teacher

language arts teacher

science teacher

spanish teacher

physics teacher

Elevate K-12

The Good
The idea of Elevate is great.  We can teach at schools that have a need for a teacher anywhere in the states from the comfort of our homes.  There is none of the day to day nonsense typically found at a brick and mortar job as someone else (the Classroom Coach) is there to handle discipline, potty breaks, local-school-related questions, Meet the Parent nights, and all the minutae of paperwork.  I just teach the content and work with the students wholly focused on helping them understand the material.  It is ideal for teachers in that way.

The Not Great
They still  micromanage quite a bit.  I've got nearly two decades of experience, award winning experience, in the classroom and they still treat me like I don't know what I'm doing.  This is partly because I'm just a cog in their machine.    More on that in the last section.  Teachers are supplied with slides and content to teach which is a mixed bag.  Teachers don't make the slides and there are often errors, which is fine as a teachable moment but very unprofessional on their part.  Teachers don't make the tests, which I get, but it still shows a sincere lack of trust towards us and really doesn't show what the students know because the testing mechanics are all multiple choice and easy to manipulate for the students.  They also record everything (again, lack of trust) whereas in a regular classroom, that doesn't happen.  Once more, I understand why, but it is irritating to be treated like that.

Finally, for this section, there are several bits of work that they require of you that are idiotically redundant and unnecessary.  Filling in the curriculum calendar with an engagement plan for each day is BUSY WORK when they have already provided all the things to do anyway and you barely have enough time to do even that much, much less improvise or do your own (better) stuff.  Because getting off track from the provided slides docks your evals.  They need to have some kind of way for teachers who know what their doing to edit the slides instead of using their clunky reporting structure or to just use their own (better) slides.  There are a few other nitpicky things like "you must have the date on  your exit ticket" and other dumb stuff that's just a pointless irritation, especially since no one you ask knows the rationale for any of it as it filters down through 5 million levels from on high.

The Absolute Worst
There is a complete lack of communication on all fronts.  There is no way to get into contact with anyone as a teacher other than very specified channels with people who aren't native English speakers, which is frustrating on multiple levels.  If you have significant issues and concerns, it takes forever to get that accross because of all the gatekeepers.  You have NO phone number to call.  It's all handled through chat or email which delays much of the communication.  

And the final part of the lack of communication is as follows: when I signed on I contracted for X pay to teach Y class.  This was done in half hour increments and so for several months, I was budgeting based on that.  Then, with only one month of warning IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEMESTER they change it to minute by minute increments.  I lost nearly 1000$/month at a time when I was trying to move.  Then, over the summer, they changed the contracts and the way that classes were allocated so now there is this Homeroom system and we have virtually mudwrestle for classes to get what we want.  The Y classes were no longer for X pay, they dropped without anyone explaining that so I was waiting for those that were X pay to meet my budget and they never showed.  I ended up having to take classes where I'm teaching A, B, and C instead of Y which I wanted and am far better at and more comfortable with for less pay per hour.  Add to that, their system does not clearly tell you whether or not the class is block schedule so when I signed up, I ended up getting block scheduling which is REALLY hard to add more classes too from other schools, so now I'm making even less because its not a full 7-8 hour day each day.  They took away the 15 minutes before class prep time and left us with 5, which also reduced our 20% so we are getting paid less that way.  In a time of inflation, they are doing everything they can to cut teacher pay.  Typical, just dump on the teachers like always.  So yeah, now I have a second job and don't get to see my own family much because of this.  And when I approached them about it there answer was basically too bad.  Take it or leave it...like I could find another job at this point in the school year.

So that brings me back to the whole cog in the machine idea.  If you work for them as an indepenendent contractor keep in mind these things.  You are not important to them individually.  You are completely replaceable and not at all part of a family, even a faux one like the brick and mortar schools pretend that you are.  Your needs, your problems caused by them, are utterly irrelevant to them.  So if you understand that, and are fine with it, then by all means.  The benefits of remote teaching are certainly there.

My expectations are for the pay to continue to dwindle, the workload to increase (and get dumber), for the communication to continue to be nothing but a hastle, and for them to continue not to care at all about what their whimsical changes whenever they feel like do to their teachers.

For my part, I'm looking to finish my exit from teaching altogether and find a job in the private sector with a business that understands the importance of individuals.

