Consumer Direct (K-8)

  • What tools are available for parents?
    • Along with the curriculum, we give you planning and progress tools to help you plan your day, including an electronic calendar with suggested lessons for each day and a detailed outline of the total time required for each lesson. In addition, our built-in online tracking system helps you to determine how your child is progressing in terms of pace and development.
  • How do I know in which grade level to enroll my child?
    • We provide easy-to-use placement tests in Language Arts/English and Math that you print out and administer to your child. Based on the test results, we provide a recommendation as to grade level and semester. This testing is not a requirement, however; you're free to choose where your child begins learning.
  • What other kinds of products do you have available for purchase?
    • We are working on a number of supplemental products to help parents work on common areas of trouble for their children. These programs will require much less time commitment from parents and could be done on weekends, during the summer or on vacation breaks. They will be offered as truly supplemental products to wherever the child is enrolled for his or her full-time schooling.
  • What is a Committed Subscription Access (“Contract”) Plan?
    • This subscription plan offers single student access to one or more K-8 subjects for either a 12-month or 24-month term. Plan pricing is discounted according to your term commitment and subjects selected.
  • What is a Month-to-Month Subscription Access Plan?
    • This subscription plan offers single student access to one or more K-8 subjects on a monthly basis without any commitment to subscribe to more than one month at a time.
  • When can I start my courses? How do I access my courses?
    • New customers can select any date, up to six months out, for their subscription access plan activation date (the date the Online School (OLS) course access begins):

      If you have already established a K12 account (through placement tests or our online ordering system), you will use the username and password that you created during the K12 Independence account setup process to access the Online School (OLS) on your plan activation date.

      If you haven’t already established a K12 account (through placement tests or our online ordering system), K12 will email you your OLS registration and log on information within 3 days of your plan activation date. At that time you can begin to set up your schedule and explore the lessons.
  • Can I downgrade to fewer subjects?
    • You can change your order without penalty within 30 days of the Committed Subscription Access ("Contract") Plan activation date. You may be subject to a contract change fee if you change your order after the first 30 days of service.
  • What is your refund policy?
    • You may cancel your subscription access plan within 30 days of plan activation date for a refund, activation fee excluded.

      You may return your unused materials in their original condition the later of a) within 30 days of the materials shipment date, or b) within 30 days after the associated course activation date for a refund, shipping charges and restocking fee excluded. You must call K12 Sales to notify K12 of your intent to return the materials and ship the materials via a traceable method to be eligible for a refund. Refunds will be processed within 30 days of the receipt at our warehouse. Refunds will not be given for partial kits.
  • What is an OLS activation fee?
    • An Online School (OLS) activation fee is a non-refundable one-time fee per student for the creation of a K12 OLS account.
  • What will be charged to my credit card at time of order?
    • For prepaid orders, the total amount of your order will be charged to your credit card at the time of order.

      For 1- or 2-year Committed Subscription Access (“Contract”) Plans paid monthly (not prepaid), the applicable activation, materials, shipping and associated tax fees will be charged to your credit card at the time of order. The first monthly fee will be charged upon plan activation or renewal.

