K12 Inc. Named Leading Provider of Online Curriculum to School Districts

HERNDON, Va., Jan. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In an independent report on educational technologies, MDR's market research service EdNET Insight ranked K12 Inc. the leading provider of online curriculum to school districts across the United States.  Based on large-scale surveys of instructional and technology decision makers at the district level, the report shows that more respondents named K12 as their provider of choice for online content than any other provider. Today, K12 provides online curriculum and support for more than 2,000 school districts in all 50 states.

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EdNET Insight's report, "State of the K-12 Market 2011," a comprehensive overview of K-12 education in the United States, also found that K12 appeals to districts of all sizes and metropolitan statuses.

Further, the report confirms the rapid growth of U.S. school districts implementing online programs, citing that 75 percent of school districts now offer online courses compared to just 47 percent in 2010.  School  districts that previously had no plans to offer online courses declined from 34 percent in 2010 to just 11 percent in 2011. The report concludes that the "enormous growth in online programs is likely to continue."

"There is explosive growth of online education in the U.S, particularly in school districts where online programs are implemented to address student-specific needs," said Kathleen Brantley, director of EdNET Insight.  "Whether for remediation or enrichment purposes, school districts are choosing online content providers like K12 to effectively tailor their curriculums for their student population and to help provide quality education economically."

The findings underscore the growing partnerships between school districts and online curriculum providers such as K12 to provide schools with a variety of core, elective, AP and remedial courses and programs. The report found that 90 percent of school districts implemented online courses to offer credit recovery solutions and 80 percent said they added online courses not previously available in their schools' curriculum.  Further, the report noted that remediation, enrichment and dual credit/joint enrichment were major reasons to provide online course solutions, and that the number of districts offering online AP courses jumped from 48 percent in 2010 to 64 percent in 2011.

"As districts expand their online programs, they look to K12 to provide more than just great curriculum," said John Olsen, executive vice president of operations for K12.  "Through many years of delivering district-run, full-time programs, we are able to offer our partners expert instruction, learning management systems and advice on implementations to help them, and their students, be more successful."

Over the past decade, K12 has delivered over 4.5 million online courses from its extensive portfolio, including credit recovery, core courses, world languages, AP and high school electives. 

For more information on EdNET Insight's research service and report, "State of the K-12 Market 2011," visit www.schooldata.com/mdrednetinsight.asp or contact Kathleen Brantley at [email protected].

About MDR's EdNet Insight

MDR is the leading U.S. provider of education marketing information and services.  MDR's EdNET Insight is the K-12 education industry's premier information and consulting service, combining the proven power of research and analysis with recognized industry experts to deliver an insightful, comprehensive view of the trends and influences that are shaping the education market today—and tomorrow. For more information on EdNET Insight, go to www.schooldata.com/mdrednetinsight.asp.

About K12 Inc.

K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), a technology-based education company, is the nation's largest provider of proprietary curriculum and online education programs for students in kindergarten through high school. Using 21st century tools to prepare 21st century students, K12 provides a new choice for children to learn in a flexible and innovative way, at an individualized pace. K12 provides curriculums and academic services to public and private online schools and districts, traditional classrooms, blended school programs, and directly to families.  K12 is accredited through AdvancED, the world's largest education community. Additional information on K12 for schools and districts can be found at www.K12.com/educators.

© 2012 K12 Inc. K12 is a registered trademark, and the K12 logo is a trademark of K12 Inc. or its subsidiaries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE K12 Inc.