Khan Academy
Product by Khan Academy, Inc.
Facts checked: Not yet checked
Our take (not a Learning Standard rating). This label applies to learning-science judgments throughout this overview.
Our take (not a Learning Standard rating)
Khan Academy is a highly effective instructional tool that relies on mastery-based learning. It excels at delivering direct instruction through worked examples and immediate practice sets. While it lacks built-in spaced repetition to prevent long-term forgetting, its structured progression ensures your child masters foundational concepts before advancing.
Keep the Khan Academy decision brief
Keep the mastery explanation, three decision questions and a teacher message together so another caregiver can help without treating the percentage as a complete assessment. Subscribe to future TLS research updates and download the one-page PDF here immediately.
Pros
- Utilizes mastery-based progression to ensure learners understand core concepts before introducing complex topics.
- Provides clear worked examples via video instruction to reduce cognitive load during initial skill acquisition.
- Offers immediate corrective feedback during practice sets to correct misconceptions in real-time.
- Gives learners agency to learn at their own pace, accommodating different working memory capacities.
Cons
- Lacks automated spaced repetition mechanisms, meaning students must manually review old material to prevent decay.
- Relies heavily on passive video consumption which can lead to superficial engagement if not monitored.
- Does not provide deep explanatory feedback for incorrect answers beyond showing the procedural steps.
- Fails to offer varied retrieval practice modes, relying mostly on standard multiple-choice and short-answer formats.
What Do We Know About Khan Academy?
Yes, Khan Academy is an effective platform for learning and practicing new academic skills, provided it is used consistently. The app relies on a mastery-based model, meaning your child must demonstrate proficiency in a specific skill before the system considers it learned. This approach is highly supported by learning science, as it prevents foundational gaps that often plague students in traditional classrooms. However, parents must recognize that Khan Academy currently lacks an automated spaced repetition system. This means that once your child completes a unit, the app does not automatically resurface those questions weeks later to cement long-term retention. You will need to prompt your child to revisit older topics periodically to prevent forgetting. The platform is excellent for providing worked examples through step-by-step videos, which reduces cognitive load when tackling complex math or science problems. While The Learning Standard has not yet formally evaluated Khan Academy, its core mechanics align well with established cognitive science principles. Parents should use it as a robust supplement to classroom instruction rather than a complete replacement, ensuring that learners do not simply passively watch videos but actively engage with the practice sets.
How Does Khan Academy Work?
Khan Academy uses mastery-based progression with video instruction followed by immediate practice sets. When your child selects a topic, they are presented with a sequence of instructional videos and articles that serve as direct instruction and worked examples. After consuming this content, learners complete short practice quizzes designed to test their immediate recall and procedural fluency. The system tracks their accuracy and speed, updating a personalized mastery dashboard. Students start at a familiar level and must consistently answer questions correctly over time to reach mastered status. If a student struggles, the platform recommends reviewing specific videos or taking hints that break the problem down into smaller, manageable steps. This scaffolding helps manage cognitive load by isolating individual components of a complex problem. The platform offers unit tests and course challenges that act as cumulative retrieval practice, forcing the brain to recall information from multiple previous lessons, which strengthens neural pathways and deepens overall comprehension.
Strengths and tradeoffs of Khan Academy
Khan Academy's biggest strength is its immense library of worked examples, while its biggest weakness is the absence of systemic spaced repetition. Worked examples are highly effective for novice learners, and the platform delivers these masterfully through step-by-step video tutorials that model problem-solving behavior. This explicit instruction minimizes cognitive overload, allowing your child to process new information efficiently. Mastery-based learning is another significant strength. The platform forces learners to achieve a high success rate on practice sets before moving on, effectively preventing the accumulation of learning deficits over time. However, the platform falls short in its approach to long-term retention. Because it lacks automated spaced repetition, students are not systematically prompted to retrieve older information just as they are about to forget it. Without this interleaving and spaced practice, knowledge decay is inevitable. Additionally, the feedback mechanisms are relatively rigid. While learners receive immediate notification of correct or incorrect answers, the explanatory feedback often simply reiterates the procedural steps rather than addressing the underlying conceptual misunderstanding. Despite these flaws, the active retrieval practice offered through its unit tests remains a robust tool for cementing knowledge when utilized properly.
Who Might Benefit From Khan Academy?
Best for self-directed students from elementary through early college who need structured practice or alternative explanations for classroom material. Khan Academy serves exceptionally well as a supplemental tutoring tool when your child struggles with a specific concept, particularly in mathematics and the hard sciences. Because the platform relies heavily on reading and video comprehension, it requires a moderate level of independent focus. It is ideal for learners preparing for standardized tests like the SAT, as the curriculum directly maps to the required competencies and offers ample retrieval practice to build procedural fluency.
