Philanthropy in Education: The Gifts that Keep Taking
By Anthony Cody.
This weekend a select group of philanthropists will gather at Stanford University for an “Innovation Summit,” where they will hear from Melinda Gates and Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, and other experts in giving money away. The event is hosted by the Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society, but no civilians will be present — it is by invitation only. Only those wealthy enough to give away millions may attend.
Over the past decade, philanthropic organizations have played an increasing role in public schools. Now is a good time to take stock on the impact philanthropies are having. Will this weekend include time for some sober reflection? If so, I would offer some food for thought, with a focus on the Gates Foundation. (For an in-depth look at the Gates Foundation’s work in education, please see my book, The Educator and the Oligarch, a Teacher Challenges the Gates Foundation.)
Our public schools cannot take much more billionaire-sponsored “innovation.”
Just this week we learned that the Gates Foundation is cutting short its funding of the Hillsborough schools, where they pledged an investment of $100 million to support an aggressive program that rewarded teachers for higher test scores. After providing the district with $80 million for the project over the past six years, the Gates Foundation has announced the end to their funding, suspending the last $20 million of their grant. They have discovered what many educators and researchers knew all along. Pay for raising test scores Philanthropy in Education: The Gifts that Keep Taking - Living in Dialogue:
