Outschool
Product by Outschool, 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)
Outschool provides access to thousands of live, teacher-led classes, making it highly engaging for niche interests and social learning. However, because independent educators design their own curricula, the instructional quality and adherence to learning science principles like spaced repetition or active retrieval vary wildly from class to class.
Pros
- Synchronous video instruction allows for immediate, targeted feedback from human educators to correct misconceptions in real time.
- Small group formats facilitate social learning and peer-to-peer modeling, which improves cognitive engagement and knowledge transfer.
- Offers highly specific, interest-based topics that leverage intrinsic motivation to drive sustained attention during lessons.
Cons
- Instructional quality relies entirely on individual tutors rather than a unified, scientifically validated pedagogical framework.
- Lacks built-in spaced repetition or retrieval practice tools to ensure long-term retention after a live class ends.
- Wide variability in class management means your child might experience uneven participation and passive screen time.
What Do We Know About Outschool?
Outschool is effective for specialized, interest-driven learning, but its overall educational value depends entirely on the specific instructor you choose. Unlike apps with a single, unified curriculum, this platform functions as a marketplace for live Zoom classes taught by independent educators. Your child connects with teachers for synchronous, interactive lessons covering everything from core math to niche hobbies like video game design or historical cooking. Because classes happen live, students benefit from immediate feedback and social interaction, which are proven drivers of cognitive engagement. However, The Learning Standard has not yet evaluated Outschool to rate its average instructional quality. You must act as the curriculum director for your child. Some teachers utilize excellent active learning strategies, such as having students explain concepts back to the group or guiding them through worked examples. Others rely heavily on passive lecturing, which fails to support long-term knowledge retention. To get the best results, you need to read teacher reviews carefully, look for educators who emphasize active participation, and manually create a schedule that builds upon previous knowledge rather than relying on one-off classes.
How Does Outschool Work?
Outschool relies on synchronous, socially mediated instruction delivered via live video conferencing. Students log into scheduled Zoom sessions where independent teachers deliver lessons, lead discussions, and facilitate group activities. The mechanics differ by class type. In a one-on-one tutoring session, the approach is highly individualized, allowing for immediate error correction and adaptive pacing. In small group workshops, the platform leverages collaborative learning, where students solve problems together or present projects for peer review. Teachers design their own syllabi, meaning the pedagogical methods vary. Some instructors implement inquiry-based learning, posing complex questions that require your child to investigate and formulate answers. Others use direct instruction with digital whiteboards and slide presentations. Since there is no centralized learning management system for homework or adaptive quizzes, the platform itself does not provide automated retrieval practice or spaced repetition. The learning happens entirely within the live interaction, requiring students to remain cognitively active during the video call to absorb the material.
Strengths and tradeoffs of Outschool
Outschool's biggest strength is its ability to foster social learning through live interaction, while its biggest weakness is the stark inconsistency in pedagogical rigor across its marketplace. Live, synchronous feedback is incredibly valuable in education; when a student makes an error during a live math or coding class, the instructor can immediately diagnose the misconception and guide the student to the correct procedure. This prevents the cementing of bad habits. Furthermore, the platform excels at leveraging intrinsic motivation by offering hyper-specific classes that align with a child's exact interests, naturally increasing their attention span and cognitive effort. Conversely, the lack of standardized instruction means many classes fail to employ evidence-based learning strategies. Because teachers operate independently, students rarely benefit from systematic spaced repetition: the practice of revisiting material at intervals to interrupt the forgetting curve. Additionally, one-off classes do not provide the structured, mastery-based progression required to build deep expertise in core subjects. Without built-in retrieval practice tools between sessions, the burden falls on parents to ensure their child actually retains the information presented during the live video streams.
Who Might Benefit From Outschool?
Best for self-directed learners aged 5 to 18 who thrive in social settings and want to explore niche interests outside a standard curriculum. Outschool shines for homeschoolers needing specialized instruction in specific subjects or traditional students looking for engaging extracurriculars like coding, creative writing, or foreign languages. It is highly effective for students who require human accountability to stay focused. However, it is less suitable for families seeking a comprehensive, set-it-and-forget-it core curriculum, as parents must actively stitch together individual classes to ensure educational gaps are covered.