Data Transparency
Does Not Meet Data Transparency Standard
Khan Academy reaches Level 1 of 3 (Basic protections), below our data transparency standard. Reaching Level 2 needs the policy to document data export and a data retention timeline.
25 of 35 checks passed
Evaluated September 2026
Privacy Policy →Level 1 · Basic protections
Does not sell data or target ads at students, limits sharing, and lets parents see and delete their child's data.
Level 2 · Parent control (meets the standard)
Families can get their data out, know who processes it, and know how long it is kept.
Not documented: data export, a data retention timeline
Level 3 · Direct data access
Families or schools can pull their own data through an API, in a stated format.
Not documented: an API for retrieving their own data, a named export format
View all 35 checks
Parent Access8/8
Does the policy mention parents specifically?
“Parents (not Children) can modify or delete Child User accounts, as described in our [Children’s Privacy Notice](https://www.khanacademy.org/about/privacy-policy#childrens-privacy).”
Can parents view their child's data?
“with other users that are associated with your account, such as a parent, teacher or coach.”
Can parents modify their child's data?
“Parents (not Children) can modify or delete Child User accounts, as described in our [Children’s Privacy Notice](https://www.khanacademy.org/about/privacy-policy#childrens-privacy).”
Can parents delete their child's account?
“Parents (not Children) can modify or delete Child User accounts, as described in our [Children’s Privacy Notice](https://www.khanacademy.org/about/privacy-policy#childrens-privacy).”
Is there a dedicated Children's Privacy section?
“This privacy notice supplements our Privacy Policy and provides additional information about how we collect, use and disclose personal information from children under the age of 13 (a **“Child”** or **“Children”**).”
Does it reference COPPA compliance?
“For School Users under 13, our privacy practices are informed by the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“ **COPPA**”).”
Does it reference FERPA compliance?
“For example, we work with Schools to protect Student Personal Data consistent with FERPA.”
Is parental consent required for child accounts?
“When a Child creates an account, we collect their information in compliance with applicable laws, including by seeking the consent of a parent or legal guardian (“ **Parent**”) for creation of that account.”
Data Portability2/5
Can users access their personal data?
“We want you to have access to your information, so that you can help keep it as accurate as possible. If you register and provide Khan Academy with information, you may update, correct, or delete your account and information at any time by reviewing your profile information and preferences on your account settings page.”
Can users download/export their data?
The policy does not mention downloading or exporting data.
Is there a self-service data access tool?
“If you register and provide Khan Academy with information, you may update, correct, or delete your account and information at any time by reviewing your profile information and preferences on your account settings page.”
Is a specific data format mentioned for export?
The policy names no export format.
Is there an API for data access?
The policy does not describe an API for users, parents or schools to get their data.
Data Minimization1/6
Is data collection itemized?
“Account registration information (username, birthdate, and email)”
Can the app be used without a real name?
The policy does not say real names are never collected, and school accounts can be rostered through services like Google Classroom or Clever.
Can the app be used without an email?
The policy says it collects email at registration and requires a school email address for School Accounts.
Does it state collection is limited to what is necessary?
The policy limits how long data is kept, but does not say collection is limited to what is necessary.
Is IP address anonymized or truncated?
The policy does not say IP addresses are anonymized or truncated.
Is location tracking explicitly excluded?
The policy says it collects general location information.
Third-Party Protection7/7
Does it explicitly state no selling of data?
“We do not sell your personal information to third parties.”
Are third-party providers named?
“Khan Academy uses the privacy functionality in YouTube to display video content on YouTube (see additional information under “Learn More”).”
Are providers contractually restricted?
“To provide further privacy assurances, our service agreements with the providers of artificial intelligence models used to power our AI-Enabled Features do not permit the providers to use Input data to train their models.”
No-targeted-advertising commitment?
“We take steps to avoid the collection of information for targeted advertising purposes when we believe the Service is being used by Students or Children.”
Is AI/ML data sharing addressed?
“To provide further privacy assurances, our service agreements with the providers of artificial intelligence models used to power our AI-Enabled Features do not permit the providers to use Input data to train their models.”
Child-specific sharing restriction?
“We take extra precautions for our younger learners as described in our [Children’s Privacy Notice](https://www.khanacademy.org/about/privacy-policy#childrens-privacy), including restricting child accounts to automatically block features that would allow a child to post or disclose personal information.”
Cookies/tracking limited or opt-out?
“Strictly necessary cookies are used to make our site work and are required. Other types of cookies are used to improve your experience, to analyze how Khan Academy is used, and to market our service. You can allow these other cookies by checking the boxes below.”
Deletion & Retention3/5
Can users delete their account?
“If you register and provide Khan Academy with information, you may update, correct, or delete your account and information at any time by reviewing your profile information and preferences on your account settings page.”
