 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Public School Contracts with Private Companies and Organizations
A growing number of public school districts contract with private educational companies and organizations to offer parents a wide array of educational options within the public school system. Public-private partnerships can be defined as mutually beneficial arrangements that involve education stakeholders (public institutions like state and local governments and public schools, the community, non-profits) and the private sector (private businesses, non-profit organizations, chambers of commerce, and labor unions, for instance).
Background on Private Contracting
For many years, school districts have contracted for non-educational services ranging from meals or maintenance to transportation, labor negotiations or data processing. Today, a growing number of school districts are expanding those contracts to include education services. In some cases, school districts are turning to private entities to manage individual schools and even entire districts.
There are currently more than 20 for-profit companies and 80 non-profit organizations partnering with public schools to offer all manner of school services, ranging from alternative education, special needs instruction or curriculum design to contract schools and district-wide management. For districts that have entered into such contracts, the private sector can often serve as a source of innovation and entrepreneurialism.
Private Contracting in Action
Partnerships between public schools and the private sector allow school districts additional options for serving students. In some cases, private schools under contract are able to provide specialized services for students that do not perform well in traditional public schools; this is the case with private schools that serve children who are "at risk" because they have dropped out or are behind academically. In others cases, private contracts permit school districts to enter into agreements that hold private managers to performance standards.
Source: Reason Public Policy Institute
To Learn More About Public School Contracts With Private Organizations, contact the following organizations, or visit their websites:
For-Profit Companies
Beacon Education Management, Inc. Beacon is a K-12 education services company based in Westborough, Massachusetts. Beacon, founded in 1992, provides school management services to existing and newly created charter or district schools. The company currently delivers educational services for nearly 7,500 children at 25 schools in 5 states and the District of Columbia. For more information, call 800-789-1258.
Carnegie Learning, Inc. Carnegie Learning offers course materials for math and writing based on 17 years of research, representing a new model for the design and application of educational technology. Call 888-244-7569 for more information.
Edison Schools, founded in 1992 as The Edison Project, is the country's leading private manager of public schools. Edison has implemented its school design in 136 public schools, including many charter schools, which it operates under management contracts with local school districts and charter boards. More than 75,000 students currently attend Edison partnership schools. Call 212-419-1600 for more information.
Mosaica Education, Inc. Mosaica partners with community groups, universities, and school districts looking to create new schools or to revitalize existing ones. Mosaica schools reflect the unique culture of their respective communities, featuring a strong parent volunteer and community mentor program. For more information, call 212-232-0305.
Non-Profit Organizations
Aspire Public Schools This organization currently operates three schools in California, with plans to open several more schools in California urban areas in the coming years. Its mission is to raise the academic achievement of California's diverse students; to provide personalized learning experiences; to develop outstanding educators; to catalyze change in public schools; and to share successful practices with other forward-thinking educators. For more information, call 650-637-2060.
Coalition for Essential Schools CES has a national network of over 1,000 schools in 39 states which are working to promote higher student achievement and develop more nurturing school communities based on CES's Ten Common Principles. For more information, call 510-433-1451.
KIPP Academies KIPP operates two middle schools, one in Houston, Texas and another in South Bronx, New York. KIPP has also developed a network of schools that promote the same philosophy of high academic standards for educationally disadvantaged students in the middle grades. For more information, call 415-399-1556.
New Leaders for New Schools This national non-profit organization recruits and trains people to become successful urban school principals. For more information, call 646-424-0900.
Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory A federally funded education laboratory serving the Northwest United States, NWREL provides technical assistance to schools and organizations interested in education reform. NWREL publishes an on-line catalogue designed to help educators find an external education reform model that meets the needs of their school. It provides descriptions of 34 "school-wide" models plus additional entries on reading/language arts, mathematics, science, and "other" models. For more information, call 503-275-9500.
Success for All Foundation SFAF is dedicated to the development, evaluation, and dissemination of proven reform models for preschool, elementary, and middle schools, especially those serving many children placed at risk. It currently serves 1,800 elementary schools in 48 states. For more information, call 800-548-4998.
Teach for America TFA is a national corps of outstanding and diverse recent college graduates of all academic majors who are committed to two years of teaching in urban and rural public schools. For more information, call 800-832-1230.
Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO)
1710 Rhode Island Avenue NW, Floor 12, Washington, D.C. 20036
Phone: 202-429-2236 Fax: 202-429-2237