Corporate Education Reform Hit Man is paid school-foundation consultant
Douglas County School Board president says donations fund outside experts
Former U.S. Secretary of Education Bill Bennett’s Sept. 25 address in Lone Tree was paid for as part of a five-figure consulting agreement through the Douglas County School District’s fundraising arm.
Bennett spoke about American education and the reforms that Douglas County is attempting.
Rick Hess, co-author of a paper titled “The Most Interesting School District in America?” — which Bennett referenced in his speech — also is a paid consultant with the Douglas County Educational Foundation. The school district touted the paper in its Sept. 18 electronic parents’ newsletter, Newsline, but did not indicate Hess received financial compensation.
School board president John Carson said the foundation has paid Bennett about $50,000 since July for a variety of work, including the Lone Tree Arts Center speech; it also has funded Hess’ compensation. The DCEF is the district’s nonprofit fundraising arm.
No mention of the school district or the DCEF’s involvement in Bennett’s address was made during the lead-up to the event, or at the event. The South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce organized the address, but did not finance it.
“We have raised and expended $50,000 so far on a strategic relationship with (Bennett),” Carson said during a
