"A child's learning is the function more of the characteristics of his classmates than those of the teacher." James Coleman, 1972

Thursday, March 08, 2012

Shop at Walmart: Kill a Public School

Valerie Strauss has a breakdown on last year's generosity by America's #1 family of discount plutocrats, the Waltons.   Amidst their abundance of shoddy, poisonous products made by slave labor in foreign sweatshops, the Waltons carry on their big-hearted philanthropic priority to culturally neuter and psychologically sterilize the children of Nation's poor and working classes.

Look at any small town in America where Walmart has a super-presence, and you will see the surrounding strip malls with pawn shops, bail bondsmen, pay-day lenders, fat food shops, and broken down movie houses with an endless stream of mindless fare for children, all in 3-D.

The Walton clan has money to burn, and to prove it, last year they gave $159,000,000 in tax-sheltered dollars to the enemies of public education.  Please note that in the category where philanthropy could do the most good, in research and evaluation, the Waltons gave the least.  Why?

Research does not lend itself to the right wing ideological agenda of the Armani Arkansans.

The pro-charter Walton Foundation handed out more than $159 million in 2011 in 16 metropolitan areas around the country to promote school choice. It also committed to giving $49.5 million to Teach for America over five years to double its teaching corps and $25.5 million over the same period to the KIPP charter school network to double the number of students it educates.
The foundation is one of the three big family education philanthropies — the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation are the other two — and the one that gives the most money to initiatives involving the school choice movement, such as vouchers and charter schools.
The overall sum for 2011 was a few million more than the foundation handed out in 2010. The largest single grant given last year was $22.9 million to the Charter School Growth Fund, a non-profit venture capital fund that invests in charters. The second single largest award went to Teach for America — $12.6 million in its first installment of the multiyear grant, and the next largest was $11 million to The Children’s Scholarship Fund, a school voucher organization.
The foundation’s strategy is clear from the grants: It is funding organizations that it thinks can help scale charter schools quickly and rapidly increase the pool of voucher students.
It concentrated on 16 regions of the country in 2011, nine more than in 2010. Los Angeles topped the list, winning $9,643,100; the next largest amount — $8,370,944 — went to Washington D.C.

The third multi-year initiative announced in 2011 was $15 million to the California Charter Schools Association, with the goal of getting 100,000 more children into charter schools over three years. Its 2011 grant was for $3.2 million; KIPP’s was $6.4 million.
Here is a breakdown on how the foundation spent money on education-related initiatives in 2011, and, after that, a list of all 2011 grantees. The breadth of grantees shows the foundation’s reach and impact.
By Initiative
Shaping Public Policy — $58,122,888
Creating Quality Schools — $73,450,647
Improving Existing Schools — $26,050,991
Research and Evaluation Grants — $1,425,339
Top Grantees
Charter School Growth Fund — $22,900,000
Teach For America (National) — $12,572,500
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) — $6,783,114
KIPP Foundation —$6,404,020
GreatSchools Inc — $4,775,000
Total Number of 2011 Grantees — 216
Grant Totals by Investment Site Alphabetically
Albany — $3,012,425
Atlanta — $2,520,000
Boston — $2,999,415
Chicago — $3,023,393
Denver — $7,961,899
Detroit — $2,494,002
Harlem (NY) — $2,470,000
Indianapolis — $2,565,000
Los Angeles — $9,643,100
Memphis — $1,447,838
Milwaukee — $5,232,000
Minneapolis — $970,961
New Orleans — $5,274,487
Newark (NJ) — $1,697,649
Phoenix — $1,926,010
Washington, DC — $8,370,944
Here’s a full list of the grantees:

