A reader sent the following comments about the online for-profit schooling industry (by the way, that line about “current performance is no prediction of future performance” comes right from the prospectus of investment funds):
Interesting story about the K12 schools performance in Tennessee: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/aug/31/andy-berke-criticizes-dismal-scores-of-for/?politics
What’s truly stunning is that, according to the article, the K12 schools performed in the bottom 11% of all TN schools tested using the state’s value-added assessment. As I recall, value-added assessments have been championed by the same reformers who also push for on-lines schools.
K12’s response has been familiar–move the goal posts and change the game. They claim that current performance is no prediction of future performance–why don’t we who support public education get to use that line?–and their own testing using the private Scranton Performance Series shows they are meeting or beating the Scranton norm group in all categories. In other words, in their own private world they’re doing just fine. So, why don’t the public schools in TN get to use these tests too?
And they’re making improvements to improve future outcomes.
So, let me get this straight–K12 in TN can’t hack the very performance tests the reformers have shoved down the throats of the public schools. In response, they get to claim that current performance is no indication of future performance. But public schools are roundly condemned on the basis of their current performance. K12 then gets to tout its own private testing results that show–surprise!–K12 is doing just fine, compared to norm among the customers of the private testing service. But the public schools have to be tested using national and international standardized tests that are not private. Finally, despite claiming they’re doing just fine in their own little universe, they are working to improve. Of course, the public schools–that are doing better than K12–are beyond help.
Oh-Kay!
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Actually, if they are talking about performance as strictly standardized testing, it is highly predictive of future performance…on future standardized tests. The tests are not predictive of anything else like college grades or job success, but if you want to know how we will all fare on all those standardized tests we take every year….I should have started failing them at about 39. Then, like Jack Benny(?), I could legitimately be 39 forever!
We have used K12 curriculum for 3 years in AR and are about to move to TN. It is a very thorough, rigorous curriculum. However, if you have no parental oversight over whether your child is doing what they are supposed to do, sometimes low scores will be the result. That has never been the case with our son. There also may be a disproportionate number of SPED students in virtual academies that are getting their needs met on a one x one basis – something that cannot be accomplished in a b&m school. These kids are included in the total when looking at test scores.
I urge anyone who makes a comment who “thinks” they know what they are talking about to look at the curriculum before making uneducated comments.
I would urge parents to look at the research on K12, which consistently shows their results are poor for students but their profits are large.
I also have a 7th grader in TNVA. The curriculum is tough. And I second the opinion that if there is no daily parental oversight and grading, then the result will be a poorly performing student. My child has excelled in this curriculum. However, she is very mature and self-motivated. She knows I have a no-nonsense approach to her attitude regarding school and she responds well. She keeps a strict school schedule and is actually slightly ahead and has straight A’s. This however, is not due to “easy” curriculum…it is due to the child herself and our dedication. This school is not for everyone. I wholeheartedly agree that overwhelmingly we seem to have a majority of behavioral problem students as well as special ed students….both of whom can significantly skew the standardized test scores downward. I for one hope the school stays in TN and fights for the opportunity to educate ALL kids. My child loves TNVA and I guarantee you she could out-test most all other students in TN public schools. By the way…I have 3 older children who ALL were educated and graduated from TN public schools. And this child attended private school for two years here, and and 4 and a half years in the same public school system. TNVA is far better.
TNVA is one of the lowest performing schools in the state of Tennessee. If it was a regular public school, it would have been shut down by now. Glad it works for your child. It doesn’t work for most.
NY State Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch’s brother in law, Andrew Tisch, is on the Board of Directors for K-12. According to the K12 website, he was the chairman of that Board through from May 2007 to June of 2012. Merryl and Andrew’s relationship is particularly interesting because she is married to his brother and he was married to her sister.
http://www.k12.com/about-k12/our-team/board#.UYfFB3BSYso
http://www.citylimits.org/news/articles/4185/pedagogy-and-profits-charter-school-bid-raises-questions#.UYfG53BSYso