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Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Rhode Island’s Mayoral Academies make list of school privatizers


Image result for privatizing schoolsI 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/

There you will find the 31 “city-based organizations” in 24 cities where nonprofit organizations seek control of public schools.

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.