      For a Month-to-Month Subscription Access Plan, the applicable activation, materials, shipping and associated tax fees will be charged to your credit card at the time of order. The first monthly fee will be charged upon plan activation.
  • What credit cards do you accept?
    • Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express
  • How do I notify K12 of a change in name, address, email address or phone number?
    • Please call K12 Customer Care at 1-866-626-6413.
  • Am I required to purchase K12 materials?
    • K12 does not require you to purchase any standard, consumable, upgrade, booster, student or teacher pages. However, you are required to purchase an Online School (OLS) subscription access plan in order to utilize K12 lessons and curriculum. We strongly encourage you to purchase the standard kit at a minimum since the materials include basic texts that are referenced in the OLS lessons.
  • Can I resell my materials?
    • No. You may not reproduce or distribute any materials or transfer or sell any materials to any third party.
  • What is K12 Consumer Direct?
    • K12’s kindergarten through eighth grade learning program available for purchase by families interested in a comprehensive homeschool solution or supplemental educational resources. K12 Consumer Direct provides all the essential tools you need to give your child an excellent education at home. We deliver lessons, progress and planning tools, assessments, and learning aids over the Internet. We complement this information with supplemental learning materials, such as books, workbooks, CDs, and videos. The K12 curriculum covers six core subjects—Language Arts/English, Math, Science, History, Art, and Music—and is based on time-tested and research-based methods of instruction.
  • What role do parents play in a K12 Consumer Direct education? How much time should I expect to spend working with my child?
    • Parent-child interaction is integral to K12's philosophy-parents or other caring adults are directly involved in their children's education. If you're using the full program, you'll spend approximately three hours over the course of a five-hour day working with your children; during the remaining time, children will read or engage in other study activities.
  • What tools are available for parents?
    • Along with the curriculum, we give you planning and progress tools to help you plan your day, including an electronic calendar with suggested lessons for each day and a detailed outline of the total time required for each lesson. In addition, our built-in online tracking system helps you to determine how your child is progressing in terms of pace and development. Click here to preview the tools.
  • Can I choose different grade levels for different subjects?
    • Yes. You can choose the appropriate grade level for your child in each subject. For example, if your first grader is more advanced in Math and Language Arts, you can choose a program with first-grade Art, History, Music, and Science, but second-grade Math and Language Arts.
  • Which grade level should I select for my child? What are K12 placement tests?
    • We provide free, easy-to-useplacement tests in Language Arts/English and Math that you print out and administer to your child. Based on the test results, we provide a recommended grade level and semester. This testing is not a requirement, however; you're free to choose where your child begins learning.
  • What is an Additional Student?
    • With one student already active on a 4+ courses Committed Subscription Access (“Contract”) Plan, K12 will discount additional Committed Subscription Access (“Contract”) Plans with 4+ courses by $15 per month.
  • After purchasing the Online School (OLS) subscription access plan, how do I obtain the lessons, with or without the materials?
    • If you have already established a K12 account, you will use the username and password that you created during the K12 Independence account setup process to access the Online School (OLS). If you haven’t already established a K12 account (through placement tests or our online ordering system), K12 will email you your OLS registration and log on information within two days prior to your plan activation date. At that time you can begin to set up your schedule and explore the lessons.
  • When will I receive my materials?
    • Materials will enter the shipping process immediately after order placement regardless of plan activation date, unless the items are on backorder. Materials should arrive at the designated domestic shipping address approximately two to three weeks after they enter the shipping process.

      The shipping timeframe for international orders will vary depending on the service selected for the order.

      Please note APO addresses can only be shipped via USPS and no tracking information will be provided.
  • Can my child work at his or her own pace?
    • Absolutely. K12 is designed to meet your unique needs. You and your child move forward in each subject at a pace that's right for you.
  • Do I need any special computer equipment or software in order to use K12 effectively?
  • What instructional materials are included in the curriculum?
    • We offer a standard set of educational materials-textbooks, workbooks, videos and CDs, hands-on learning aids and tools, and online programs. We carefully selected these materials to give your child a rich, varied, and unique learning experience. Some subject-specific materials include the following:
      • for Language Arts-classic storybooks and phonics tile kits
      • for Math-workbooks and manipulatives
      • for Science-magnets, thermometers, magnifying glasses, and seeds
      • for History-maps and globes
      • for Art-prints and art books
      • for Music-CDs and videos
      Some lessons require additional books and materials that you can get at a local library or store, such as construction paper, colored chalk, plaster, and classic children's books like Madeline and The Velveteen Rabbit.
  • Are materials included with the purchase of a Subscription Access Plan?

    • The following materials are NOT included with the purchase of a Subscription Access Plan: a) Standard kits, b) Upgrade kits, c) Consumable kits and d) Booster kits. You have the option to purchase these kits upon ordering your Subscription Access Plan.

      Some Teacher Pages and Student Pages are included with K12 online courses. Otherwise, you have the option to purchase these printed materials upon ordering your Subscription Access Plan.


      Teacher Pages are included with the following courses:

      •  Language Arts K (Phonics only)
      •  Language Arts 1 (Phonics only)
      •  Language Arts 3
      •  Language Arts 4
      •  Language Arts 5


      Student Pages are included with the following courses:

      •  Language Arts K (Phonics only)
      •  Language Arts 1 (Phonics only)
      •  Language Arts 3
      •  Language Arts 4
      •  Language Arts 5

  • What items can I expect to receive in the material kits?
  • How and when should I renew my subscription?
    • If you have a Committed Subscription Access ("Contract") Plan, you can renew your subscription at any time by calling K12 Sales at 1-866-512-6463. Should you choose not to renew your subscription, your OLS service will end upon contract expiration.

