Motley Fool Money Interview with Stride CEO James Rhyu: Disrupting K-12 and Beyond
Aug 24, 2025
James Rhyu, CEO of Stride, a leader in online education, discusses the urgent need for disruption in K-12 education. He highlights the stagnation of traditional systems and the potential for innovative solutions. Rhyu shares insights on how AI can transform learning while maintaining the essential role of human teachers. He also emphasizes the importance of self-awareness in leadership, drawing from personal experiences to illustrate how understanding one’s strengths can drive effective decision-making and foster growth.
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K–12 Is Poised For Disruption
- James Rhyu argues K–12 education in the U.S. is ripe for disruption due to decades of stagnation and poor outcomes.
- He believes tech-driven change could close gaps by adopting approaches successful in other countries.
Scale With Low Penetration
- Stride had about 222,000 enrollments last fall and $2.4 billion in revenue for the fiscal year.
- The company covers two-thirds of U.S. school-age kids across ~30 states but still has low market penetration.
Post-Pandemic Inflection Point
- Pre-pandemic virtual-school penetration flattened around 2%, but pandemic effects pushed many states past that inflection.
- Large states like California and Texas still present major growth opportunities even without geographic expansion.