If you are a certified, experienced teacher who is desperate for an online job and don't mind possibly being watched over and scrutinized every day in your class, this is the company for you. Not good enough? How about being forbidden to create your own materials or use outside resources? Still not sold? How about having to only teach from pre-fab lessons that were clearly outsourced overseas for creation, and littered with mistakes? All this and more can be yours for the terrible rate of just $20 an hour!
The biggest lie is they tout teaching here as fun and easy because the prep work is basically done for you. In theory, this would be true...if the content were not an absolute joke. Not only are there an embarrassing number of mistakes in the slideshows you are to present to students, you are also expected to spend time (which will be far more than the one hour a week prep time they do pay) filling out correction forms to send to the content managers so that they can correct the slides. The other part that will eat up more of your personal time is if you end up with a class that is all online or hybrid, it is up to you to adapt the lessons accordingly, as the pre-fab lessons are only designed for an on-site attended class. Better know how, because no one will be there to help or train you!
While you don't have to enter grades (there's your silver lining), you will likely have to actually grade some items, most of which you will have to enter on a separate tracking system (this depends on your class, though).
And heaven forbid you ever make a minor mistake of any kind. You will hear about it from 3, 4, or even 5 different management people. 
Don't expect any forgiveness on their part for technical issues, either. Kids at home have poor internet connections that don't allow their mics to work correctly or the lag causes their responses to take 30+ seconds to arrive? Too bad, force them to participate anyway. And you will still be judged on a recorded observation no matter how many tech issues are going on (there is at least one daily). 
Let's also not forget that you CANNOT use a wireless connection for wi-fi to do this job, so if you like traveling, you can only take this job with you if you will have excellent ethernet connectivity at your destination. And your background on camera--you cannot do this from the comfort of just anywhere, it must be a blank wall behind you or an actual classroom-looking backdrop. Absolutely NO background noise is permitted.
As for observations, hope you really like those, because you will likely be getting at least one a week, possibly more. Even after you make changes to improve (and are told you are improving), it will never be good enough. If it ever is, then you will go down to one observation a month.
To add to the "fun", you must stick to the lessons schedule set forth at the beginning of the year no matter what. Have a bad day where the kids didn't really get the lesson? Tough luck, move on. If you do somehow fall behind, you will be expected to get back on the schedule as quickly as possible, which usually means cutting out practice and/or reinforcement activities. 
I'd like to say there is an enjoyable part of this, but there really isn't. It's the only teaching position I've ever had where I dread opening my email each day and count the days until contract is done.

ElevateK12 had a great idea and they make a good first impression.  They created a learning platform and contract with schools to fill teaching vacancies remotely.  Online teachers partner with in class teachers/aides to make class happen.  

They were constantly changing everything and that is where the problems begin.  They did not take the time to master the basics of their business before trying to change and expand all the pieces.  The departments did not seem to know what the others were doing, and do not work collaboratively to make the others successful.  The technology and basic materials needed a lot more attention before they turned their attention elsewhere.  They were regularly making big changes to job roles, creating new positions, and changing communication flows.

This made clear and efficient communication impossible.  Too much time in the day was spent reading and responding to emails and trying to get questions answered and figuring out who can answer them. 

Something changed in the summer of 2022.

Management was full of ideas and friendly the first of the two years that I worked there.  The last six months however, they were out of touch, micromanaging, and combative at times.

The company hired at lot of new people in middle and upper management and the messaging from June of 2022 looked nothing like what arrived in August of 2022.  They added huge performance rubrics for their independent contractor positions and set expectations and busy work tasks that were unattainable and did not fit into the time they were paying for.

To make matters worse, they just stopped listening to their instructors and coaches when they tried to sound the alarm.  Contractors were met with lip service, told they lacked a growth mindset, or informed that if it wasn't working anymore there was a door.

This resulted in a large firing of mostly veteran middle management who had been trying to help and were ignored.  They lost many people who had been there years and had been responsible for lots of their past successes.

Teachers are paid varying amounts based on subject and site.  Some are reasonable and some are way too low.  Teachers are required to write up detailed lesson plans and submit weekly despite being given materials and teacher guide.  All teachers were required to set a goal and specific ways they would meet it and had to track and document their progress.  When they reached it they had to set another one and this process was expected to continue indefinitely.