      If you have a Month-to-Month Subscription Access Plan, your subscription will be automatically renewed every month and applicable charges will apply unless you call K12 Sales at 1-866-512-6463 to cancel the plan.
  • Can I add subjects to my access plan?
    • Yes. You can add subjects to your plan by calling K12 Sales at 1-866-512-6463.

      For Committed Subscription Access ("Contract") Plans, upon activation of the additional courses, your current plan will end and a new contract plan will begin with a new term and rate structure. If you prepaid your current plan, you will receive a credit to your new contract balance for the remaining months of the current plan.

      For Month-to-Month Subscription Access Plans, a new plan will be established for the additional course(s), and you will be charged accordingly on a monthly basis.
  • Can I exchange courses (select a different course)?
    • Yes. You can exchange one course for another and purchase the associated course materials at any time by calling K12 Sales at 1-866-512-6463. This will not impact your plan term or rate structure. All course exchanges are processed immediately (no future start dates accepted) - please allow 24 hours for the course exchange to take effect in the Online School.
  • Can I place an international order?
    • Yes. You can place an international order by calling K12 Sales at 1-866-512-6463. Shipping charges for international orders are determined at time of order and are communicated to the customer prior to order placement. International orders shipping timeframe will vary upon the service selected for the order. Please note APO addresses can only be shipped via USPS and no tracking information will be provided.
  • What if my Committed Subscription Access (“Contract”) Plan is up for renewal, but my child is not ready to move to the next course level?
    • Simply renew your plan with your child’s current course(s). When your child is ready to move to the next level, call K12 Sales at 1-866-512-6463 to exchange courses. You can order the materials for your child’s next grade level at the time of renewal or wait until you are ready to exchange courses. Please allow 3 weeks for materials delivery.
  • Can I switch from a Month-to-Month Plan to a 1 or 2 Year Contract Plan?
    • Yes. You can change to a 1 or 2 Year Contract Plan at any time by calling K12 Sales at 1-866-512-6463.
  • Are there any restrictions on ordering materials?
    • Yes. The K12 course materials are an important component of the complete K12 learning environment. They are not meant to stand alone without the corresponding online course. Therefore, you may purchase materials associated with your selected K12 online course(s) and/or materials associated with the subsequent grade level in preparation for course exchanges or contract renewals.

      Select materials are available for individual sale (e.g. The Human Odyssey, vol 1). For more information on the individual items for sale, please contact K12 Sales at 1-866-512-6463.
  • How do I get K12 Consumer Direct?
    • Call toll-free 1-866-512-6463 to speak with one of our sales consultants - or order online using K12’s secure and easy-to-use online ordering system.
  • What if I still have a question about charges to my credit card?
    • Call K12 Customer Care at 1-866-512-2273.
  • What if I still have a question about my materials?
    • Call K12 Customer Care at 1-866-512-2273 or visit myinfo.K12.com.
  • How do I notify K12 of a change in billing address and/or credit card?
    • Please call K12 Sales at 1-866-512-6463.
  • Can I return my materials?
    • You my return your unused materials in their original, new condition up to 30 days after the materials shipment date or the associated course activation date, whichever is later, for a refund (shipping charges and stocking fee excluded). Refunds are not given for return of partial kits.

      If you would like to return your materials:

      1. Call K12 Sales at 866-512-6463 to notify us of your intent to return materials. We regret that we cannot issue a refund if you do not notify us before returning your materials. K12 will issue you a Services Request number. Include this number in all correspondence regarding your return.

      2. If eligible for a refund, return all materials to the following address using a traceable method (such as UPS, FedEx, or USPS): 
          K12 Returns
          1591 Opus Dr.
          Plainfield, IN 46168

      3. Contact K12 Customer Support at 866-512-2273 with the carrier name and tracking information.
  • Can I choose different grade levels for different subjects?
    • Yes. You can choose the appropriate grade level for your child in each subject. For example, if your first grader is more advanced in Math and Language Arts, you can choose a program with first-grade Art, History, Music, and Science, but second-grade Math and Language Arts.
  • Am I required to purchase materials?
    • Several of the courses require materials available through K12 or outside vendors or booksellers (e.g., Amazon.com ). Consumer Direct High School materials purchased through K12 are non-returnable , non-refundable .

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