Frederick M. Hess's Blog
No Room for For-Profits in i3
by Frederick M. Hess • Apr 6, 2010 at 8:56 am
Cross-posted from Education Week
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I favor a more expansive role for for-profits in schooling. Not because I think folks in for-profits are smarter or more capable than people in public agencies or non-profits (hell, I work in a non-profit!), but because for-profits have some unique and useful features. Their selfish pursuit of profit gives them cause to be more aggressive about expansion, more nimble about abandoning failed efforts and seeking new niches, and more energetic about rooting out inefficiency. Anyway, I've more to say on all this in Education Unbound.
Now, believe me, I know for-profits also have their share of unique flaws, and I've no faith in their virtue. This suggests the need for sensible safeguards, smart monitoring, and savvy managers. All this comes to mind because of the Department of Education's unfortunate decision to make it prohibitively difficult for for-profits to participate in the i3 fund--the program where innovative providers with evidence of effectiveness would most seem a natural fit.
The original statute made clear that for-profits would not be able to apply for grants; eligible entities would be LEAs and non-profits. Okay. But the Department's guidance and frequently asked questions now also make
