Education reform as a business
Did you know that the education sector now represents nearly 9 percent of the country’s gross domestic product? That for-profit education is valued at $1.3 trillion, and is one of the largest U.S. investment markets?These facts were part of an advertisement for a conference for investors in for-profit education ventures, just one example of how much the profit motive has entered into the public education arena. The conference is one of two examples of how school reform has become little more than a business in some arenas (and just how removed some reformers have gotten from classrooms and the actual dynamic of teaching and learning).
If you had wanted to attend this conference for private equity investing in for-profit education companies, you missed it, (but you did save the walk-in fee of $1,495). Featured at the conference were “20 education experts,” none of whom are actually teachers.
Attention – Middle-Market Private Equity& Mezzanine Investors & LendersPrivate Equity Investing inFor-Profit Education CompaniesHow Breakdowns in Traditional Models& Applications of New TechnologiesAre Driving ChangeENCORE ROUNDTABLECHAIRED BYHarold Levy, Managing Director
Palm VenturesFULL-DAY CONFERENCETuesday, January 15, 20138:00 am – 5:00 pm
New York CityDesigned to Meet the Needs of GPs, LPs, & Managers of Buyout, Growth Equity, Mezzanine, & Lending Funds, as Well as Independent Sponsors, Operating Partners, Portfolio Company Managers, and the Bankers, Lawyers, Accountants, & Other Advisors Who Support ThemPrivate equity investing in for-profit education is soaring, and for good reason — the public and non-profit models are profoundly broken.This is why for-profit education is one of the largest U.S. investment markets, currently topping $1.3 trillion in value.Look at the current state of K-12 public education. School districts across the U.S. are