About Us
Why K12?
Safety Needs
How Students Succeed
FAQs
Online Elementary School
Online Middle School
Career and College Prep
Online High School
Student Clubs
Career and College Services
Inside The Online Classroom
A Day In The Life
Social & Extracurricular
Advice, Tips & Inspiration
Benefits For Life
Enroll
All School Options
Need More Help?
Kimberly: Stephen likes online school because he can go at his own pace through the material and assignments. The teachers don’t have to wait for the whole class to be on the same page. I like it because I see that Stephen is more secure in who he is now. I can see his enthusiasm, motivation, and confidence growing.
Meet Stephen
Stephen is a college-bound competitive athlete who needs a more flexible class schedule to train without compromising academic performance. He gets that with K12-powered online private school.
Why This Family Chose K12
As a competitive athlete, Stephen needed a flexible education option that would accommodate his swimming schedule while still preparing him for college. Kimberly, Stephen’s mom and Learning Coach, wanted him to receive a quality education—they switched for the schedule and stayed for the academics.
Compete at a high level
An invitation to join an advanced team meant leaving school 30 minutes early once a week. Stephen needed more scheduling flexibility.
Receive support and flexibility
Kimberly wanted a school that would support her son’s swimming commitments and understand his unique needs and interests.
Prepare for a bright future
Stephen needed a quality education with a rigorous curriculum that would help him prepare for college and beyond.
Advanced Academics to Prepare for College
Stephen’s K12-powered online private school offers an elite college preparatory experience and rigorous curriculum to help him get ready for his future. He can dive deep into the subjects he enjoys and even pursue dual enrollment options to earn college credits. Plus, counselors provide one-to-one mentoring to help him find his post-graduation path.
Flexible Schedule With Live Class Anchors
Schoolwork for Stephen is a mix of scheduled, live online classes, and self-guided assignments he can complete at his own pace to accommodate his intense swim practice and competition schedule.
A benefit of schools powered by K12 is that the educational materials—a computer, textbooks, supplies for offline activities, and more—are provided.
Curriculum
The number of classes students take varies per grade level and individual. For example, students in 10th grade, like Stephen, typically take between 3–6 subjects each semester, with 2–3 of them requiring scheduled, live classes.
In addition to core academic subjects, there’s a great selection of college prep electives, including advanced options and dual enrollment.
The Parent Experience as a Learning Coach
At K12-powered private schools, parents (or other responsible adults) act as Learning Coaches for their students. Certified teachers lead class instruction and Learning Coaches typically spend 1–3 hours each day with high school students, providing guidance and oversight. Stephen works independently, but his mom and Learning Coach Kimberly is nearby if he needs help.
Stay Social and Meet New People
Online learning provides opportunities for connection. Students collaborate in class and can join a variety of social activities—or even start their own clubs. Stephen co-founded his school’s gaming club, which now has more than 80 members from around the world. He also spends time with peers at in-person events, including arts shows and movie nights.
Time away from the computer looks like …
Family Q&A
Kimberly: We applied to the online private school, and within four days of attending the info session, we knew it was the right decision. The school understood my concerns and need for flexibility. Stephen is happier now—he’s feeling a new level of confidence and is making friends because he can really be himself.
Kimberly: Our K12-powered private school has a great community. Stephen has made some friends at school who I don’t think he would have met at his old school—honestly, I think that has made him a better student and person. With the global school community, he gets to meet people from across the U.S. and other countries.
Kimberly: As a former teacher at a traditional, in-person school, I was blown away by how good the teachers were at keeping students engaged on screen. The way they incorporate questioning strategies and collaborative discussion is fantastic. They’re also super responsive. Stephen has developed a great mentee/mentor relationship with his history teacher who has helped him connect classroom concepts to our family visits to history museums.
Kimberly: Remember that there’s support for parents, too. Our K12-powered online private school has a parent platform where we can help each other and ask questions, a monthly parent video call, and a school-run Facebook group. It’s like having that social connection you get from a parent’s association in your pocket.
Other Stories You Might Find Helpful
11th Grade
Evan
Evan is a swimmer on the national team and an online student who enjoys playing video games with his friends.
9th Grade
John
John enjoys a more focused environment with fewer distractions where he can take business courses to learn how to run an auto shop.
11th Grade
Jordin
Jordin’s school schedule includes AP English, honors history, a dentistry internship, and summer courses at the local college.
Learning With K12
From kindergarten to high school, K12 provides tuition-free online education that empowers students to learn in ways that work for them. Browse options in your state to find the perfect fit for your family.
These are the stories of real students attending K12-powered schools and their families. Content is a combination of direct quotes and summaries from interviews. Their stories each reflect their experiences at their respective schools. Actual experiences can vary by student and school. These pages are designed to reflect a typical day in the life of a student attending an online K12-powered school. Individual class schedules and requirements will vary by state, school, and the individual needs of each student.