Analysis: Online Charter Schools Making Large Profits, Educational Value In Doubt

In a 5,000-word front-page article, the New York Times (12/13, A1, Saul, Subscription Publication, 1.23M) reports that though Agora Cyber Charter School is failing "by almost every educational measure," it is, financially speaking, "a remarkable success that has helped enrich K12 Inc., the publicly traded company that manages the school. And the entire enterprise is paid for by taxpayers." The Times describes the curriculum offered by cyberschools, suggesting that the "pencil and paper" work done by students belies the industry's high-tech image, and continues to focus on the business model on which the sector is based, reporting that its analysis of K12 "raises serious questions about whether K12 schools - and full-time online schools in general - benefit children or taxpayers, particularly as state education budgets are being slashed." The article characterizes the industry as focused on profit instead of learning.