State schools superintendent Tom Luna declined comment on a class action suit involving virtual education firm K12 Inc. — which contributed $44,000 to Luna’s re-election bid in 2010.

But in a Statesman editorial board meeting this morning, Luna praised K12’s work in Idaho, providing curriculum materials to the online Idaho Virtual Academy and at least two other public school districts, the Bonneville and Minidoka districts.

IDVA, an online charter school with approximately 3,000 students, met Idaho’s yardstick for Adequate Yearly Progress — the state’s annual report card on school quality.

“That’s how we gauge academic success in Idaho today,” Luna said.

K12 faces a class action lawsuit in a federal court in Virginia. The suit claims the company made false statements to investors about student test performance; K12 CEO Ron Packard and CFO Harry Hawks are listed as defendants.

Luna took issue with an earlier blog post on the K12 class action suit, written by the Statesman’s Dan Popkey. The post cites K12’s contributions to the Luna re-election campaign — and the fact that Luna has described Packard as a friend who have played golf together during the Governor’s Cup, an annual fundraiser for student scholarships.

Luna said he has no business connection with K12. He said he knows nothing about the suit, “and I don’t know why I would know what it’s about.”

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