Whittle's Woes Cast Further Pall Over Edison Project

By Mark Walsh

The Edison Project's booklet outlining student standards for the elementary grades says teachers should organize special, unannounced events now and then so students will learn that "the real world is filled with unplanned happenings." Thus will youngsters "delight in the element of surprise."

The Edison Project itself has faced some surprises recently, although hardly delightful.

The fall of the media empire of its founder, Christopher Whittle, coupled with difficulties in nailing down commitments from communities that once showed interest in turning over some of their schools to Edison, is creating doubts about whether the for-profit education-reform effort...