Online School Operator Agrees To $168.5M Settlement

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A for-profit company that operates online charter schools in California has agreed to a $168.5 million settlement with the state over claims it manipulated attendance records and overstated the academic progress of students.

The East Bay Times reports (http://bit.ly/29r0Dvp) the deal, announced Friday by Attorney General Kamala Harris, also requires Virginia-based K12 Inc. to take a slew of corrective actions.

The settlement comes almost three months after the Bay Area News Group published an investigation of K12 Inc., which received more than $310 million in state funding for its profitable but low-performing network ofCalifornia Virtual Academies, which serve about 15,000 students.

K12 said in a statement it had admitted no wrongdoing and insisted it had already planned to take up several of the 60 corrective actions required under the agreement over the next few years.

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Information from: The East Bay Times, http://www.eastbaytimes.com