Latest News and Comment from Education

Friday, December 17, 2010

Queens Teacher: Children First Or Is It Profits First?

Queens Teacher: Children First Or Is It Profits First?

Children First Or Is It Profits First?

News Corp. Crams for Classes
Media Giant Faces Task of Honing Education Strategy

By RUSSELL ADAMS And JESSICA E. VASCELLARO


With two moves over two weeks, News Corp. has become one of the biggest players in the increasingly crowded field of corporate investors chasing the next technology to transform American education.

Now it has to hone its strategy.

Company executives say the foundation of the media conglomerate's push will be Wireless Generation, a Brooklyn, N.Y., maker of software and other tools to help schools evaluate and monitor student performance and tailor teaching plans accordingly. News Corp. plunked down $360 million last month for 90% of the company.

Rupert Murdoch, News Corp.'s chairman, has tapped outgoing New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein to oversee the company's education initiative, a job Mr. Klein is to start next