry of the Taj Mahal.
Course materials include:
• How Artists See Families
by Colleen Carroll
• How Artists See Work
by Colleen Carroll
• Art print kit
• Paintbrushes
• Modeling clay, assorted colors
• Tempera paint set
INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC
Students will learn to recognize and
write melodic and rhythmic patterns with
four elements, and practice recognizing
these patterns in the music of great
composers, such as Beethoven and
Brahms. Students become familiar with
instruments of the orchestra as they
listen to music composed by Vivaldi,
Saint-Saëns, Holst, and others. Students
will read and write music; learn to
recognize melody in two-, three-, and
four-note patterns; identify rhythms in
music using eighth, quarter, half notes,
and rests.
Course materials include:
• Let’s Learn Music (DVD) – Volume 2
• Let’s Listen (CD) – Volume 2
• Let’s Sing (CD) – Volume 2
• Let’s Sing (songbook) – Volume 2
• Tambourine
• Slide whistle
page 31
 GRADE 4
“My fourth-grader never looked forward to writing until the unit
on poetry. Recently he told me, ‘I just got an idea for a poem.’
K12 tapped an interest in him that continues to blossom daily. ”
Lisa, parent of a K12 fourth grade student
LANGUAGE ARTS
This is a comprehensive course
covering composition, vocabulary,
grammar, usage, and mechanics,
including sentence analysis and
diagramming. Structured lessons on
spelling enable students to recognize
base words and roots in related words.
Lessons are designed to develop
comprehension, build vocabulary, and
help students become more independent
readers. The emphasis is on classic
literature. Students read works of
nonfiction, as well as four novels
selected from a long list of classics.
A test preparation program equips
students for standardized tests.
Course materials include:
• Vocabulary Workshop - Grade 4
• Writing in Action, Volume C
• If You Lived in the Days of the
Knights by Ann McGovern
• Pollyanna
by Eleanor Hodgman Porter
• Robinson Crusoe by Daniel DeFoe
page 32
MATH
This research-based course focuses
on computational fluency, conceptual
understanding, and problem-solving.
The engaging course features new
graphics, learning tools, and games;
adaptive activities that help struggling
students master concepts and skills
before moving on; and more support for
Learning Coaches to guide their students
to success. This course for students in
Grade 4 moves into applications and
properties of operations. Students
work with simple fraction and decimal
operations, which are applied in the
study of measurement, probability,
and data, and mathematical reasoning
techniques. Students begin the study
of equivalencies between fractions
and decimals on the number line and
early work with integers. Algebraic
thinking is developed as students work
with variables, coordinate graphing,
and formulas in problems involving
perimeter, area, and rate. Geometry is
extended into greater classification of
shapes and work with lines, angles and
rotations.
Course materials include:
• Math+ Activity Book
• Math+ Lesson Guide
• Protractor
• Color tiles set
SCIENCE
Students develop scientific reasoning
and perform hands-on experiments in
earth, life, and physical sciences. They
construct an electromagnet, identify
minerals according to their properties,
use chromatography to separate
liquids, and assemble food webs.
Students will explore topics such as the
interdependence of life; plant and animal
interactions; chemistry; forces and fluids;
the human body; the nervous system;
invertebrates; electricity and magnetism;
rocks and minerals; weathering, erosion,
and deposition; the fossil record and
the history of life; and the Paleozoic,
Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras.
Course materials include:
• Bar magnet (pair)
• Safety goggles
• Lamp bulb receptacles and bulbs
• Magnifying glass
• Intermediate rock and mineral kit
• Invertebrates
• The History of Life Through Fossils
Science Food Webs: Energy
Flow in an Ecosystem
By studying food chains and food webs
in this Grade 4 Science lesson, kids
learn how the food they eat provides
them with energy from the sun.
HISTORY
Concluding their investigation into
history from the Stone Age to the Space
Age, fourth grade students turn to the
study of the modern world. They learn
about the Age of Enlightenment and
the Scientific Revolution, and meet
Isaac Newton and Benjamin Franklin;
become familiar with James Madison and
American constitutional government, as
well as Napoleon in France; learn about
various revolutions in Latin America;
see how great changes—nationalism,
industrialism, and imperialism—
shaped, and sometimes shattered, the
modern world, leading to two world
wars; and study many inventors and
innovators who achieved great advances
in communication, transportation,
medicine, and government.
Course materials include:
• The U.S. Constitution & You
• Inventors
• Inflatable globe
• U.S./world folding map
• History 4 Student Pages -
Semesters 1 & 2
• Map Skills and Our World - Level 4
WORLD LANGUAGES
WITH powerspeaK12
The online language-learning program
designed specifically for kids, K12’s World
Language offering—powerspeaK12—
helps students in grades 3-12 read,
write, speak, and listen in five languages.
K12’s World Language program is
language learning your child will actually
enjoy. Elementary school students have
the opportunity to take Spanish 1 and
2, French 1 and 2, German 1 and 2, and
Latin 1.
ART
Following the timeline of K12 History,
fourth grade Art lessons include an
introduction to the artists, cultures, and
great works of art and architecture from
the French and American Revolutions
through modern times. Students will
study and create artworks in various
media, including portraits, quilts,
sculpture, collage, and more; investigate
the art of the United States, Europe,
Japan, Mexico, and Africa; learn about
Impressionism, Cubism, Art Nouveau,
and Regionalism; and create artworks
inspired by works they learn about, using
many materials and techniques. For
example, after studying sculptures and
paintings of ballerinas by Edgar Degas,
students create their own clay sculptures
of a figure in motion.
Course materials include:
• The Artist at Work
by R. Sarah Richardson
• Exploring Modern Art
by Jessica Noelani Wright
• Art print kit
• Tempera paint set
INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC
Through traditional folk songs and
games, students learn to read and write a
variety of musical patterns. They learn to
play simple melodies and rhythms on the
recorder. They become more familiar with
the orchestra, especially the woodwind
and brass families, and learn about the
lives and works of Bach, Handel, Haydn,
Mozart, and Beethoven. Students will
sing along with folk songs; read and
write music; learn to recognize melody in
four- and five-note patterns; and identify
rhythms in music using sixteenths, dotted
half notes, and whole notes.
Course materials include:
• Let’s Learn the Recorder (DVD)
• Let’s Sing (CD, Volume 3)
• Let’s Listen (CD, Volume 3)
• Let’s Sing Songbook, Volume 3
• Recorder
page 33
 GRADE 5
“This is our first year with K12 and we feel that
our son is learning more this year than ever
before. K12 allows our child to learn in the
way that is best for him.”
Rhoda, parent of a K12 fifth grade student
LANGUAGE ARTS
This course provides structured lessons
on composition, vocabulary, grammar,
usage, and mechanics. Through
emphasis on spelling, students learn
relationships between sounds and
spellings in words and affixes. Lessons
are designed to develop comprehension,
build vocabulary, and help students
become more independent and
thoughtful readers. Students practice
writing as they write a memoir, an
editorial, a research paper, a business
letter, and more. Students learn about
parts of speech, punctuation, and
research skills. Students read works
of nonfiction, as well as four novels
selected from a long list of classics.
Course materials include:
• Classics for Young Readers,
Volumes 5A and 5B
• American Tall Tales
• Paddle to the Sea
• Exercises in English,
Grade 5 (Level E)
• Bard of Avon:
The Story of Shakespeare
page 34
MATH
This research-based course focuses
on computational fluency, conceptual
understanding, and problem-solving.
The engaging course features new
graphics, learning tools, and games;
adaptive activities that help struggling
students master concepts and skills
before moving on; and more support for
Learning Coaches to guide their students
to success. This course for students in
Grade 5 investigates whole numbers
through practical situations in rounding,
exponents and powers, and elementary
number theory. Students begin addition
and subtraction of integers and apply
all of their work with rational numbers
to problem-solving experiences. The
study of algebra includes work with
variables, solving equations and
inequalities, using formulas within
geometry and measurement, and work
within the coordinate system. The study
of geometry encompasses properties of
lines, angles, two- and three-dimensional
figures, and formal constructions and
transformations.
Course materials include:
• Math+ Activity Book
• Math+ Lesson Guide
• Protractor
American History Before 1865
In this Grade 5 History course, students begin a detailed
two-year survey of the history of the United States.