They are huge on rubrics and feedback and forms.  Workers are evaluated several times a year on a multipage rubric.  Coaches had to provide a litany of evidence of the work they had already done to prove a certain rating, and even then they rated as they saw fit.

The culture post June 2022 has been one of toxic positivity, scramble, and uncertainty.

The hardest parts of the job were fitting work into paid time, getting questions answered, and not feeling heard.

The best part of the job was working with so many fantastic teachers.  Despite the disorganization there was an above average group of teachers there with their hearts in the right place.

I’ve worked for Elevate for two months, but I am a 12-year teaching veteran. While my career as a whole has been rewarding, it wasn’t until I began working for Elevate K12 that I felt like I found my professional home. My skill set matches well with the skills that are necessary to be successful in such a role. I am the first to acknowledge that remote teaching isn’t for everyone; it takes a level of engagement that one does not need to achieve working in a physical classroom. Teaching is, in itself, a performance art. If so, online teaching is the pinnacle of that art. Anyone in the teaching profession knows the pedagogical necessities for becoming a teacher. The best teachers become skilled technicians in the field. However, many lack the “soft” skills that turn a tactician into an affective performer. At Elevate K12, instruction is either done virtually with students physically in the classroom with a classroom Coach and the instructor teaching remotely, or instruction is done virtually with students learning from home. A key to effective teaching is to build a rapport with your students. Online teaching makes this a more complicated endeavor, but once that connection is made true learning will take place. Elevate K12 has mastered the art of online instructional deliver. What amazes me even more than that is the speed at which they were able to scale their business and keep up with the rapid expansion of online learning due to COVID 19. Everything they do is professional. I have excellent support from my immediate supervisors and those who supervise them. I could tell from day one they wanted me to do well and to grow with them. I can say honestly that, while I’ve had some excellent principals and superintendents during my public school teaching days, The support team with Elevate K12 is the best I’ve worked with. Be forewarned, though. If you aren’t willing to accept constructive criticism or to monitor and adjust your teaching style to your audience you won’t be successful here, but I would argue you wouldn’t be successful anywhere. Also, Elevate rewards hard work; many if not most advancements are promotions from within. I feel every day like my abilities are appreciated, and I will some day soon have the opportunity to advance at Elevate and to help nurture the next generation of instructors. Not many companies make you feel this way, and Elevate is one of them. Plus, they do an excellent job of not micromanaging you and are willing to let you step outside the box to try something to enhance Elevate’s excellent system platform. Could the pay be better? Yes. But, considering the benefits of working from home make it worthwhile. If you want to work hard, you want to develop relationships that will last, and want to make a difference with a growing education company, Elevats is the place. 

As a teacher, the program is neat in that you can pick your schedule to teach and all you need to really focus on is teaching, nothing else. However, there's a bunch of little things that are annoying about this program. When I first started, I thought this was SUCH a cool idea and their website looked amazing and it seemed like they had it together, but I think Elevate bit off more than they could chew and here's everything I dislike about it:
- There's about 8 tiers of leadership, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit but I never know who to contact. There's an acronym for each leader and they'll even call themselves the acronym so if you're new - goooood luck knowing who you're talking to. I'll follow the flowchart they give me and yet still end up having my question redirected to 2-3 other people until I get an answer. (Ex: "I'm not sure how to answer your question - go ahead and ask your EPM or RPM.") The pro is that everyone is very responsive though!
- The program is glitchy sometimes. I ALWAYS have to log in/out if I'm using a simulation because then my lesson slides are out of order. Sometimes the chat will disappear and I have to retype what I said to my students 3 times over. If I log in before my class does, they won't be able to hear/see me on their end until I refresh my own screen. Also my camera light on my laptop is on even though I've turned off my camera and mic in the program, so it makes me feel like I'm still being watched.
- You can't edit the curriculum or slides: I've had multiple situations where there's typos or incorrect information on the slide (such as "like charges attract each other" even though they actually repel) and I know we can send in a request to have them fix these slides, but it's like... EVERY other day there's an issue with the lesson. I suppose I can't complain though - I don't need to do any lesson planning so that's a plus!
- Not all classroom coaches are trained. On the Elevate website, they boast how they train their class coaches, but when I had a chance to talk to my classroom coach, he told me he was just a sub that was already working for the school and since I became the teacher in the class, they had him become the coach. He also didn't have access to the school printer so he never printed my worksheet copies for my students.

