I am not in the region but this
Nevada initiative looks like it is spawning a lot of backscratching
arrangements for consultants and evaluators: http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/education/state-board-examiners-oks-contract-research-firm-evaluate-success-school-reforms
When I poke around on local news
reports, I see that “Opportunity 180” is focused on charters for Clark Co
Nevada.
A trip to the “Opportunity 180” website shows that outfit is part of
the national network of “Education Cities,” but with three “local” foundations
supporting the charter initiative.
Surprise. Surprise. Surprise. There
is the Broad Foundation, not exactly local.
If you want to see where else this
intended capture of public schools is being engineered, go to the Education
Cities Website http://education-cities.org/who-we-are/
For Las Vegas, Nevada, 180 Opportunity is listed.
The bottom line, evident in the funds for 180 from the Broad Foundation, is
that this is a national movement.
Education Cities are cities where
unelected nonprofits, foundations, and civic groups are organized for the
purposes of controlling the governance of public education, substituting their
judgment for policies and practices forwarded by professionals in education,
elected school boards, and citizens whose tax dollars are invested in public
schools.
The national work of Education Cites
is supported by the Broad Foundation, The Walton Family Foundation, the Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, and Michael
and Susan Dell Foundation. http://education-cities.org/who-we-are/our-contributors/.
Here are the cities and the local
groups that want the power to govern your schools.
- Arizona, Phoenix, New Schools for Phoenix
- California, Los Angeles—Great Public Schools Now
- California, Oakland—Educate 78 & Great Oakland Public Schools Leadership Center & Rogers Family Foundation
- California, Richmond—Chamberlin Family Foundation
- California, San Jose—Innovate Public Schools
- Colorado, Denver—Gates Family Foundation Donnell-Kay Foundation
- District of Columbia— Education Forward DC & CityBridge Foundation
- Delaware, Wilmington—Rodel Foundation of Delaware
- Illinois, Chicago—New Schools for Chicago, Chicago Public Education Fund
- Indiana, Indianapolis—The Mind Trust
- Louisiana, Baton Rouge—New Schools for Baton Rouge
- Louisiana, New Orleans—New Schools for New Orleans
- Massachusetts, Boston—Boston Schools Fund & Empower Schools
- Michigan, Detroit—Excellent Schools Detroit & The Skillman Foundation
- Minnesota Minneapolis—Minnesota Comeback
- Missouri Kansas City—Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
- Nevada Las Vegas—Opportunity 180
- New York, Rochester—E3 Rochester
- Ohio, Cincinnati—Accelerate Great Schools
- Pennsylvania, Philadelphia—Philadelphia School Partnership
- Rhode Island, Providence—Rhode Island Mayoral Academies
- Tennessee Memphis—Hyde Family Foundations
- Tennessee, Nashville—Project Renaissance
- Wisconsin, Milwaukee—Schools That Can Milwaukee
This is an example of
philanthrogovernance by stealth, except for customer friendly branding of
initiatives including words such as forward, accelerate, great, new, innovate,
empower, now, and so on.
Be aware that United Way
organizations are being co-opted as providers of choice for any wrap-around
services needed in this new and privatized “ecosystem” of schooling.