SCIENCE
Students perform experiments, develop
scientific reasoning, and recognize
science in the world around them. They
build a model of a watershed, test
how cell membranes function, track a
hurricane, and analyze the effects of
gravity. Students will explore topics
such as water resources (aquifers,
watersheds, and wetlands); the oceans
(currents, waves, tides, the ocean floor);
Earth’s atmosphere (weather patterns,
maps, forecasts, fronts); motion and
forces (pushes or pulls, position and
speed, gravity); chemistry (structure of
atoms, elements and compounds); cells
and cell processes; taxonomy of plants
and animals; and animal physiology.
Course materials include:
• Test tube
• Safety goggles
• Graduated cylinder
• 30-Newton spring scale
• Advanced thermometer
• How Bodies Work
• Classifying Life
AMERICAN HISTORY
BEFORE 1865
The first half of a detailed two-year
survey of the history of the United
States, this course takes students from
the arrival of the first people in North
America through the Civil War. Lessons
integrate topics in geography, civics, and
economics. The course guides students
through critical historical episodes via
the award-winning series from Oxford
University Press, A History of US:
American History Before 1865. Students
will explore the development of various
Native American civilizations; learn about
European exploration and the growth
of the Thirteen Colonies; investigate
the causes and consequences of the
American Revolution; and more.
Course materials include:
• Inflatable globe (3–6)
• U.S./world map (3–5)
• A History of US: American History
Before 1865, Volumes 1-6
WORLD LANGUAGES
WITH powerspeaK12
The online language-learning program
designed specifically for kids, K12’s World
Language offering—powerspeaK12—
helps students in grades 3-12 read,
write, speak, and listen in five languages.
K12’s World Language program is
language learning your child will actually
enjoy. Elementary school students have
the opportunity to take Spanish 1 and
2, French 1 and 2, German 1 and 2, and
Latin 1.
INTERMEDIATE ART:
AMERICAN A
Following the timeline of K12 History,
Intermediate Art: American A includes
an introduction to the artists, cultures,
and great works of art and architecture
of North America, from pre-Columbian
times through 1877. Students will
study and create various works, both
realistic and abstract, including sketches,
masks, architectural models, prints,
and paintings; investigate the art of
the American Indians, and Colonial and
Federal America; and create artworks
inspired by works they learn about,
using many materials and techniques.
For example, after studying John James
Audubon’s extraordinary paintings of
birds, students make bird paintings with
realistic color and texture.
Course materials include:
• Come Look With Me: Art in Early
America by Randy Osofsky
• Come Look With Me: Exploring
American Indian Art
by Stephanie Salomon
• Art print kit
• Tempera paint set
INTERMEDIATE 1 MUSIC
Through traditional folk songs and
games, students learn to read and write
a variety of musical patterns. They learn
to play simple melodies and rhythms
on the recorder. They become more
familiar with the orchestra, especially
the woodwind and brass families, and
learn about the lives and works of Bach,
Handel, Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.
Students will learn to recognize melody
in four- and five-note patterns; identify
rhythms in music using sixteenths,
dotted half notes, and whole notes; and
recognize AB and ABA form.
Course materials include:
• Let’s Learn the Recorder (DVD)
• Let’s Sing (CD, Volume 3)
• Let’s Listen (CD, Volume 3)
• Let’s Sing Songbook, Volume 3
• Recorder
page 35
 GRADE 6

“We’ve had an exciting year with K12. We took a six-week train

trip in the fall and did our online schooling with the help of a
laptop and a cell phone to conference with teachers.”
Suzanne, parent of K12 third and sixth grade students

INTERMEDIATE ENGLISH A PRE-ALGEBRA A EARTH SCIENCE

This course is designed to give students
the essential building blocks for
expressing their own ideas in standard
(or formal) English. After an opening
focus on paragraph writing, students
write a variety of compositions in genres
they will encounter throughout their
academic careers. The Grammar, Usage,
and Mechanics program offers practice
in sentence analysis, sentence structure,
and proper punctuation. Intermediate
Literature A sharpens reading
comprehension skills, engages readers
in literary analysis, and offers a variety of
literature to suit diverse tastes.
Course materials include:
• Myths of Ancient Greece and Rome
• BK English Language Handbook,
Grade 6
• Classics for Young Readers, Volume 6
• Vocabulary from Classical Roots,
Book A
• Twelfth Night by William
Shakespeare
• Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
• The Secret Garden
by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Students will gain an understanding of
the properties of real numbers, solve
linear equations and inequalities, and
use data analysis techniques. In the first
half of the K12 Pre-Algebra sequence,
students sharpen their computational
and problem-solving skills while learning
the language of Algebra. Students will
change word phrases and sentences
into mathematical expressions and
equations; solve equations and
inequalities; continue to develop
computational skills using fractions and
decimals; study circles, polygons, and
space figures; add, subtract, multiply,
and divide positive and negative
integers; solve problems involving
percents, ratios, and proportions; and
draw graphs and compute statistics to
communicate about data.
Course materials include:
• Pre-Algebra A - Structures
and Method Course 1
• Pre-Algebra A Student Pages
(Semesters 1 & 2)
The Earth Science curriculum builds
on the natural curiosity of students.
By connecting them to the beauty
of geological history, the amazing
landforms around the globe, the nature
of the sea and air, and the newest
discoveries about our universe, Earth
Science gives students an opportunity
to relate to their everyday world.
Students will explore topics such as the
fundamentals of geology, oceanography,
meteorology, and astronomy; Earth’s
minerals and rocks; Earth’s interior; plate
tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, and
the movements of continents; geology
and the fossil record; the oceans and the
atmosphere; and the solar system and
the universe.
Course materials include:
• Online textbook with printable
worksheets
• Wall map set
• Advanced rock and mineral kit
• Stopwatch
• Latch magnet

Pre-Algebra A: Exponents and Powers of Ten

In this Grade 6 Math lesson, students explore exponents—learning why
they’re used and how to use them.