Overall, it's a good program if you're passive and don't mind these little issues. I'm actually generally passive and didn't mind these hiccups at first, but week after week, I felt as if these problems kept adding up and I kept running into another issue: finding out my classes got cancelled the hour before I was supposed to log in, pacing guides not matching with the lesson that's uploaded into the program, getting completely dropped from assigned classes THE SAME DAY they notified me. 

I joined Elevate in April of this year. The flexibility of working from home was great after having to be out for caregiving. The compensation is better than subbing, or even doing homebound (as a certified, licensed teacher)  in my area (rural VA). You do get a 1099, so you have to figure out how to pay quarterly taxes and I would check with an accountant about how to possibly lower your income with itemizations. I found the workload a little busy at times (had to apply for reciprocity) but the 20% added on to my actual teaching time was fair, in my opinion. Additionally, you receive a small bonus ($100) for reciprocity and then $300 once you complete your allocation (teaching assignment). You also get reimbursed for any expenses to apply for reciprocity! You sign in 15 minutes early and you are paid for that. Doesn't seem like a big deal until you realize you have almost an hour a day of extra pay (if you teach 3 classes). You deal with the same issues at a brick and mortar school (student attendance, behavior issues, etc), but I found that my team was always helpful. If you are a teacher, some of your experience depends on the CC (Classroom Coach) and how active they are in their role in the classroom. If the school has an issue, you still get paid for your sessions even if you do not teach. You do not get paid for holidays, however. Overall, for the compensation I received, I am thrilled. Was I tired at the end of the day when students were not cooperative? Yes! Just the same as in person! However, the fact that I did NOT have to contact parents, students, or talk with admin was a HUGE selling point for me! 

I love that the curriculum/pacing guide is already provided but I can also add videos and information to differentiate. My Academic Coach was great with giving pointers on how to make the teaching experience the best it could be! Not having to write a 5 page, detailed lesson plan is also a huge plus for me (they TRUST the teachers)! As a bonus, I had a weekend trip to the beach, so in between classes I got to enjoy the sun and salt air. All that to say, my 'classes' can come with me wherever I go, as long as I have a space to teach! I felt that I was valued as an employee (unlike other reviews), but maybe it's a result of my perspective?? I am interviewing with a local ps now and my biggest tension is do I want benefits, or do I want freedom? I'm kinda leaning towards the freedom with Elevate even though I am a little apprehensive of the unknown (I have no way of knowing right now what classes I may teach this fall).

When I first started, I was kind of thrust into it all and expected to figure out how to do things on my own. The induction process was not as transparent and helpful as I thought it would be. I ended up asking my AC (academic coach) for questions that should have been answered before I started my first session. 

The pay was fair at the beginning, but in a span of 3 months, it was changed for some reason. Fast forward again 2 or 3 months, and they once again change the payment parameters and it was not positively received by the instructors. 

There are PD's (professional development) where you are compensated for your time, but during those meetings I sometimes feel as though the topics they present on and the activities that they want us to try are a bit delusional (as in will only work for some, not all, instructors). The meetings also feel a bit repetitive and don't necessarily introduce anything new that we can try during sessions. I feel as though all the strategies they present on are things that should be "No Duh" kind of strategies when in a session. 

As an instructor you are expected to be observed to see how you are doing overall during your sessions based on a rubric, just like in a brick and mortar; however, depending on the observer you get, you could either go up or down a tier on (what I think) are arbitrary infractions and are not in our control. They do have guidelines in place for moving up tiers, but the only compensation you get for moving up is a small (in my opinion) sense of job security and a title. 

All in all, I feel as though the only difference between this company and a regular brick and mortar public school are the lack of extra duties; everything else kind of feels the same, from management to pay to workload. The people I have personally worked with are amazing, and those that are educators (and you can tell) really do believe in what we do here at Elevate and do their best to make it a great experience, for both the teachers and the students. 

I worked as a tutor, for this company,  for a year because I have a passion for teaching. However, they’re terrible, they need to learn and grow more as a company. 

