Tennessee Lawmakers Question Online Educator K12 Inc.

Tennessee Virtual Academy

Tennessee lawmakers may reign in the Tennessee Virtual Academy, operated by K12, Inc.

Lawmakers in Tennessee are growing skeptical of an online school run by K12 Inc., the nation’s largest online education company.

That’s according to a piece by Tennessee reporter Blake Farmer broadcast on NPR Tuesday.

Just 16 percent of K12’s 3,200 students in kindergarten through 8th grade met state standards in math. The company is also facing questions about an email that suggests teachers should delete poor grades.

UPDATE: K12 spokesman Jeff Kwitowski has responded, sending along a link to an op-ed from a TNVA teacher explaining the school grading system, and the school’s response. He also adds some context to the statistic about meeting state math standards. See his comment below.

Tennessee lawmakers say they are considering limiting K12’s Tennessee Virtual Academy enrollment if scores don’t improve.

StateImpact Florida has reported extensively on questions about K12’s operations in Florida, including questions about whether the company is using properly certified teachers.