Data Transparency
Does Not Meet Data Transparency Standard
Outschool does not meet our data transparency standard. Its privacy policy does not document basic protections, including a statement that it does not sell data and a commitment against targeted advertising.
21 of 35 checks passed
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.
Not documented: a statement that it does not sell data, a commitment against targeted advertising
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: a data retention timeline, self-service deletion
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?
“If you are a parent or guardian of a child, please review the **Children Information** section below.”
Can parents view their child's data?
“A Parent, at any time, may: (i) manage their child's access to the Services through their parent account; (ii) review or correct their child's personal information through; and/or, (iii) discontinue further collection, use, or disclosure of their child's personal information.”
Can parents modify their child's data?
“Parents / Guardians may review and update certain of their Child’s information by logging into their account.”
Can parents delete their child's account?
“Parents may also request the deletion of their child's information by contacting us to delete their account, as set out in the **Contact Us** section below.”
Is there a dedicated Children's Privacy section?
“As part of our commitment to protecting children's (typically those under 13 or the age indicated by law) personal information, we comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act ("COPPA")”
Does it reference COPPA compliance?
“We comply with COPPA and GDPR by requiring parental consent when collecting personal information from children.”
Does it reference FERPA compliance?
“This includes but is not limited to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), state laws including but not limited to the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)”
Is parental consent required for child accounts?
“We send a direct notice with these privacy disclosures and obtain verifiable parental consent from Parents / Guardians before collecting, using, and sharing Personal Data from their Children as described in this COPPA Notice.”
Data Portability3/5
Can users access their personal data?
“If you have a registered account, you may at any time review or update your Personal Information by logging into your account and navigating the Account Settings tab within your profile.”
Can users download/export their data?
“request a copy of Personal Information we hold about you;”
Is there a self-service data access tool?
“If you have a registered account, you may at any time review or update your Personal Information by logging into your account and navigating the Account Settings tab within your profile.”
Is a specific data format mentioned for export?
The policy does not name any format for exported data.
Is there an API for data access?
The policy mentions APIs only as third-party app technologies, not as a way for users to access their data.
Data Minimization2/6
Is data collection itemized?
“When you join Outschool, we ask for credentials (usernames, passwords, personal credentials, and similar security information used for authentication and account access) and profile information, including name or publicly posted name from a linked account (such as Facebook, Google, or Apple), email address, phone number, and postal address.”
Can the app be used without a real name?
The policy says it collects names as part of account data.
Can the app be used without an email?
The policy says it collects email addresses as part of account data.
Does it state collection is limited to what is necessary?
“Whatever the activity, we will only collect information to the extent reasonably necessary to fulfill your requests and our legitimate business objectives.”
Is IP address anonymized or truncated?
The policy says it collects IP addresses and derives location from them, but it does not mention anonymizing or truncating them.
Is location tracking explicitly excluded?
The policy says GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth and other location technologies may be used to find a device's location.
Third-Party Protection5/7
Does it explicitly state no selling of data?
The policy says only that it does not sell data it buys from outside vendors; it makes no general promise not to sell personal information.
Are third-party providers named?
“Service Providers assist us with operating our Services and provide us with other services such as platform hosting (AWS), community operations and communications (e.g., Google, Intercom, OpenAI), video hosting (Zoom), data analytics, and technical support.”
Are providers contractually restricted?
“To the extent required by law, these Service Providers are contractually prohibited from using your information for any purpose other than to provide this assistance, and they agree to maintain the confidentiality, security, and integrity of the information they receive from us.”
No-targeted-advertising commitment?
The policy says it uses interest-based advertising and tailored ads for users, and it uses children's data for this when there is parental consent.
Is AI/ML data sharing addressed?
“Service Providers assist us with operating our Services and provide us with other services such as platform hosting (AWS), community operations and communications (e.g., Google, Intercom, OpenAI), video hosting (Zoom), data analytics, and technical support.”
Child-specific sharing restriction?
“As part of the parental consent process, Parents have the choice of consenting to our collection and internal use of their children’s personal information while opting to prohibit us from disclosing that information to third parties, except to the extent such disclosure is reasonably necessary and integral to our Services.”
Cookies/tracking limited or opt-out?
“We do use technology, like cookies and other trackers, to help us gather information about activities once logged into Outschool, but we do not allow third-party analytics or advertising providers to collect personal data for their own purposes in the Learner mode.”
