1 · Don't read our claims — play them
Our standards crosswalks are published in full, and beside every FULL and PARTIAL verdict there's a ▶ Play a live item link: one real, watermarked practice item from the exact skill whose evidence earns the verdict. No account, nothing saved on your machine. Three to start:
Math · 3.OA.1Interpret products of whole numbers — a live Times Tables item.▶ Play it
Science · K-LS1-1A build-the-model item — the child constructs the landscape, the app checks the built model.▶ Play it
Reading · RL.2.2Retelling and sequencing — a live story-order item.▶ Play it
All 1,200+ playable evidence links → the full reports
How the honesty holds up mechanically: the reports are rebuilt from source on every content change, automated guards block any release where a page's claims and the app's code disagree, and every published play-link is re-validated at build time. What we don't cover is listed as plainly as what we do.
2 · Privacy, verified in code
- A child's real name never leaves the device — the server's student record has no field that could carry it (nickname, grade, avatar only).
- The app children use contains zero analytics, trackers, or ad SDKs — the browser talks only to the app's own domain and its database provider.
- Everything works offline — practice is local-first; cloud sync is opt-in, and the in-app privacy receipt enumerates exactly what syncs, locked to the code by automated tests.
- No AI-generated content in front of children — all child-visible text is authored under human direction and human-reviewed.
- Enrollment runs through the family, never through staff — no student personal information passes through school hands.
- Voice and camera stay on-device — speech recognition is strictly local and audio is never recorded; there is no audio-recording code in the application.
Full statement: acornsmarts.com/privacy. A district privacy evidence pack — data map, COPPA/FERPA positions, state-law mapping (K.S.A. 72-6312 et seq.; §161.096 RSMo), and a signable DPA — is available for district review on request: info@acornsmarts.com.
3 · Pricing, plainly
Single Student — $59/year (or $5.99/month): one child, every subject. This is the ESA-listable SKU, and it is identical to retail — we do not run special program pricing, which keeps every most-favored-pricing clause trivially satisfied. Family and classroom tiers and a one-time lifetime license exist alongside it; math and reading are free forever for everyone, no card required. Program families redeem a pre-paid access key in the app — no card, ever, and nothing renews on them.
4 · Practicalities
- Runs in the browser on any tablet, Chromebook, phone, or computer — app.acornsmarts.com, no installs, no app store.
- Bilingual throughout — English and Spanish, content and interface.
- Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA-minded design; read-aloud for early readers; dyslexia-friendly options — statement.
- Vendor: Black Swan Media Solutions LLC (Kansas). Contact: info@acornsmarts.com — answered within one business day.