Edgenuity

Imagine Edgenuity is a virtual alternative, and uses pre-recorded videos and primarily focuses on struggling students, and sticking at pace.[17][18] Along with pre-recorded lecture, Imagine Edgenuity uses interactives and real-world problems.[19] In addition to helping students who need extra support, the software is often used by schools to help students who have failed courses get the credits they are missing.[20]

In 2020, Digital Promise awarded Imagine Edgenuity's Courseware, Mypath, and Pathblazer services with the Research-Based Design Product Certification.[21][22]

During the time of the site's popularity during the pandemic, both parents and students complained how Edgenuity was frustrating, stating difficulties in loading, understanding concepts, and the inability to skip newly presented content.[23][24] Most of the pass/fail content comes from quizzes at the end of each lesson, and parents noted how students were memorizing the answers to reappearing questions rather than learning the material.[25] Parents have also cited the function of tutoring help, where students can get aid from a real teacher when they get stuck on a question. Some students complained over long waiting times, some waiting hours, for the arrival of virtual tutor aid. According to Angie Richardson, a parent of a 13-year-old student interviewed by Buzzfeed News's Erik Carter, both virtual tutoring and emails were often slow and sometimes entirely unresponsive, and her child was ultimately required to return to brick and mortar due to falling behind.[16]

Edgenuity has been criticized for the standardization of their test questions, the nature of the standardization causes students who failed a test to receive a very similar set of questions the second attempt, making it easy to guess answers via trial and error. A study published by Slate Magazine showed that students using Edgenuity received on average 37 out of 50 identical questions during their second attempt to pass a test.[26] Another study from The Verge discovered short answer questions are graded through artificial intelligence, and students have found ways to cheat using keywords the AI is looking for to give passing grades. The Verge cited a teacher whose student was using the site, who inserted words in an order that was patent nonsense yet included words that were involved in answering the question, dubbed a "word salad", and received full credit for the response.[27][28]

Teachers also showed frustration with how Edgenuity handles student organization in their contracts. In Providence, Rhode Island, teachers were given an average of 52 students to handle each and weren't able to properly communicate with all of them in an orderly manner.[29] In St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, some teachers were even given up to 600 students to manage via email each.[16]

In 2021, CEO Sari Factor released a statement addressing the issues arisen by the public. She stated how some districts were using the site in unintended ways, and schools that were following procedure were benefiting off the program. She also mentioned how the students to teacher ration was off-balance due to the school having a lack of employment, and also blamed student struggles on the effects of COVID-19 on the system and education.[16]