Background
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A series of emails led Seminole County school officials to question K12's teachers.
The emails laid out the case: Teachers in Seminole County Florida were concerned online educator K12, Inc. was using their names – and teaching certifications – for students they had not taught.
In one, a K12 teacher told company officials she was being asked to sign a roster of more than 100 students when she had taught only a half-dozen.
Another showed one-third of parents surveyed told Seminole County school district officials that the K12 teacher listed had not actually taught their children.
K12 is the nation’s largest online education company and operates in more than 40 Florida school districts. The quality of K12 schools and whether the company cuts corners to increase profits have been questioned across the country.
Seminole County investigated, turning over a trove of emails and other documents to state investigators. We published those documents and confirmed the state was investigating the company. School districts have raised additional questions about K12’s operations across Florida, including class sizes and curriculum.
The series is a partnership between StateImpact Florida and the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting.
