This document presents findings on the impact of privatization to date at a meeting at the Ford Foundation co hosted by the William Penn Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and Ford. Increasingly, the private sector (both for-profit and non-profit) is providing resources and alternative delivery models for urban public schools. Beyond…

A growing number of private companies have emerged with the mission of providing educational services to public schools and districts. Partnerships between public schools and service companies, though not novel, only recently have become high-profile and prolific. Although welcomed by educational reformers, partnerships that involve outsourcing of…

This yearbook reaffirms the connections between the field of education finance and the wider education community. Among the topics it examines are curricula reform, outcome assessment, accountability, community control, and privatization. Twelve chapters include: (1) "Education Finance in the New Millennium: Overview and Summary" (Stephen Chaikind…

According to this article, community colleges are seeking ways to increase revenue and become less dependent on traditional state revenue resources. Increasingly, college presidents and trustees are finding empty pockets and depleted state coffers, despite the effort and hours spent lobbying legislatures for funding to support strategic plans.…

This paper examines the political economy of charter schools to understand the tendencies toward standardization and emulation that these school exhibit. It draws on the developed model of grant-maintained schools in the United Kingdom as an example of the market model's evolution in mass education. It analyzes the promise of such approaches to…

This paper discusses privatization of public higher education, noting that some form of it exists on almost every college campus and that it is part of the wider movement toward less government. Four models of privatization are defined: public production with public finance; public production with private finance; private production with public…

Discusses declining commitment to education as a public good, addressing contemporary changes in economic organization, the correlative reorganization and design of institutions, and the discourse of privatization. Privatization emphasizes the traditional family and the importance of women's unpaid work for children and schools, despite most…

Summarizes educational reform initiatives in Michigan, highlighting legislative actions such as the 1990 Public Act 25 ("the Quality Education Package"), professional certification reforms, experiments with school choice and charter schools, the Michigan Partnership for New Education; and abolition of property taxes to fund education.…

Offers strategies for contracting out school services: (1) talk with employees; (2) conduct needs assessment; (3) specify needs and expectations in writing; (4) beware of state laws; (5) investigate the contracting company; and (6) devise a backup plan. (LMI)

The 1996 Phi Delta Kappan/Gallup Poll found that people oppose using tax money to support nonpublic schools and reject privatization of schools' basic instructional functions. People generally rate their local schools highly, believe educational improvement is more important than deficit reduction, and believe the Democratic Party is more…

Increasingly, the hospitality industry is being brought in to manage college- and university-owned hotels and conference centers. Growing interest in executive education and availability of financing contributed to the building of such facilities, and competitiveness in the hospitality industry has contributed to its involvement on campuses.…

This interview with Milton Friedman addresses his economic policies and how they might improve American public education. Highlights include teachers' unions and their negative impact on education, private schools and tax relief, the Edison Project, privatization of educational services, special needs students, California's Educational Freedom…

The Student Loan Marketing Association (Sallie Mae) and the Clinton Administration are preparing legislation to transform the federally sponsored corporation into a private business but must negotiate complex political and financial issues. Destabilization of the private student-loan industry and conflict over direct-lending policies are central…

Recent incidents in the Baltimore and Piscatawny (New Jersey) school districts reveal a new ethical problem: how to treat school leaders' out-of-school relationships with private companies doing business with their districts. Contracting for instructional services could lead to collusion between administrators and contractors. Strict financial…

Describes the arrangements in Mount Clemens, Michigan, and Boston, Massachusetts, with the Edison Project. In this public-private partnership, Edison will be responsible for curriculum, facilities management, professional development, personnel, and food service. Cites other school districts considering having Edison schools. A sidebar summarizes…