Management: Their actions make me think they just care about the money. The management is poor and you’re assigned an APM ( Academic Performance Manager), and if you’re lucky enough you’ll get a good one. I only had two amazing APM’s, who really cared about helping you and ensuring you were giving a great class. The others never did anything, they just listened and judged throughout all the class. Some of them are very rude also. Their kindness is a mask because most of them don’t really care about their teachers. APM should send progress reports but, I rarely received them. 

Payment: The payment is horrible. They just pay 12-15 dollars per hour, and that’s if you have a one hour class. If you teach only 30 minutes, you get paid less. They should pay a lot more if they want to keep great tutors. You have to wait a whole month to get paid, and sometimes they don’t pay on time. It’s so frustrating! 

Students: Let’s be honest here. The majority of the students hate this program. They don’t want to be there. This is specially the case with middle and high school students. However, the program is great for elementary students, because they really enjoy it. Some students have serious behavioral issues. There should be a classroom manager in their school but, it feels like she’s never there. 

Teaching experience: You have to enter to the classroom 15 minutes before to set everything up, but they don’t pay you for those extra minutes. Sometimes classes are cancelled or students don’t show up. I had some great experiences with good students.  The only good point this company has is that they give you the material for the classes. However, you have to prepare for it and they don’t pay you for being prepared. 

Important to know: If you’re just an English teacher, they don’t care because they make you teach other subjects.  

If you want to have a great teaching experience, great payment and a good company, please don’t  ever consider Elevate.

I was sold on the premise that this was teaching without all the hassle of the day to day things you have to do in the classroom - afterall, there is a whole other adult in the room with the kids while you deliver instruction from the comfort of your home. 

However, what I thought would be my dream job quickly has become my nightmare. I was promised all kinds of support at the beginning but nothing was delivered. I had to figure out all the platforms on my own then docked points on my reviews when I didn’t know how to do things. And the glowing reviews on the curriculum? If you’re experienced teacher, don’t believe them. 

For many of the advanced subjects, there are glaring errors in instruction. The daily quizzes that you have to give are often riddled with incorrect information. And Don’t bother asking questions - you’ll be ignored by management or talked down to. However, the moment you do anything out of policy, expect a swift and degrading response. I was bringing my daughter to the emergency room and signed into my class from my car to get them set up for the day and almost got fired but not before I was belittled by numerous people who had never once responded to other emails I had sent asking for help earlier in the year. 

As for some positives - the pay is relatively good. If you have a good classroom coach and academic coach, you will probably have an okay time. Also if you have time to join all the online calls and virtual get togethers you’ll probably feel more connected. It’s fun to get to know students across the US. 

I had great aspirations for this company and really hoped I could have stuck with it. My husband is remote and I dreamed that this job would allow us to travel more while working. Unfortunately this hasn’t been the case, I’ve been too stressed about someone messaging and saying it wasn’t appropriate to teach my science class from the Grand Canyon or wondering what other wild thing they’ll find wrong with my instruction. 


Working for Elevate K12 lets you focus on what teachers love most—teaching. You deliver live, 90-minute lessons remotely while a classroom coach manages in-person needs like behavior and attendance. The students are often in schools facing serious teacher shortages, so your presence can really make a difference.

The curriculum is fully built out, so there's no pressure to plan, but you can still customize and be creative. The teacher support team is excellent, and the camaraderie on Microsoft Teams makes remote work feel less isolating. You can ask a question and get help within minutes.

However, communication from individual campuses can be frustrating. Teachers aren't always told about assemblies or school events that affect instruction, and when the classroom coach isn’t engaged, it can really impact your ability to manage the class. The hardest part is building relationships with students you only see through a screen, especially if they’re reluctant to engage.

Despite the challenges, the job offers flexibility, minimal admin stress, and the rewarding feeling of helping underserved students. It's a great fit for experienced teachers who want to keep doing meaningful work without the burnout of a traditional campus.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Teacher 12 salaries reported	$29.75 per hour
Language arts teacher 26 salaries reported	$24.81 per hour
Science teacher 1 salary reported	$45.00 per hour
Spanish teacher 2 salaries reported	$40.27 per hour
Physics teacher 11 salaries reported	$35.91 per hour

Working at Elevate K-12: Company Overview and Reviews

Elevate K-12

Elevate K-12 Ratings

Popular jobs at Elevate K-12

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected