edbizbuzz
Public education’s core functions are teaching and learning, an endeavor in which private enterprise plays a growing role. Edbizbuzz was an opinion blog offering a perspective on this emerging school improvement industry. This blog is no longer being updated.
Education
Opinion
Friday Guest Column: Virtual EMO K-12's IPO - Shades of Investors' Experience with 'Real" EMO Edison?
Both Edison and K12 opened at $18 per share, but investors were more enthusiastic in 1999. Edison raised $122.5 million to K12’s $108 million. Edison went from an $18 IPO to a penny stock in less than five years. While Edison founder Chris Whittle moved on, small investors lost their equity when the firm went private in 2003. Caveat emptor!
School & District Management
Opinion
Why DC Mayor Fenty's and Chancellor Rhee’s Approach Schools Reorganization Matters to the School Improvement Providers
The strategy pursued by Fenty and Rhee is not in the best interests of the school improvement industry because centralization with a corporate face will favor firms with the scale required to support large one-size-fits-all district-wide school contracts and a few people with ties to the Chancellor.
Education
Opinion
The Letter From: Industry Fragmentation (II): Consolidation Strategies
Last week‘s letter concluded that the school improvement industry is fragmented for most of the reasons identified by Prof. Porter in Competitive Strategy (1980); not merely the “newness” that goes with emergence. This week's reviews the prospects for industry consolidation.
School & District Management
Opinion
K-12Lead of the Week (2)
For the school improvement provider seeking international work, this RFP seems like an ideal first step.
School & District Management
Opinion
K-12Lead of the Week (1)
Were I managing a small to medium sized for- or nonprofit school improvement provider, I’d be looking for multi-year funding opportunities, in areas the large publishers avoid, where local connections work to my advantage.
School & District Management
Opinion
Firing the District of Columbia's Central Office - Or Turning it Into a Political Fiefdom?
Yesterday, I provided provisions of the District of Columbia Code relevant to the present debate over the status of employees in the DC Public Schools central office. Today, my analysis. It maybe somewhat unexpected.
Education
Opinion
What, Exactly, Fenty and Rhee are Proposing to Do With Central Office Employees
Media interest in District of Columbia Mayor Adrian Fenty's proposal to make the public school system's central office staff "at will" employees, with job security subject to the sole discretion of Chancellor Michelle Rhee, has focused on politics rather than content. Let's compare current law with what the Mayor and Chancellor request.
Education
Opinion
Friday Guest Column: Ethics in Supplementary Educational Services Marketing
While the Education Industry Association and its Supplementary Educational Services (SES) subcommittee are actively representing and often defending the interests of the SES provider industry, we are keenly aware that we must also defend high ethical standards.
School & District Management
Opinion
Digging a Deeper Hole: School Restructuring Isn't Working in Maryland
After five years of failing to make AYP put a school into restructuring, another three to four years of failure should leave no reasonable doubt that the school is educationally bankrupt. As a practical matter the school needs to go out of business as an institution.
Education
Opinion
The Letter From: Industry Fragmentation (I): A Function of Emergence or Structure?
The school improvement industry’s current fragmentation follows from several factors besides "newness." Is the condition permanent or amenable to change?
School & District Management
Opinion
K-12Lead of the Week (2)
Other things being equal, the RFP favors contractors with local staff. However, the prospect of selling additional school improvement products and services argues for thinking about this - and costing it - in comparison with traditional customer acquisition strategies. In a way, RFP winners will be paid to market their other offerings.
School & District Management
Opinion
K-12Lead of the Week (1)
Work for Native American children that doesn’t look like it will be subject to the competition most likely to get those kids the best service at the best price.
School & District Management
Opinion
Random Research Question
Does evaluation prove out the idea that older teachers add more value to student performance in inner city settings? in any setting? in general?
School & District Management
Opinion
Why I'm a Critic of DC Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee
It is because I agree with the objectives of Mayor Fenty and Chancellor Rhee so strongly that I disagree with them on strategy so vehemently . I can't think of an approach less likely to achieve our shared ends. And their failure is bound to set back reform efforts across the nation for years to come.