Online Classrooms Bridge Racial Divides

New Study: Stride K12-Powered Programs Contribute to Student Diversity

HERNDON, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Over many generations, racial inequity has climbed its way through America’s educational system. And more often than not, it’s served as a segregated, separate, and unequal pipeline toward lower opportunity. While these realities have been exasperated by the ongoing pandemic, a new study finds that some online charter schools and programs are helping bridge the integration gap.

For the report—which was published by the Educational Freedom Institute (EFI)—Dr. Ian Kingsbury, Stride’s Director of Academic Analytics Research, studied and compared demographic data from students’ home school districts with data provided by their respective online charter schools. The data concludes that students who transferred from traditional, brick-and-mortar public schools to Stride K12-powered online schools were exposed to a higher proportion of students whose race and/or ethnicity is different from their own.

“Study after study has shown that students of all backgrounds tremendously benefit from a diverse and inclusive learning environment,” said Stride’s President, Kevin P. Chavous. “Our country’s ability to meet our collective challenges hinges on the work we do in the classroom. At Stride, we know we have more work to do, but we’re proud to be on the right track.”

Additional report findings include:

Students who transfer from a traditional public school to an online Stride K12-powered school are 20 times less likely to be enrolled in an “intensely segregated school” after transferring.
Students who identify as Asian American/Pacific Islander, Black/African American, or Hispanic/Latino were disproportionately drawn from schools where their race and/or ethnicity is overrepresented compared to the district average.

Since its inception more than twenty years ago, Stride has been committed to removing barriers that impact academic equity and to providing high-quality education for anyone—particularly those in underserved communities—as a means to foster economic empowerment and address societal inequities through college and career readiness. The company’s “We Stand Together” pledge and continued support of racial equality and justice are consistent with this commitment.

Stride K12-powered schools across the country are currently enrolling for the 2021-2022 school year. For more information about enrollment, visit www.k12.com.

About Stride, Inc.

At Stride, Inc. (NYSE: LRN) we are reimagining lifelong learning as a rich, deeply personal experience that prepares learners for tomorrow. Since its inception, Stride has been committed to removing barriers that impact academic equity and to providing high-quality education for anyone—particularly those in underserved communities. The company has transformed the teaching and learning experience for millions of people by providing innovative, high-quality, tech-enabled education solutions, curriculum, and programs directly to students, schools, the military, and enterprises in primary, secondary, and post-secondary settings. Stride is a premier provider of K-12 education for students, schools, and districts, including career learning services through middle and high school curriculum. Providing a solution to the widening skills gap in the workplace and student loan crisis, Stride equips students with real world skills for in-demand jobs with career learning. For adult learners, Stride delivers professional skills training in healthcare and technology, as well as staffing and talent development for Fortune 500 companies. Stride has delivered millions of courses over the past decade and serves learners in all 50 states and more than 100 countries. The company is a proud sponsor of the Future of School, a nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the gap between the pace of technology and the pace of change in education. More information can be found at stridelearning.com, K12.com, destinationsacademy.com, galvanize.com, techelevator.com, and medcerts.com.