Rethinking Education: Is the Customer Always Right? Stride, Inc. CEO Weighs In
About James Rhyu
James Rhyu, CEO of Stride Inc. (formerly K12 Inc.), has been discussing the company’s approach to education in several interviews in 2024 and 2025. Rhyu stated that he introduced the term "customer" to the company, arguing that students and families should be viewed as customers whose needs should guide educational offerings. He said that the company has invested more in the past four years than in any other four-year period in its history, focusing on teacher professional development, new curriculum, new technologies, and new platforms. Rhyu also commented on the role of technology in education, stating that while AI has potential, its current error rate is too high for K-12 learning, and that the company is working on small language models for personalized learning. He noted that an increasing number of families cite mental health as a reason for choosing virtual learning. Rhyu has also discussed the company's broader portfolio beyond virtual schooling, including career-connected learning options. He described the education system as politicized and called for depoliticizing it to focus on what is best for children and families. Rhyu acknowledged that the company made "bad acquisitions" in the boot camp space, which he said are now seeing dramatically lower volumes. In a separate appearance, Rhyu participated in a golf lesson with award-winning teen golfer Carter Bonas, stating that the company can learn from its students.