Is AcornSmarts really free?
Yes — free to start at home, with no account needed, and it works offline. Paid plans are only for classrooms, daycares, tutoring centers, schools, and families who want cloud sync across several devices.
Is my child's data safe?
Built with COPPA & FERPA in mind. No ads, no third-party tracking. The app works with no account at all, and a child's real name never leaves the device — the cloud stores nicknames only.
Does it replace school or my child's regular program?
No — it complements i-Ready, IXL, Lexia and the rest. It owns the part they leave open: getting kids to actually practice, at home and over the summer.
What ages and grades is it for?
Pre-K and kindergarten readiness through 5th grade, across five subjects, with skills that level up as your child grows.
Is any of this AI-generated?
No. Nothing your child sees is AI-generated — the app has no generative AI. Every question, hint, and step-by-step explanation was authored under human direction and human-reviewed — in English and Spanish — and a machine independently re-verifies every computable math answer before each release (13,460 answers, zero errors). There is no chatbot and no AI-generated content in front of your child, ever. Modern tools help us build and test the app; they never write what your child sees. Most skills also align to the grade-level standards your state publishes — 72 of our 80 in Kansas, 67 in Missouri, with the full crosswalks published — that's what keeps practice compatible with what your child learns in class. Spot an error? Email info@acornsmarts.com — we answer within 1 business day.
What happens to my kid's progress if I cancel?
It stays. Progress lives on your device, not our server, so cancelling never deletes anything — paid features simply close (extra subjects, the Family Almanac) and everything is waiting the moment you return, with Math & Reading still fully open on Free. Cancelling itself is one tap in the secure billing portal, and your renewal terms are shown on the Stripe checkout before you ever pay. You'll also get an email receipt for every charge and a reminder email before an annual plan renews — each with a link to manage your subscription, one tap to the same portal that cancels.
Is it available in Spanish?
Yes — fully bilingual, natively. Not a translation bolted on: the questions, hints, and step-by-step explanations are authored in both English and Spanish. And it goes further: the “Leer Sílabas” track teaches a child to read IN Spanish by the método silábico — direct, inverse, and blend syllables, then words and decodable stories — the way Spanish literacy is actually taught, not translated English phonics.
Does it help with homeschool record-keeping?
Yes — one tap in the Family Almanac prints a homeschool record from the practice history kept on your own device: an attendance calendar, a day-by-day instruction log, subject coverage, and a work-samples portfolio, with a parent signature line. It's honest by design: AcornSmarts is supplemental practice, and the export supports your portfolio or log — it isn't a legal filing, so check your state's requirements.
How much screen time is this?
It's built for short, focused sessions — ten minutes a day beats an hour on Sunday. Kids set their own weekly goal, and there's no endless feed or membership nag. And Real-World Quests send them OFF the screen — challenges they complete out in the real world and check off with you. New: an optional Done for Today target ends the session with a smile — a closing ritual and one real-world mission — and gently rests practice until tomorrow (grown-ups can always unlock more).