page 36
AMERICAN HISTORY
SINCE 1865
The second half of a detailed two-year
survey of the history of the United
States, this course takes students from
the end of the Civil War to the dawn
of the twenty-first century. Lessons
integrate topics in geography, civics,
and economics. Students will assess the
success and failure of Reconstruction;
examine the impact of the settlement
of the American West; investigate the
social, political, and economic changes
that resulted from industrialization;
explore the changing role of the US in
international affairs from the late 19th
century through the end of the Cold War;
and trace major trends in the United
States since 1945.
Course materials include:
• Wall map set
• A History of US: American History
Since 1865, Volumes 7-10
• Inflatable globe
WORLD LANGUAGES
WITH powerspeaK12
The online language-learning program
designed specifically for kids, K12’s World
Language offering—powerspeaK12—
helps students in grades 3-12 read,
write, speak, and listen in five languages.
K12’s World Language program is
language learning your child will actually
enjoy. Middle school students have the
opportunity to take Spanish 1 and 2,
French 1 and 2, German 1 and 2, Latin 1
and 2, and Chinese 1 and 2.
INTERMEDIATE ART:
AMERICAN B
Following the same historical timeline
as American History Since 1865, lessons
include an introduction to the artists,
cultures, and great works of American
art and architecture from the end of
the Civil War through modern times.
Students will investigate paintings done
in various styles, from Impressionistic to
Pop; learn about modern sculpture and
folk art; discover how photographers
and painters have inspired one
another; examine examples of modern
architecture, from skyscrapers to art
museums; and create artworks inspired
by works they learn about.
Course materials include:
• Art print kit
• Pastalina clay (10 colors)
• Acrylic paint set
INTERMEDIATE 2 MUSIC
Intermediate 2 Music begins by
introducing notes that are lower or higher
than the familiar lines and spaces of the
staff. Students expand their knowledge
of rhythm and learn about the Romantic
period in music. Students also study
harmony and practice recognizing
pentatonic patterns. Finally, they take a
musical trip through Europe, Africa, the
Middle East, the Caribbean, Japan, and
China.
Course materials include:
• Let’s Sing (CD, Volume 4)
• Let’s Listen (CD, Volume 4)
• Let’s Sing Songbook (Volume 4)
page 37
 GRADE 7
“With K12, my boys are learning faster and enjoying themselves
while doing it. It’s nice to be able to have a choice in where my
children go to school.”
Elizabeth, parent of K12 fourth and seventh grade students
INTERMEDIATE ENGLISH B
This course continues the development
of written and oral communication
skills, designed to give students the
essential building blocks for expressing
their own ideas in standard (or formal)
English. Students continue to practice
writing essays in various genres. They
analyze the conventional five-paragraph
essay structure, and then move on to
learn the form and structure of a variety
of essays they will encounter in their
academic careers. The Grammar, Usage,
and Mechanics program addresses
many grammatical topics. Intermediate
Literature B sharpens reading
comprehension skills, engages readers
in literary analysis, and offers a variety of
literature to suit diverse tastes.
Course materials include:
• BK English Language Handbook,
Grade 7
• Vocabulary from Classical Roots,
Book B
• Classics for Young Readers, Volume 7
• The Iliad and the Odyssey:
Stories from Homer’s Epics
• The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien
• Treasure Island
by Robert Louis Stevenson
• Julius Caesar
by William Shakespeare
page 38
PRE-ALGEBRA B
In this course, students take a broader
look at computational and problem-
solving skills while learning the
language of Algebra. Students translate
word phrases and sentences into
mathematical expressions; analyze
geometric figures; solve problems
involving percentages, ratios, and
proportions; graph different kinds of
equations and inequalities; calculate
statistical measures and probabilities;
apply the Pythagorean theorem; and
explain strategies for solving real-world
problems.
Course materials include:
• Pre-Algebra: Reference Guide
and Problem Sets
Life Science: Viruses
In this Middle School Science lesson, students label the parts of a virus,
study its life cycle, and learn how viruses affect human society.
LIFE SCIENCE
The K12 Life Science program invites
students to investigate the world of
living things—at levels both large and
small—by reading, observing, and
experimenting with aspects of life on
Earth. Students explore an amazing
variety of organisms, the complex
workings of the cell, the relationship
between living things and their
environments, and discoveries in the
world of modern genetics. Practical,
hands-on lesson activities help students
discover how scientists investigate the
living world. Students perform laboratory
activities and a full unit investigation to
learn about the application of scientific
methods.
Course materials include:
• Online textbook with printable
worksheets
• Graduated cylinder
• Compound microscope
• Petri dishes
INTERMEDIATE WORLD
HISTORY A: FROM PREHISTORY
THROUGH THE MIDDLE AGES
In this first part of a survey of World
History from prehistoric to modern times,
K12 online lessons and assessments
complement The Human Odyssey,
a textbook series developed and
published by K12. This course focuses on
the development of civilization across
a twelve-thousand-year span: from the
Ice Age to the Middle Ages; from cave
paintings to stained glass windows; from
crude huts to Gothic cathedrals. The
course introduces geography concepts
and skills as they appear in the context of
the historical narrative.
Course materials include:
• The Human Odyssey, Volume 1:
Prehistory Through the Middle Ages
WORLD LANGUAGES
WITH powerspeaK12
The online language-learning program
designed specifically for kids, K12’s World
Language offering—powerspeaK12—
helps students in grades 3-12 read,
write, speak, and listen in five languages.
K12’s World Language program is
language learning your child will actually
enjoy. Middle school students have the
opportunity to take Spanish 1 and 2,
French 1 and 2, German 1 and 2, Latin 1
and 2, and Chinese 1 and 2.
INTERMEDIATE ART: WORLD A
Following the same historical timeline
as Intermediate World History, lessons
include an introduction to the artists,
cultures, and great works of world art
and architecture from ancient through
medieval times. Students will investigate
how artists from different civilizations
used various techniques, from painting
to mosaic; examine elements of design
and styles of decoration, from the spiral
to the solar disk; and explore some of
the best-preserved works from ancient
tombs, including the treasures of Egypt’s
King Tut.
Course materials include:
• Art print kit
• White self-hardening clay
• Acrylic paint set
INTERMEDIATE 3 MUSIC
Intermediate 3 Music introduces
students to all the notes of the major
scale. Students also learn to recognize
and sing the natural minor scale. They
expand their knowledge of rhythm
with simple syncopated patterns. This
semester introduces the Modern period
in music, with listening activities to help
students recognize Modern music and
identify pieces by individual composers.
Near the end of the year, students
explore American folk music as they
follow the expansion of the country
westward. Finally, they learn to recognize
the major forms of classical music: three-
part song form, theme and variations,
rondo, sonata allegro, and fugue.
Course materials include:
• Let’s Listen (CD, Volume 5)
page 39
 GRADE 8
“We’ve homeschooled using our own selected curriculum, as well
as been in schools that provided their own. K12 is the best of both
worlds—providing the core curriculum with a super teacher.”
Pam, parent of a K12 seventh grade student
LITERARY ANALYSIS
AND COMPOSITION
Throughout this course, students will
engage in literary analysis of short
stories, poetry, drama, novels, and
nonfiction. The course focuses on the
interpretation of literary works and
the development of oral and written
communication skills in standard
(formal) English. The program is
organized in four strands: Literature;
Composition; Grammar, Usage and
Mechanics; and Vocabulary. In the
writing program, students continue to
sharpen their composition skills through
writing essays in various genres. In
the literature program, students read
“what’s between the lines” to interpret
literature, and they go beyond the
book to discover how the culture in
which a work of literature was created
contributes to the themes and ideas it
conveys.
Course materials include:
• Classics for Young Readers, Volume 8
• BK English Language Handbook,
Grade 8 (Level 1)
• Vocabulary from Classical Roots,
Book C
• A Narrative of the Life of Frederick
Douglass
• Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl
by Anne Frank
• Romeo and Juliet
by William Shakespeare
page 40
ALGEBRA 1
Students develop algebraic fluency
by learning the skills needed to solve
equations and perform manipulations
with numbers, variables, equations,
and inequalities. They also learn
concepts central to the abstraction
and generalization that algebra makes
possible. Students learn to use number
properties to simplify expressions
or justify statements; describe sets
with set notation and find the union
and intersection of sets; simplify and
evaluate expressions involving variables,
fractions, exponents, and radicals; work
with integers, rational numbers, and
irrational numbers; and graph and solve
equations, inequalities, and systems
of equations. They learn to determine
whether a relation is a function and how
to describe its domain and range; use
factoring, formulas, and other techniques
to solve quadratic and other polynomial
equations; formulate and evaluate valid
mathematical arguments using various
types of reasoning; and translate word
problems into mathematical equations
and then use the equations to solve the
original problems.
Course materials include:
• Algebra I: Reference Guide
and Problem Sets
PHYSICAL SCIENCE
The K12 Physical Science program
introduces students to many aspects of
the physical world, focusing first on
chemistry and then on physics. The
course provides an overview of the
physical world and gives students tools
and concepts to think clearly about
atoms, molecules, chemical reactions,
motion, electricity, light, and other
aspects of chemistry and physics.
Among other subjects, students study
the structure of atoms; the elements and
the Periodic Table; chemical reactions;
forces, including gravitational, motion,
acceleration, and mass; and energy,
including light, thermal, electricity, and
magnetism.
Course materials include:
• Online textbook with printable
worksheets
• 10-Newton spring scale
• Digital scale
• Double pulley
• Directional compass
INTERMEDIATE WORLD
HISTORY B: OUR MODERN
WORLD, 1400 TO 1917
Continuing a survey of World History
from prehistoric to modern times, K12
online lessons complement the second
volume of The Human Odyssey, a
textbook series developed and published
by K12. This course focuses on the story
of the past from the fifteenth century to
1917 and the beginning of World War I.
The course is organized chronologically
and, within broad eras, regionally.
Lessons explore developments in
religion, philosophy, the arts, and
science and technology. The course
introduces geography concepts and
skills as they appear in the context of the
historical narrative.
Course materials include:
• The Human Odyssey, Volume 2:
Our Modern World. 1400-1914
WORLD LANGUAGES
WITH powerspeaK12
The online language-learning program
designed specifically for kids, K12’s World
Language offering—powerspeaK12—
helps students in grades 3-12 read,
write, speak, and listen in five languages.
K12’s World Language program is
language learning your child will actually
enjoy. Middle school students have the
opportunity to take Spanish 1 and 2,
French 1 and 2, German 1 and 2, Latin 1
and 2, and Chinese 1 and 2.
INTERMEDIATE ART: WORLD B
K12 Intermediate Art: World B is designed
to complement World History: Our
Modern World, 1400 to 1917. Following
the same historical timeline, lessons
include an introduction to the artists,
cultures, and great works of world art
and architecture from the Renaissance
through modern times. Students will
study various works of art from the
Renaissance and beyond; discover great
works of art and see how they influenced
later artists; compare and contrast works
from many civilizations, from paintings
to sculpture, architecture, book covers,
prints, and more; and create artworks
inspired by works they learn about.
INTERMEDIATE 3 MUSIC
Intermediate 3 Music introduces
students to all the notes of the major
scale. Students also learn to recognize
and sing the natural minor scale. They
expand their knowledge of rhythm
with simple syncopated patterns. This
semester introduces the Modern period
in music, with listening activities to help
students recognize Modern music and
identify pieces by individual composers.
Near the end of the year, students
explore American folk music as they
follow the expansion of the country
westward. Finally, they learn to recognize
the major forms of classical music: three-
part song form, theme and variations,
rondo, sonata allegro, and fugue.
Course materials include:
• Let’s Listen (CD, Volume 5)

Course materials include:

• Art print kit

Algebra 1: Slope of a Line

In this Grade 8 Math lesson, students
find solutions to word problems, learn to
identify points on a graph, learn to graph
and connect points, and much more.
page 41
 K12 912 HIGH SCHOOL APPROACH

“You don’t feel lost in the crowd. You get

that individual attention from the teacher.”
K12912 high school student

High school becomes “my school”

Your kids are unique. That’s why they deserve an education tailored just for them.
The traditional high school experience works for many kids, but it doesn’t work for
everyone—for various reasons.

Your kids may not fit the mold and they’re not alone
Classes move too fast or too slow. Course offerings or levels are too limited. Scheduling
restricts their ability to pursue a sport or other intense passion. Social pressures are
distracting. Academic expectations are either too intense or ill-fitting. Whatever the
reason, a one-size-fits-all education doesn’t fit them.

Welcome to K12912 High School

Our high school program is available through public and private virtual schools throughout
the country and around the world. We’ve taken K12 proprietary courses—widely regarded
as the standard-bearers for online course quality—and wrapped them with experiences,
support, guidance, choices, community, and Web 2.0 tools to help your kids find their own
path, and enjoy their journey.

We help them find their path

We’ll work with your teens from the start and at every step along the way to help them
get as far as they can go on whatever path they choose, while ensuring that they meet all
of the academic requirements they’ll need to succeed. You’ll benefit from the “xTeam”—
including Guidance Counselors and Advisors—who will create and continually monitor
an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP). We’ll assess where your teen is academically, and
give him or her the opportunity to imagine different directions. The ILP and xTeam are
there to help students get going, and help them continually shape their path as their
goals evolve. Chelsea M.,
Idaho Virtual Academy
The individualized plan guides their journey to post-high-school success—to a top-tier graduate, 2009
college if that’s what they want, or to a vocational program or associate degree that
prepares them for a specific career. We provide you with the state-of-the-art counseling
system, Naviance®—Family Connection, which offers learning style assessments,
thousands of college and career resources, scholarship information, and more.

Yes, we’ll push them. But we’ll be pushing them to maximize success on their specific
path, not ours. We won’t judge the path they choose, but we will expect hard work and
real effort.

page 42
 We start with the best aspects of our K-8 program.
The K12912 high school curriculum is tailor-made for high school students,
because it’s highly individualized and flexible. At the same time, many of the
Core, Comprehensive, Honors, AP… characteristics that underpin our award-winning K-8 courses are built into our
high school courses.
What’s the Distinction?
• C ourses built on educational research to identify the “Big Ideas” of a subject
Core courses meet all academic requirements
area, as well as the concepts that are stumbling blocks for many students
for each course area. Rich, engaging content
• Clear layout of the objectives to be mastered in each lesson, unit, and
with interactive demonstrations and activities
semester, crafted from research and deep content expertise
helps students absorb and retain the information
• Engaging interactive content to illustrate and explain the toughest concepts
presented.
in ways no static page (print or Web) could ever match
• Beautifully printed materials matched with the online courses so that the
Students in our Comprehensive courses do
images, phrases, and organization of these references clearly reinforce the
more extensive writing and research projects,
course’s key concepts
and tackle problems that require more analytical,
• Terrific hands-on experiences with labs, books, and writing designed to give
independent thinking and self-discipline.
sufficient practice in key skills that students must master
• Clear assessment tools to measure mastery of lesson objectives, using both
Honors courses hold students to a still greater
online and offline tasks to carefully probe mastery
degree of accountability and demand even more
independence and self-discipline. Students read
texts typically assigned in college, and are also
Then, we add many unique factors.
assigned college-level research and writing.
Recognizing the intrinsic differences between high school courses and
Advanced Placement (AP) courses are college-
K-8 courses, K12 high school courses work differently than our K-8 courses.
level courses that follow curriculum specified by
the College Board. These courses are designed to
• S tudents are regularly involved on a course-by-course basis in threaded,
prepare students for success on AP exams,
teacher-monitored discussions with each other about key topics and ideas
in order to earn college credit.
being covered
• A certified high school teacher qualified to teach his or her subject area is
deeply engaged with the students’ work every week
• Parents are not expected to be engaged in the academic work directly—the
usual parental moral and practical support for high school kids is enough

Multiple course levels let them chart their own course

Math, English, Science, and History courses are offered in multiple levels—
Core, Comprehensive, Honors and AP—to meet the needs of diverse learners with
diverse goals. We even have credit recovery courses to help your child catch up.
Up to four levels of five world languages are offered as well.

On the following pages, you’ll find course descriptions for all of our high school
courses, broken out into our four primary disciplines. Following those, you’ll
find descriptions for our world language and elective courses, too.

To learn even more, go to K12912.com.

page 43
 HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH
“I could learn in my own way, and live up to an exponentially
higher potential than I would have ever reached had I stayed
where I was.”
Tiffany, 2009 graduate of the Idaho Virtual Academy
K12 English fosters a love of language,
literature, expression, and critical
thinking. We offer multiple levels of
courses—Core, Comprehensive, and
Honors/AP—to meet the diverse needs
of diverse learners. When you’re part of
a K12 program, we will recommend the
appropriate level of academic challenge
to help your student thrive in English.
CORE COURSES
K12 Core English courses offer students
a strong grounding in the fundamentals
of English. Over four years, students
will build their language skills while
strengthening their ability to understand
and analyze works of literature, both
classic and modern. They’ll read short
stories, poetry, drama, novels, essays,
and informative articles—continually
sharpening their reading comprehension
skills and analyzing important human
issues.
Students will refine their skills of
written expression by writing memoirs,
persuasive essays, research essays, and
more. In their third and fourth years,
students will specialize in American,
British, and world literature, analyzing
important themes from a host of classic
works from these cultures. And across all
four years, but with increased intensity
in their junior and senior years, students
will develop vocabulary skills and
increase their knowledge of grammar,
usage, and mechanics in preparation for
important standardized tests.
page 44
K12 English Core courses and
representative readings from each:
ENG102: Literary Analysis and
Composition I
• The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
• The Fellowship of the Ring
by J.R.R. Tolkien
ENG202: Literary Analysis and
Composition II
• Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
• The Pearl by John Steinbeck
ENG302: American Literature
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• Our Town by Thornton Wilder
ENG402: British and World Literature
• Romeo and Juliet
by William Shakespeare
• Lord of the Flies by William Golding
COMPREHENSIVE COURSES
With K12 Comprehensive English
courses, students will improve their oral
communication skills, build on existing
literature and composition skills, and
move to higher levels of sophistication—
honing their skills in literary analysis by
reading short stories, poetry, drama,
novels, and works of nonfiction, both
classic and modern.
In their junior year, students will read
and analyze works of American literature
from colonial to contemporary times,
including poetry, short stories, novels,
drama, and nonfiction. The literary
works provide opportunities for critical
writing, creative projects, and online
discussions. In their senior year, students
read and analyze works of British and
world literature that reflect the rich and
diverse history of the Western world.
Students also develop vocabulary skills
and refresh their knowledge of grammar,
usage, and mechanics in preparation for
standardized tests.
K12 English Comprehensive courses
and representative readings from each:
ENG103: Literary Analysis and
Composition I
• Animal Farm by George Orwell
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
ENG203: Literary Analysis and
Composition II
• Sense and Sensibility
by Jane Austen
• Macbeth by William Shakespeare
ENG303: American Literature
• The Great Gatsby
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• The Glass Menagerie
by Tennessee Williams
ENG403: British and World Literature
• Hamlet by William Shakespeare
• Hard Times by Charles Dickens

American Literature:
Poetry of Walt Whitman
In this high school literature
lesson, students learn about
groundbreaking poet Walt
Whitman’s personal life and
read his famous work of
poetry, Leaves of Grass.
HONORS/AP COURSES
With K Honors/AP courses, students
12
hone their skills of literary analysis by
reading short stories, poetry, drama,
novels, and works of nonfiction, both
classic and modern. Students become
more proficient writers and readers.
The literary works they study provide
opportunities for critical writing, creative
projects, and online discussions. They
explore the richness of language,
including syntax, imitation, word choice,
and tone. They also learn about their own
composition style and process, starting
with exploration, planning, and writing,
and continuing through editing, peer
review, rewriting, polishing, and applying
what they learn to academic, personal,
and professional contexts.
K12 English Honors/AP courses and
representative readings from each:
ENG104: Honors Literary Analysis and
Composition I
• A Tale of Two Cities
by Charles Dickens
• The Yearling
by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
ENG204: Honors Literary Analysis and
Composition II
• The Scarlet Pimpernel
by Baroness Orczy
• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
ENG304: Honors American Literature
• The Old Man and the Sea
by Ernest Hemingway
• The Red Badge of Courage
by Stephen Crane
ENG404: Honors British and World
Literature
• Nectar in a Sieve
by Kamala Markandaya
• Siddhartha by Herman Hesse
ENG500: AP English Language and
Composition
• The Norton Reader: An Anthology
of Nonfiction, 11th ed.
• Writing: A College Handbook, 5th ed.
ENG510: AP English Literature and
Composition
• The Norton Anthology of Poetry,
5th ed.
• Twelfth Night
by William Shakespeare
Looking for more
CREDIT RECOVERY
complete details?
• Literary Analysis and Composition I
Just go to K12.com/more.
• Literary Analysis and Composition II
• American Literature
• British and World Literature
REMEDIATION
• English Foundations I
• English Foundations II

page 45
 HIGH SCHOOL MATH
“According to my daughter, Mrs. G is ‘awesome.’ Now Algebra
is one of her favorite subjects. She brings out the best in my
daughter’s math abilities, and I am extremely grateful.”
Parent, K12 International Academy
K12 Math fosters an appreciation of and
fluency in the universal language of
numbers. We offer multiple levels of
courses—Core, Comprehensive, and
Honors/AP—to meet the diverse needs
of diverse learners. When you’re part of
a K12 program, we will recommend the
appropriate level of academic challenge
to help your student thrive in math.
CORE COURSES
K12 Core Math courses offer students a
strong grounding in the fundamentals
of math. Over four years, K12 teachers
closely assess a student’s level of
mastery and focus on skills that need
reinforcement. They practice skills of
mathematical reading, writing, and
reasoning. They learn computational and
problem-solving skills and the language
of algebra. They explore the tools of
algebra, apply the Pythagorean theorem,
and explain strategies for solving real-
world problems.
Students learn to recognize and work
with geometric concepts in various
contexts. They build on ideas of inductive
and deductive reasoning, logic, concepts,
and techniques of Euclidean plane and
solid geometry. Students extend their
knowledge and understanding by solving
open-ended problems and thinking
critically. Students learn mathematical
page 46
skills relevant to everyday life, such as
balancing a checkbook, calculating net
pay, and budgeting expenses. Students
also explore business topics, including
borrowing money, investing, and
calculating business profits and losses.
K12 Core Math courses:
MTH112: Pre-Algebra
MTH122: Algebra I
MTH202: Geometry
MTH302: Algebra II
MTH312: Business and Consumer Math
COMPREHENSIVE COURSES
With K12 Comprehensive Math
courses, students take a broader
look at computational and problem-
solving skills while learning the
language of algebra. These courses
have a more rigorous pace, as well as
more challenging assignments and
assessments—covering additional topics
such as scientific notation, geometric
congruence, systems of linear
equations, and trigonometric ratios.
Students develop algebraic fluency
by learning the skills needed to solve
equations and perform manipulations
with numbers, variables, equations,
and inequalities. They also learn
concepts central to the abstraction
and generalization that algebra makes
possible. Students learn to recognize
and work with geometric concepts in
various contexts and use visualizations,
spatial reasoning, and geometric
modeling to solve problems. Pre-calculus
weaves together previous study of
algebra, geometry, and functions into
a preparatory course for calculus.
The course focuses on the mastery of
critical skills and exposure to new skills
necessary for success in subsequent
Math courses.
K12 Comprehensive Math courses:
MTH113: Pre-Algebra
MTH123: Algebra I
MTH203: Geometry
MTH303: Algebra II
MTH403: Pre-Calculus/Trigonometry
HONORS/AP COURSES
K12 Honors/AP courses prepare students
for more advanced courses while they
develop algebraic fluency, learn the skills
needed to solve equations, and perform
manipulations with numbers, variables, How to Solve a System
equations, and inequalities. These of Equations
courses include all the topics covered This tutorial teaches students
at the Core and Comprehensive levels, how to solve linear equations
but have more challenging assignments using a calculator.
and include more optional challenge
activities. Each semester also includes
an independent honors project.

Students learn to recognize and work

with geometric concepts in various
contexts, extending their knowledge
and understanding by solving open-
ended problems and thinking critically.
Students are introduced to rational,
radical, exponential, and logarithmic
functions; sequences and series; data
analysis; and matrices. Students learn
how calculus helps scientists, engineers,
and financial analysts understand the
complex relationships behind real-world
phenomena. They learn to evaluate the
soundness of proposed solutions and
apply mathematical reasoning to real-
world models, and learn to understand
change geometrically and visually,
analytically, numerically, and verbally.

K12 Honors/AP Math courses:

MTH124: Honors Algebra I

MTH204: Honors Geometry

MTH304: Honors Algebra II

MTH500: AP Calculus AB

MTH510: AP Statistics

CREDIT RECOVERY
• Pre-Algebra
• Algebra I
• Geometry
• Algebra II

REMEDIATION
• Math Foundations I
• Math Foundations II

page 47
 HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE
“We deliver complex science information in ways that really
get through to the kids.”
Dr. Dan Franck, K12 Senior Science Content Specialist
K12 Science fosters a love of the
hard sciences through outstanding
instruction, hands-on and virtual
labs, virtual collaboration, dynamic
interactive lessons, and superb printed
materials. We offer multiple levels of
courses—Core, Comprehensive, and
Honors/AP—to meet the diverse needs
of diverse learners. When you’re part of
a K12 program, we will recommend the
appropriate level of academic challenge
to help your student thrive in science.
CORE COURSES
K12 Core Science courses offer students
a strong grounding in the fundamentals
of science. Students explore the
relationship between matter and energy
by investigating force and motion,
the structure of atoms, the structure
and properties of matter, chemical
reactions, and the interactions of energy
and matter. Students develop skill in
measuring, solving problems, using
laboratory apparatuses, following
safety procedures, and adhering
to experimental procedures. They
learn about geology, oceanography,
astronomy, weather, and climate.
Students focus on the chemistry of living
things: the cell, genetics, evolution, the
structure and function of living things,
and ecology. Courses survey the areas of
atomic structure, chemical bonding
page 48
and reactions, solutions, stoichiometry,
thermochemistry, organic chemistry,
and nuclear chemistry. Students follow a
program of online study days alternating
with review-and-assessment days.
Lessons include extensive animations,
hands-on laboratory activities, reference
book study, and collaborative activities
with virtual classmates.
K12 Core Science courses:
SCI102: Physical Science
SCI112: Earth Science
SCI202: Biology
SCI302: Chemistry
COMPREHENSIVE COURSES
K12 Comprehensive Science courses
are for students who already have a
strong grounding in the sciences from
middle school. Students focus on topics
in geology, oceanography, astronomy,
weather, and climate. They learn about
cell chemistry, biology, genetics,
evolution, the biology of living things,
and ecology. Courses survey key areas
such as atomic structure, chemical
bonding and reactions, solutions,
stoichiometry, thermochemistry, organic
chemistry, and nuclear chemistry.
Students study all key areas that are
commonly taught in high school physics
courses, including physical systems,
measurement, kinematics, dynamics,
momentum, energy, thermodynamics,
waves, electricity and magnetism, and
an introduction to modern physics topics
such as quantum theory and the atomic
nucleus. All courses use a combination of
online instruction, hands-on laboratory
activities, reference book study, and
collaborative activities with virtual
classmates. Instructions for hands-on
labs are included, for which K12 provides
all lab materials that cannot easily be
found in the home.
K12 Comprehensive Science courses:
SCI113: Earth Science
SCI203: Biology
SCI303: Chemistry
SCI403: Physics
HONORS/AP COURSES
K12 Honors/AP Science courses
provide students with an honors-level,
college-prep curriculum and a solid basis
to move on to more advanced science
courses. Courses consist of standard
direct lessons presented on-screen,
an associated reference book, hands-on
laboratories students can conduct at
home, and honors projects, including
independent research, extended and
virtual laboratories, and a teamed, online
debate of current science issues. Courses
provide students with a prerequisite
for college-level geology, meteorology,
oceanography, and astronomy courses,
and give them practical experience in
implementing scientific methods.

Students focus on the structure of

atoms, molecules, and ions, and then go
on to analyze the relationship between
molecular structure and chemical and
physical properties. Students focus on
Newtonian mechanics, thermal physics,
electricity and magnetism, waves and
optics, and atomic and nuclear physics.
Students gain an understanding of the
core principles of physics and then apply
them to problem-solving exercises.
Students prepare for the AP Exam.

The course content aligns to the

sequence of topics recommended by
the College Board and to widely used
textbooks.

K12 Honors/AP Courses Science courses:

SCI114: Honors Earth Science

SCI204: Honors Biology

SCI304: Honors Chemistry

SCI404: Honors Physics

SCI500: AP Biology

SCI510: AP Chemistry

SCI520: AP Physics B
pH Indicator Testing
In Chemistry, students use the interactive
CREDIT RECOVERY lab to test the pH of a solution.
• Physical Science
• Earth Science
• Biology
• Chemistry

page 49
 HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY & SOCIAL SCIENCES
“Your student will time-travel with K12.
We put them in the middle of history.”
Amelia Jackson-Zaremba, K12 Senior Instructional Designer
K12 History and Social Science courses
inspire students to roam the country and
the world—exploring the history, culture,
geography, politics, and economics of
nations near and far. We offer multiple
levels of courses—Core, Comprehensive,
and Honors/AP—to meet the diverse
needs of diverse learners. When you’re
part of a K12 program, we will recommend
the appropriate level of academic
challenge to help your student thrive in
history and the social sciences.
CORE COURSES
K12 Core History and Social Science
courses offer students wide exposure
and strong grounding in each discipline’s
fundamentals. Over four years, students
trace the development of civilizations
around the world from prehistory to the
present, with a special emphasis on key
periods and primary sources. Online
lessons help students organize study,
explore topics, review in preparation
for assessments, and practice skills of
historical thinking and analysis.
Students learn the countless ways in
which geography influences human
relationships, politics, society,
economics, science, technology,
and the arts. Students encounter the
political culture of our country from
the Declaration of Independence to
the present day, gaining insight into
the challenges faced by presidents,
members of Congress, and other
political participants. Students use
real-world simulations to learn the
page 50
issues faced by producers, consumers,
investors, and taxpayers in the U.S.
and around the world.
K12 History and Social Science
Core courses:
HST102: World History
HST202: Modern World Studies
HST212: Geography and World Cultures
HST302: U.S. History
HST312: Modern U.S. History
HST402: U.S. Government and Politics
HST412: U.S. and Global Economics
COMPREHENSIVE COURSES
In K Comprehensive History and Social
12
Science courses, students examine the
development of civilizations around
the world from prehistory to the
present, analyzing human-geographic
relationships, political and social
structures, economics, science and
technology, and the arts. Students
investigate major religions and belief
systems and explore trade and cultural
exchange in relation to the development
of civilizations. Students examine both
the staggering problems and astounding
accomplishments of the twentieth
century, with a focus on political and
social history.
Students explore how human
relationships, political and social
structures, economics, science,
technology, and the arts have developed
and influenced life in countries around
the world. Examining the intersection
of culture and geography, students
discover how a mountain in the distance
can inspire national policymakers,
civil engineers, or poets; how a river
triggers the activity of bridge-builders,
shipbuilders, and merchants alike; and
how the sound of a busy Cairo street can
inspire sociologists and musicians.
K12 Comprehensive History
and Social Science courses:
HST103: World History
HST203: Modern World Studies
HST213: Geography and World Cultures
HST303: U.S. History
HST313: Modern U.S. History
HST403: U.S. Government and Politics
HST413: U.S. and Global Economics
HONORS/AP COURSES
K12 History and Social Science courses
offer high school students an honors-
level, college-prep curriculum. In these
advanced courses, students explore
advanced topics in physical and human
geography, and investigate issues of
concern in the contemporary world.
Students complete independent projects
each semester. Students are asked to
master not only the wide array of factual
information necessary to do well on the
AP Exam, but also to practice critical
analysis of historical information and
documents.

Students explore and analyze the

economic, political, and social
transformation of the United States
since the time of the first European
encounters. Students explore the
operations and structure of the U.S.
government and the behavior of the
electorate and politicians.

In AP options, students can learn

why and how the world economy can
change from month to month, how to
identify trends in our economy, and
how to use those trends to develop
performance measures and predictors
of economic growth or decline. Students
can also study an overview of current Modern World Studies:
psychological research methods and Setting the Stage—
theories. Before 1850
The modern world owes a
K12 Honors/AP History great deal to earlier peoples
and Social Science courses: and ideas. In this high school
History lesson, students
HST104: Honors World History learn the history behind the
modern age.
HST204: Honors Modern World Studies

HST304: Honors U.S. History

HST314: Honors Modern U.S. History

HST500: AP U.S. History

HST510: AP U.S. Government and

Politics

HST520: AP Macroeconomics

HST530: AP Microeconomics

HST540: AP Psychology

HST550: AP European History

CREDIT RECOVERY
• Modern World Studies
• U.S. History
• Modern U.S. History page 51
 HIGH SCHOOL WORLD LANGUAGES, ELECTIVES, AND
TECHNOLOGY AND COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSES

“This is not a ‘quick fix’ to learn a language. I’ve learned that the
best curricula are the ones that are enjoyed. That’s what I’ve
found with powerspeaK12.”
Mrs. Tammy Lentz, parent

Fine Art: Art of Asia—India

In this high school Art lesson, students study Indian art and architecture, identify
their distinguishing characteristics, and learn how they reflect their time and place.

page 52
WORLD LANGUAGES
WITH powerspeaK12
The acclaimed online language-learning
program designed specifically for young
people, K12’s world language offering—
powerspeaK12—helps high school
students read, write, speak, and listen
in five languages—Spanish, French,
German, Latin, and Chinese. Combining a
variety of games, simple narratives, and
writing and speaking challenges, K12’s
program is language learning your high
school student will actually enjoy. We
offer our world language courses at the
Comprehensive and Honors/AP levels.
K12 Comprehensive
Foreign Language courses:
WLG100: Spanish I
WLG200: Spanish II
WLG300: Spanish III
WLG110: French I
WLG210: French II
WLG310: French III
WLG120: German I
WLG220: German II
WLG130: Latin I
WLG230: Latin II
WLG140: Chinese I
WLG240: Chinese II
K12 Honors/AP Foreign
Language courses:
WLG500: AP Spanish Language
WLG510: AP French Language
GENERAL ELECTIVES
For high school students who want
to push themselves a little harder, or
who just want to achieve greater
knowledge in a particular subject, K12 TECHNOLOGY AND
offers 17 electives across a range of COMPUTER SCIENCE
disciplines. From Fine Art to Personal ELECTIVES
Finance to Journalism to Environmental K12’s Technology and Computer Science
Science, our high school elective courses electives are 21st-century courses for
span a wide variety of topics, and are 21st-century students. From Digital
another way we can provide a high- Photography to C++ Programming to
quality, well-rounded, and personally Game Design and 3D Animation, these
tailored education to high school exciting courses engage high school
students like yours. students and prepare them in a relevant
and meaningful manner for the demands
K12 Elective courses: (and careers) of the technology-savvy
world we live in.
ART010: Fine Art
ART020: Music Appreciation K12 Technology and Computer Science
courses:
BUS010: Business Communication
and Career Exploration TCH010: Computer Literacy I
BUS020: Business and Personal TCH020: Computer Literacy II
Relationships
TCH030: Digital Photography and
BUS030: Personal Finance Graphics
BUS040: Introduction to TCH040: Web Design
Entrepreneurship I
TCH050: Digital Video Production
BUS050: Introduction to
Entrepreneurship II TCH060: C++ Programming
BUS060: Introduction to Marketing I TCH070: Game Design I
BUS070: Introduction to Marketing II TCH080: Game Design II
ENG010: Journalism TCH090: Online Game Design
HST010: Anthropology TCH016: Flash Animation
HST020: Psychology TCH017: 3D Art I - Modeling
HST030: Macroeconomics TCH018: 3D Art II - Animation
PRJ010: Service Learning TCH019: Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
SCI010: Environmental Science TCH026: Audio Engineering
SCI020: Life Science: Oceanography TCH027: Green Design and Technology
OTH010: Skills for Health
TCH028: Digital Arts I
OTH020: Physical Education
TCH029: Digital Arts II
OTH040: Reaching Your Academic
Potential
OTH050: Achieving Your Career and
College Goals
page 53
 K12’s GRADUATES: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

From UC/Berkeley, the
Naval Academy, and
Princeton, K12 alumni
live out their dreams
At the end of each school year we
congratulate our K12 graduates as they
head on to higher learning and other
life paths. In 2009, our graduates were
accepted at over 150 post-secondary
schools—from Cornell to Middlebury to
UC/Berkeley—while others set out to
pursue different dreams. Here are a few
of their stories.
Chelsea M., Meridian, Idaho, age 19
Idaho Virtual Academy (IDVA) graduate
Chelsea is majoring
in psychology at
Concordia University
in Portland, Oregon,
and also plays on the
women’s soccer team.
“K12 prepared me for the rigors of college
academics. I learned great study habits.
I feel like I came to college a lot more
prepared than my peers, and I didn’t
have to deal with some of the stresses
they dealt with—I already had it figured
out, thanks to IDVA!”
Jared R., Colorado, age 18
Colorado Virtual Academy (COVA) graduate
On June 25, 2009,
Jared reported for
duty at the Air Force
Academy—a goal he’s
had since sixth grade.
He is currently on the
Dean’s List. He believes that nothing is
unachievable.
“I believe the curriculum provided by
K12 helped prepare me for the rigors of
the Academy. Not only did it provide an
excellent education, but the courses
helped prepare me for the large amount
of work at the Academy. One major
benefit was the independence K12
instilled in me. That has helped me
succeed at the Air Force Academy.”
Jonathon P., California, age 18
California Virtual Academies (CAVA) graduate
Jonathon, a K12 student
for six “wonderful”
years, now attends
UC/Berkeley and
says he loves the
campus, the people,
his classes, and professors.
“Without K12, and CAVA, I would not be
at Berkeley today. A college like Berkeley
only has so many openings; something
needs to make you stand out. Because
CAVA gave me a flexible schedule, I was
able to work ahead and take time off
to travel the world. I was able to have
incredible experiences like building a
school in rural Africa. K12 also prepared
me extremely well for a rigorous and
competitive university.”
Christine D., Pennsylvania, age 18
Agora Cyber Charter School, PA graduate
Christine attends
Lycoming College
where she’s studying
to be a teacher.
“The K12 curriculum
helped prepare me for college because
the curriculum was rigorous. As a K12
student, I learned how to communicate
with instructors, which has helped me
as a college student. Most importantly,
K12’s curriculum gave me a very good
foundation.”
Denise G., Arizona, age 18
Arizona Virtual Academy (AZVA) graduate
As a full-time student at
Glendale Community
College, Denise is
busy with school—
her major is Nursing—
and works part-time.
“At first I wasn’t sure if I wanted to
continue my education and follow my
dream of becoming a nurse. But once I
was part of K12, I felt confident and sure
of continuing my education. I feel like K12
is more advanced than regular schools.
I’m doing really well in college right now
and feel more prepared than ever.”
PROVEN LONG-TERM RESULTS
On average, the longer students stay in
a K12 program, the better they do. Just
two examples:
• Students in K12 programs from grades
K through 4 scored 19.7% higher than
state reading averages*
• In all K12 full-time programs tested,
struggling students exceeded one
year’s growth in one year’s time
in Math, compared to norm group
averages**
This is our mission at K12: to help every
child succeed.
*In four school systems where comparative data are
available **Math Scantron scores, grades 3-10
Visit K12.com to see a complete list
of schools to which our graduates
were admitted. Also, on page 17,
you can read about the Miller family.
Samantha, their oldest daughter and
a former K12 student, is currently a
freshman at Princeton University.

page 54
The YES List: How to Select an Online School
This list should help if you are considering other online school options.
How many “Yes” answers do the other programs have?

SUCCESS PROFILE K12 OTHER PROGRAM

Curriculum provider is fully accredited for all grades K-12.............................. YES r
Largest provider of online curriculum for K-12 in the U.S................................ YES r
Curriculum widely regarded as “gold standard” in quality............................. YES r
Very high (95%+) parent and teacher satisfaction levels................................ YES r
Students’ learning improves the longer they stay in program..........................YES r

CURRICULUM QUALITY
Award-winning curriculum created primarily by an in-house team of
specialists (not a hodge-podge of uncoordinated, 3rd-party sources)............YES r
Award-winning original texts as well as classic books, learning
materials, and manipulatives included .........................................................YES r
Over 120,000 interactive animations, games, audio files, and videos—
including many from Discovery Education.................................................... YES r

INDIVIDUALIZED APPROACH
Scantron® assessments used to determine skills gaps, as well
as proper level/pace for each student, and to measure progress..................YES r
Individualized Learning Plan, customized for each student.............................YES r
Follow-ups and Plan adjustments throughout the school year........................YES r

COURSES
All subject areas covered for all grade levels with 210+ courses.....................YES r
Advanced Learning Program for grades K-8....................................................YES r
Foreign languages for grades 3-12 with powerspeaK12....................................YES r
Multiple levels of core subjects per grade in High School, including
Honors and AP...............................................................................................YES r
Reading remediation and adaptive math for elementary school......................YES r
A wide range of exciting electives from which to choose.................................YES r

CERTIFIED, EXPERIENCED TEACHERS

Teachers extensively trained in online teaching techniques............................YES r
Teachers are state-certified, many with advanced degrees.............................YES r
Teachers committed to giving each student individualized
attention, instruction, and evaluation...........................................................YES r
Teachers usually located nearby vs. far away..................................................YES r

ONLINE RESOURCES, OFFLINE ACTIVITIES

Patented, state-of-the-art, online learning environment.................................YES r
Online, supportive community for parents and students with
clubs, discussion areas, student government, school paper, etc...................YES r
Program training for parents and students and ongoing toll-free support ......YES r
Field trips, socials, local activities—many opportunities for
students and parents to connect with peers.................................................YES r

To learn more, simply go to K12.com.

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Every important decision starts with a first step. The decision to transform a child’s
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