I forgot the critical link, now inserted.
A lawsuit in Virginia, where the K12 for-profit virtual schools corporation is based, has brought out some dirty linen.
Among the allegations are that K12 relies upon churn to produce high revenues and that some teachers have a class size of 400 students.
Follow the links and read the document. It’s fascinating and alarming.
This is the scam that Jeb Bush and Bob Wise are promoting as 21st century learning. They call it personalization and customization. Their “Ten Elements” for digital learning urges states to deregulate these for-profit schools completely, to allow them free rein to recruit students and use uncertified teachers. They even say that these corporations should not be required to have an office in the state where they open a virtual school.
This is education reform.
Follow the money.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Diane, can you post a link to the VA story? I want to share this with my representative here in Maine and a contact I have at the MEA. We need to get these stories circulating to make the public aware of the virtual school sham.
Looks like the story is here:
http://stateimpact.npr.org/florida/2012/09/18/read-the-virginia-lawsuit-accusing-k12-of-misleading-investors/
Thank you, I inserted the link and posted an update.
I am doing so much that I am sometimes careless and make mistakes.
That’s the price of getting so much content out so quickly.
No problem, Diane. I’m amazed at how well you keep up with the blog on top of everything else you do. I’m more than happy to help birddog the (few) loose ends when I can.
Here is another story shared in a column in a Kansas paper, The Examiner, from a former K12 teacher. It certainly is revealing. The columnist, a teacher, writes regularly for the paper.
http://www.examiner.com/article/k12-inc-online-schools-a-view-from-the-inside
Should’nt be a surpise- this is what happens when we allow our education tax dollars to be given to convicted felon Michael Milken.
We just watched The Finland Phenomenon here and what I find to be so frustrating is that if we JUST put all of our efforts into doing what’s best for all kids like they have done, we wouldn’t have all of this . . . (Can’t think of the appropriate word.)
There’s just so much wrong with this, it’s hard to know where to start or begin. I’ll try. Hopefully, I can avoid a melt down or my brain just exploding. I mean, if they can get away with this, do you think I can get away with a couple of boxes stuffed with books and software and call it education in a box? You know something similar to bed in a bag. I’ll also toss in a few newspapers to boot and perhaps they’ll be more substance and content in my curriculum then there is with theirs.
Their “Ten Elements” for digital learning urges states to:
“deregulate these for-profit schools completely,”
This is great – I prefer no rules at the Outback, but this will definitely be different. I guess if taken literally- anything goes. And in this case it will probably be taxpayer money. If anyone learns anything that’s a bonus. If the scholastically inclined NCAA has problems with credits from these schools, I guess it’s only fair that we bail them out and provide them with some students and income. When they achieve a large following or monopoly status I guess they’ll be dictating what they’ll do and for how much. What a warm and fuzzy feeling we should all have at the prospect of this.
“to allow them free rein to recruit students”
Again-this is so noble. Those pesky rules and regulations only inhibit online purveyors and deny students their right to pursue an education of “unknown quality”. How dare they!
“and use uncertified teachers.”
Why this is so Little House on the Prairie. If certified teachers teach for $15-22.50 per hour with a case load of 400 students, just imagine what we can pay a college graduate or even better a high school graduate looking for their first job to do the same thing. Wow! This is so cost effective and creates a job or two. Now if totally deregulated, I’m sure I can outsource it to India and pay just a few dollars per hour and double the case load of students.
Now this must be the innovation so many charters and online schools talk about. My education in a box is starting to look real good. Now, for me to save even more….I’m thinking e-books and e-readers. I have to cut costs and be innovative. My investors expect nothing less.