Summarizes Meira Levinson's argument that parental choice by and large reduces autonomy and, therefore, ultimately reduces the liberty of each succeeding generation. Recommends that all public educators read this book to grasp the magnitude of the potential effects that privatization of education may have on liberty and choice of future…

This book contains evidence about charter schools that can provide important data on evaluating this new public-private hybrid and its success at serving the core purpose of public education. The book focuses on charter schools in Michigan, which is regarded as having one of the most permissive charter laws in the country. The first three chapters…

Experiences of a Michigan school district provide a case study for examining the political, economic, and community-relations issues embedded in a decision to privatize. Support can be achieved only if all parties feel they were given adequate attention during deliberations on the issue. (MLF)

Chester Upland School District, which finished last out of 501 systems in Pennsylvania, is a guinea pig for the private management of public education. Managing 9 of Chester's 10 schools, Edison Schools and its subsidiary Edison/Learn Now is banking on turning around the district with its longer class day, structured curriculum teacher training,…

Public schools that contract with someone outside to offer an instructional program need to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to potential providers. This document details the type of service desired and invites individuals or companies to submit bids or proposals for consideration. Explains the key components of an RFP. (MLF)

School boards considering contracting with a for-profit company should study the policy pitfalls that privatization might bring in the areas of personnel, finance, technology, program evaluation, negotiated contract waivers, program expansion, and student achievement. (MLF)

The handbook is intended to serve as a basic guide to California practices in the use of contracted nonpublic school (NPS) or agency (NPA) services to provide a free appropriate public education to eligible handicapped children. The handbook covers: an overview of requirements for nonpublic, nonsectarian special education school and agency…

A seminar was held in Alexandria (Egypt) to bring together African university presidents, vice-chancellors, rectors, and top-level administrators to discuss the following themes: privatization, entrepreneurship, policies of international financial institutions with regard to African universities, and regionalization and the establishment of…

Proposes an alternative analytical framework for studying cultural pluralism and multicultural education in Latin America. Outlines a model of socio-institutional pluralism in education based on two axes of the human condition: (1) the axis of communicative action; and (2) the axis of symbolic control. (CFR)

The Clark County Nevada Board of Trustees voted unanimously in April, 2001 to approve a 5-year, more than $35 million contract with Edison Schools to run seven of the district's lowest-achieving schools. Describes the decision process and reports what the board and the superintendent learned. One of their biggest lessons was the importance of…

This report discusses problems reported by lenders participating in the Federal Direct Loan Program (FDLP) and the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). The study examined the nature and the source of the problems experienced by the lenders, how they affected lenders, and what steps the Department of Education and Electronic Data Systems…

The last 2 decades of the 20th century have witnessed a growing movement to reform the American education system. While people debate why and how reform should be accomplished new initiatives are being developed and applied in many different areas: student performance standards, curricular innovation, assessment, accountability, professional…

Discusses how Russian vocational-technical education should be funded and proposes four possible scenarios. Recommends a privatization procedure in which an individual or a group of employees of a vocational school would purchase the institution from the government. (CFR)

Describes the conflict between the California Framework for History-Social Education and interdisciplinary citizenship education. Discusses exemplary teachers, diversity in schools, privatization, and the role of public education. Contends that, although teaching can be considered noble and unselfish, it is above all a political act. (CFR)

Asserts that Russian vocational school principals now have to think and act as educational entrepreneurs. Discusses three shortcomings of Russian vocational-technical education. Argues that marketing is the foundation of success and provides three principles to guide educational planning and administration in the future. (CFR)