Deletion & Retention2/5
Can users delete their account?
“request that we delete the Personal Information we hold about you;”
Self-service deletion mechanism?
The policy says deletion is done by sending a request through a request portal or by contacting the company, not with a tool the user operates.
Specific data retention timeline?
The policy says data is kept only as long as necessary and gives no specific time periods.
Auto-deletion of inactive accounts?
The policy does not address automatic deletion of inactive accounts.
Post-deletion handling described?
“We will not generally be able to guarantee a deletion from backups, but when feasible we will. If the backups are used for restoration, we will re-delete the records, based on the record of deletion requested.”
Advertising1/4
Advertising model explicitly disclosed?
“Alongside analytics, we collaborate with advertising agencies and networks to display ads for our Services on other websites. As part of this process, we may use Tracking Technologies, which could track activities over time and across services for the purpose of delivering relevant ads and content. This is known as Interest-based Advertising.”
Free from third-party advertisements?
The policy does not say the product is free of third-party ads, and it describes tailored ads for its own and other services.
Children excluded from ad targeting?
The policy says children's data is not used for interest-based advertising unless parental consent is obtained, so children are not fully excluded.
Ad-free option available?
The policy lets users opt out of marketing uses but does not describe an ad-free option or say the product has no ads.
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 and Children's Privacy Notice 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 Outschool 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 Outschool
Is Outschool free?
No, Outschool is not free. Parents pay per class, and prices are set independently by the instructors, typically ranging from $10 to $20 per hour of instruction. Because it operates as a marketplace, costs vary widely based on the subject complexity, the teacher's expertise, and the class format. One-on-one tutoring sessions will naturally cost more than large group lectures. Some educators also offer subscription-based pods or multi-week camps that require larger upfront payments.
Is Outschool good for elementary students?
Yes, Outschool is highly engaging for elementary students. The live, interactive format keeps younger learners focused much better than passive video apps. However, parents must ensure the selected teacher uses age-appropriate active learning techniques rather than strict lecturing. Young children learn best through play, social modeling, and immediate feedback. When selecting classes for elementary-aged kids, look for small group sizes where the instructor requires frequent student participation, hands-on activities, and verbal explanations to confirm understanding.
What does Outschool teach?
Outschool teaches nearly every subject imaginable. Instructors offer classes in core academics like math, science, reading, and humanities. Alongside these traditional subjects, the platform excels at providing enrichment topics like video game design, life skills, foreign languages, and the arts. Because independent teachers design their own curricula, you can find hyper-specific courses tailored to your child's exact interests, such as learning fractions through baking or practicing creative writing by analyzing popular fantasy novels.
How does Outschool compare to Khan Academy?
Outschool relies entirely on live, paid human instruction, whereas Khan Academy provides free, asynchronous, mastery-based learning. Khan Academy is superior for structured practice, providing algorithms that utilize spaced repetition to strengthen long-term retention of core subjects like math. Outschool, on the other hand, is better for social engagement, niche interests, and immediate, personalized feedback from a live educator. Parents often use Khan Academy for foundational drill work and Outschool for deeper, interactive exploration of specific topics.
Has The Learning Standard evaluated Outschool?
TLS has not yet completed a Learning Standard evaluation of how well Outschool teaches. Its privacy policy has been reviewed for Data Transparency and does not yet document the basic protections (Level 1).
Is Outschool COPPA compliant?
The reviewed privacy policy references COPPA. A policy reference alone does not establish COPPA compliance. Policy review note: The policy says it complies with COPPA.
Is Outschool FERPA compliant?
The reviewed privacy policy references FERPA. A policy reference alone does not establish FERPA compliance. Policy review note: The policy lists FERPA among the laws it complies with.
Does Outschool have a children's privacy policy?
The reviewed policy includes a dedicated children's privacy section. Policy review note: The policy has a "Children Information" section, and there is also a separate Children's Privacy Notice.
Does Outschool sell student data?
A statement ruling out data selling was not found in the reviewed policy. This does not establish that the app sells student data. Policy review note: The policy says only that it does not sell data it buys from outside vendors; it makes no general promise not to sell personal information.
Can you delete your data from Outschool?
The reviewed privacy policy describes account deletion. We have not tested the deletion process. Policy review note: Users can ask for their personal information to be deleted.
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