K12 Homeschool provides a complete curriculum solution for grades Kindergarten through twelve.
What It Offers
Elementary and Middle School courses are in six of the core subject offerings of:
- Language Arts
- Math
- Science
- History
- Art
- Music
High school courses grow a little more diverse with the K12 approach.
How K12 Homeschool Works
K12 offers virtual public schools in various states. For states where K12 works with charter schools and other public school programs, the textbooks and software may be completely free for students. However, there are typically some limitations as far as the type of material that must be covered (by state standards) and record keeping requirements. K12 Homeschool offers a mix between traditional textbooks and online learning. Students do not spend all their time in front of the computer, which can grow tedious for some learners. Learning seems to cover many different approaches, from hard copy texts, to videos, to online games and learning approaches. Because of the variety, most students do not grow bored with the program.
Costs if Purchasing Direct
If your state does not offer a K12 option, the charter school that offers it is full, or you simply don't want the state to have as much control over what your child learns, K12 does offer the alternative of allowing parents to purchase curriculum and services direction from K12.
Elementary and Middle School Prices
- Monthly: If you'd like to try out K12 for a month or two and see if it is right for you, you can purchase each course for $29 per month. This is also a great way to supplement in a particular subject area or to get additional help in a difficult subject, such as math.
- Annually: You can also sign up for an annual plan and save some money. If you love K12 and know you plan to use it as your main curriculum for the year, then this might be the option for you. Prices start as low as $22 a month for a single course; $38 a month for two courses; $56 a month for three courses; $72 a month for four courses; $82 a month for five courses; or $94 a month for 6 courses.
There are additional discounts to add a second student to your account, so families with multiple children may find that they save even more by signing up for an annual plan.
High School Details
Some of the more than 90 high school courses offered include:
- American Literature
- Honors Literary Analysis and Composition
- Journalism
- World History
- US History
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Fine Art
- Spanish
- French
- Psychology
- Career Planning
Accreditation
K12 is accredited by the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA). In addition schools in various states and other agencies accredit K12. For example, Northwest Association of Accredited Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. You can phone K12 Homeschool at 1-800-968-7512 to find out specifics on your state and the program you are considering.
Pros and Cons of K12
Pros
Some of the positive aspects of using a curriculum such as K12 include having a broad spectrum curriculum that is already prepared. This saves the parent a lot of time. In addition, you are meeting state standards and for the parent of high schoolers, your student is taking accredited courses and will receive a diploma from an accredited institution. You'll also have the support community of other K12 parents.
Cons
One of the major drawbacks of such a curriculum is the lack of individualized lessons. When parents plan out lessons on their own, there is an opportunity to stop and spend as much time as one would like on any topics of interest. The cost of this program also may be prohibitive to families on a tight budget or large families who do not reside in a state where the program is offered free. Overall, K12 is an interesting curriculum to consider. For those who enjoy a structured, multi-learning approach, this may be just the solution they are looking for. You can get more information by visiting K12 Homeschool at k12.com.