Shape Public Policy:
 Amount 
50CAN, Inc
$1,800,000
Agudath Israel of America, Inc.
500,000
Agudath Israel of Illinois
100,000
Alliance for School Choice, Inc.
1,202,000
American Center for School Choice
40,000
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
160,000
Americans for Prosperity Foundation
250,000
Arizona Charter Schools Association (ACSA)
200,000
Arizona School Choice Administration Corporation
400,000
Association of Missouri Charter Schools (AMCS)
447,901
Barry Goldwater Institute for Public Policy Research
200,000
Bellwether Education Partners
90,000
Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO)
796,000
Brookings Institution
200,000
California Charter Schools Association  CCSA
3,250,000
Catholic Association of Latino Leaders Inc
150,000
Center for Education Reform
930,662
Charter School Partners
70,961
The Children's Scholarship Fund (CSF)
10,925,000
Colorado League of Charter Schools
588,826
Colorado Nonprofit Development Center (CNDC)
357,000
Colorado Succeeds
215,000
Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now Inc. (ConnCAN)
800,000
Editorial Projects in Education
150,000
Education Pioneers
1,043,119
Education Reform Now, Inc.
1,100,000
Education Trust, Inc.
300,000
EG West Institute for Effective Schooling (WIES)
20,000
Excellent Education for Everyone, Inc. (E3)
421,500
Families Empowered
400,000
Florida Charter School Alliance FCSA
159,743
Foundation for Excellence in Education  FEE
1,550,000
Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, Inc. 
565,000
Friends of Choice in Urban Schools (FOCUS)
717,721
Georgia Charter Schools Association Inc.
700,000
Georgia Family Education and Research Council, Inc.
350,000
GreatSchools Inc.
4,775,000
Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options (HCREO)
100,000
Illinois Network of Charter Schools   (INCS)
1,038,784
Indiana Public Charter Schools Association, Inc.
380,000
Institute for Innovation of Public School Choice
388,763
Institute For Justice (IJ)
443,885
Institute of Public Charter Schools Innovation
45,000
International Education Foundation
475,000
LA Voice
100,000
Los Angeles Parent Union
1,200,550
Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools
679,202
Lutheran Urban Mission Initiative Inc.
5,000
MAPSA - Michigan Association of Public School Academies
744,002
Massachusetts Charter Public School Association (MCPSA)
200,000
MICAH Project
100,000
Milwaukee Chapter - Black Alliance for
Educational Options Inc. (MCBAEO)
75,000
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS)
1,815,810
National Right to Work Legal Defense and Education Foundation    
166,667
New Jersey Charter Public Schools Association (NJCSA)
86,149
New Schools for New Orleans Inc.
542,000
New Voice Strategies
351,480
New York Charter Schools Association NYCSA
1,062,955
NewSchools Venture Fund NSVF
3,540,600
Oakland Community Organizations
200,000
Ohio Alliance of Public Charter Schools (OAPCS)
61,840
Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina (PEFNC)
625,000
People Acting in Community Together (PACT)
200,000
PICO National Network
200,000
Pioneer Institute, Inc.
162,800
Public Education and Business Coalition
100,000
Rhode Island Mayoral Academies (RIMA)
500,000
School Choice Indiana
200,000
School Choice Ohio
700,000
Stand for Children Leadership Center
1,136,016
Stand Up
200,000
Step Up for Students 
1,233,760
StudentsFirst Institute
1,000,000
Success Charter Network
1,000,000
Tennessee Charter Schools Association 
356,874
Texas Charter Schools Association
900,000
Thomas B. Fordham Institute
650,000
United Community Center, Inc.
70,000
United Negro College Fund, Inc. (UNCF)
1,100,917
Shape Public Policy Total
$60,063,487