Self-service deletion mechanism?
“Update, correct, and delete your account information through your account settings”
Specific data retention timeline?
The policy lists factors for deciding retention but gives no specific time periods.
Auto-deletion of inactive accounts?
The policy does not mention deleting inactive accounts automatically.
Post-deletion handling described?
“When we have no ongoing legitimate business need to process your personal Information, our policy is to delete or de-identify the data. We may retain and use de-identified or anonymized data for longer periods for purposes such as product development, research, analytics and for demonstrating the impact of our Service.”
Advertising4/4
Advertising model explicitly disclosed?
“Khan Academy does not display third party advertisements on our Service.”
Free from third-party advertisements?
“We do not display third party advertising on Khan Academy.”
Children excluded from ad targeting?
“For example, we avoid use of tracking technology on webpages with child-directed content, and we do not use tracking technology for third party advertising.”
Ad-free option available?
“We do not display third party advertising on Khan Academy.”
What This Means
The policy review did not meet our data transparency standard. The checks above show the documented findings and unknowns. A missing statement does not establish how the app handles data in practice.
About this evaluation: Based on automated analysis of Privacy Policy against 35 policy-disclosure questions, including questions adapted from the Common Sense Privacy Program's published evaluation questions. TLS is not affiliated with Common Sense Media, and this is not a Common Sense rating. Quoted text is copied from the policy; unquoted notes are our summary. Results describe what the policy documents, not the company's actual practices. Privacy policies can change: this review reflects the version we analyzed and does not determine legal compliance.
Sources and review method
TLS combines product information and editorial analysis to explain how Khan Academy works, its tradeoffs, and the questions to ask before choosing it. Product features, an instructional rationale and evidence of learning outcomes are different kinds of information.
Formal Learning Standard assessment: not yet completed. Data Transparency findings are reported separately and do not establish learning effectiveness. Read our methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions About Khan Academy
Is Khan Academy free?
Yes, Khan Academy is entirely free for all users globally. As a non-profit organization, it provides full, unrestricted access to its entire library of instructional videos, practice exercises, and personalized mastery dashboards without any subscription fees or hidden paywalls. Unlike many commercial educational applications that lock their best features or detailed progress analytics behind a premium tier, Khan Academy offers its complete pedagogical toolset at no cost. This makes it an incredibly accessible resource for parents and educators seeking high-quality, scientifically grounded supplemental instruction for their students.
Is Khan Academy good for elementary students?
Yes, Khan Academy is highly effective for elementary students, particularly for building foundational math skills. The interface for younger learners is thoughtfully structured to minimize distracting elements and reduce unnecessary cognitive load. For older elementary students, the main platform provides excellent scaffolding through step-by-step hints and guided practice. However, parents should actively monitor usage to ensure children are genuinely completing the retrieval practice sets and engaging with the material, rather than simply watching the instructional videos passively without testing their own understanding.
What does Khan Academy teach?
Khan Academy teaches a remarkably wide variety of academic subjects, though its strongest and most comprehensive content lies in mathematics, ranging from basic early arithmetic to advanced college-level calculus. Beyond math, the platform provides extensive curriculum in the hard sciences like biology, chemistry, and physics. It also offers structured courses in computing, history, economics, and humanities. Additionally, it features dedicated, high-quality test preparation modules for standardized exams such as the SAT, Praxis, and LSAT, which utilize official practice questions to build test-specific procedural fluency.
Has The Learning Standard evaluated Khan Academy?
TLS has not yet completed a Learning Standard evaluation of how well Khan Academy teaches. Its privacy policy has been reviewed for Data Transparency and reaches Level 1, Basic protections.
Is Khan Academy COPPA compliant?
The reviewed privacy policy references COPPA. A policy reference alone does not establish COPPA compliance. Policy review note: The policy names COPPA as informing its practices for users under 13.
Is Khan Academy FERPA compliant?
The reviewed privacy policy references FERPA. A policy reference alone does not establish FERPA compliance. Policy review note: The policy says it protects student data consistent with FERPA.
Does Khan Academy have a children's privacy policy?
The reviewed policy includes a dedicated children's privacy section. Policy review note: The policy has its own section headed Children’s Privacy Notice.
Does Khan Academy sell student data?
The reviewed policy states that the app does not sell data. This is a policy statement; actual data practices were not verified. Policy review note: The policy says Khan Academy does not sell personal information.
Can you delete your data from Khan Academy?
The reviewed privacy policy describes account deletion. We have not tested the deletion process. Policy review note: Users can delete their account.
Keep the Khan Academy decision brief
Keep the mastery explanation, three decision questions and a teacher message together so another caregiver can help without treating the percentage as a complete assessment. Subscribe to future TLS research updates and download the one-page PDF here immediately.
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