Create Quality Schools:
 Amount 
4.0 Schools
$467,667
8 Points Charter School, Inc.
220,000
Academy of New Media Middle School
220,000
Amani Public Charter School
220,000
Arts in Action Community Charter School 
220,000
Better Learning Communities 
30,000
Blackstone Valley Prep
500,000
Bridge Boston Charter School
250,000
Brighter Choice Foundation
900,000
Broome Street Academy Charter High School
220,000
Building Excellent Schools  (BES)
2,546,400
Building Hope
1,618,000
Camino Nuevo Charter Academy
250,000
Catalyst Schools
30,000
Celerity Cardinal Charter School
250,000
Celerity Educational Group
60,000
Celerity Octavia Charter School
250,000
Celerity Palmati Charter School
250,000
Celerity Sirius Charter School
250,000
Charles A. Tindley Accelerated School
250,000
Charles School at Ohio Dominican University
30,000
Charter Fund, Inc.  (CSGF)
22,900,000
Charter School Finaincing Partnership LLC   CSFP
650,000
Christel House DORS 
30,000
Christopher House 
30,000
Cleveland Collegiate Preparatory School
220,000
College-Ready Academy High School #17
250,000
Colorado League of Charter Schools
28,500
Colorado Nonprofit Development Center (CNDC)
330,000
Columbus Collegiate Academy - West Campus
30,000
Community School for Creative Education 
200,000
Cornerstone Health High School
220,000
Crescent City Schools Charter School
250,000
Damar Charter Academy
250,000
DC Preparatory Academy
250,000
DC Public Education Fund
108,459
Democracy Prep Harlem Charter School
250,000
Early College Academy of Leaders and Scholars
250,000
East Harlem Scholars Academy
250,000
Educational Enterprises, Inc.
450,000
Edward W. Brooke Charter School 2
250,000
Elements Academy
2,374
Empower College Prep
30,000
Erie Elementary Charter School
250,000
Exalt Education 
600,000
Excel Academy Charter School - Chelsea
250,000
Excellent Education Development, Inc.  (ExED)
250,000
Experiencia Academy Project Team
30,000
Extera Public School
250,000
FirstLine College Prep High School
250,000
Fortune School of Education
250,000
Franklinton Preparatory Academy
30,000
Glazer Elementary
250,000
Global Green USA
25,000
Goodwill Education Initiatives, Inc.
500,000
Green Dot Public Schools
500,000
Heketi Community Charter School
250,000
Heritage Preparatory Academy
220,000
Heron Bay Academy
250,000
Hope Christian School
495,000
IFF
2,190,000
Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA)
250,000
Jamaa Learning Center Charter School
220,000
KIPP Foundation
6,404,020
KNOVA Reynolds Public Charter School
250,000
Lake Charles Charter Academy
250,000
Latin Academy Charter School
220,000
LAYC Career Academy Public Charter School
250,000
Legal Prep Charter Academy
220,000
Liberty Collegiate
220,000
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
6,783,114
Lutheran High School Association of Greater Milwaukee
59,000
MATCH Community Day Charter Public School
250,000
Milwaukee College Preparatory School of Wisconsin
367,000
Milwaukee Math and Science Academy
250,000
Milwaukee Scholars Charter School
250,000
Mind Trust
500,000
Minneapolis College Preparatory School
250,000
Minnesota School of Science
250,000
Monarch Montessori of Denver
30,000
Morris Jeff Community School
220,000
Nashville Preparatory Charter School
220,000
Neighborhood Charter School of Harlem
220,000
New York City Montessori Charter School
220,000
NewSchools Venture Fund NSVF
2,386,615
Orange School
30,000
Partners for Developing Futures
1,297,827
Preclarus Mastery Academy
220,000
Regent Park Scholars Charter Academy
250,000
ReNEW-Reinventing Education
750,000
Richard Wright Public Charter School for Journalism and Media Arts 
250,000
Robertson Charter School, Inc
30,000
Rocky Mountain Preparatory Charter School
250,000
Schools That  Can Milwaukee, Inc.
175,000
Seeds of Health, Inc.
165,000
Seminole Heights Charter High School
200,000
Sims-Fayola International Academy Denver
30,000
South City Preparatory Academy Charter School
220,000
Summit Public School: Rainier
250,000
Synergy Kinetic Academy
250,000
Synergy Quantum Academy
250,000
Tennessee Charter School Incubator 
300,071
The Excel Center
220,000
The GLOBE Academy
30,000
The Intown Academy
220,000
The Loving School
250,000
United Community Center, Inc.
231,000
University Charter High School
30,000
University YES East Academy
250,000
UNO Charter School Network
750,000
Veritas Preparatory Charter School 
220,000
Vincent Academy
250,000
Woodmont Charter School -The Bay Area Charter Foundation Inc.
250,000
Zenith Academy East
250,000
Create Quality Schools Total
$71,510,047


Improve Existing Schools:
 Amount 
Achievement Network, LTD
$62,500
Arizona Charter Schools Association (ACSA)
310,000
Charter Board Partners (CBP)
68,200
Colorado League of Charter Schools
150,000
DC Public Charter School Board
601,193
DC Public Education Fund
1,967,871
Denver Center for International Studies at Ford Elementary
300,000
Denver Center for International Studies at Montbello
300,000
Denver Public Schools  (DPS)
376,182
Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF)
219,382
Generation Schools Network
20,000
Grant Beacon Middle School
20,000
Green Dot Public Schools
500,600
Green Valley Elementary
300,000
Greenwood K-8
20,000
High Tech Early College
300,000
Hope Christian School
300,000
Illinois Network of Charter Schools   (INCS)
50,000
Indiana Department of Education
25,000
Lena Lovato Archuleta Elementary School
20,000
Lutheran Urban Mission Initiative Inc.
60,000
McGlone Elementary 
300,000
National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA)
2,157,000
National Council of La Raza - NCLR
352,640
New Orleans Military/Maritime Academy  (NOMMA)
50,000
New Teacher Project
2,941,239
Noel Community Arts School
300,000
Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA)
82,500
Ohio Alliance of Public Charter Schools (OAPCS)
593,184
Teach for America (National)
12,572,500
University of Notre Dame
511,000
West Leadership Academy
20,000
Wisconsin Lutheran College
200,000
Improve Existing Schools Total
$26,050,991


Research and Evaluation
 Amount 
Hoover Institution, Stanford University
$374,304
Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA)
97,600
University of Arkansas Foundation, Inc.
80,283
University of Notre Dame
250,000
University of Southern California
133,562
University of Washington Foundation -
Center on Reinventing Public Education
54,590
University of Wisconsin - Madison
435,000
Research and Evaluation Total
$1,425,339




K-12 Education Reform and Other Education Grants Total
159,049,864
By

1 comment:

  1. Circa 1975: We asked "how are government employees like mushrooms?"
    Answer: "Administrations keep them in the dark and through shit on them"

    Circa 2000-2012: We asked them:"Why do we need more choice in our k-12 school systems?"
    Answer: They reply "Too many teachers seem to act like mushrooms."

    ReplyDelete