CER Press Alert

(Washington, DC 3/12/02) Public-private partnerships are at an all time high and parents and others often have difficulty making decisions without concrete information to guide them. The Center for Education Reform (CER) has responded to this challenge by providing a catalog of the major companies operating public schools in, Public-Private Partnerships: A Consumer’s Guide.

CER has identified nineteen education management companies — for-profit and not-for profit — that operate about 350 schools. Many of these schools are charter schools; others are non-charter public schools. The schools and the companies vary from mission to curriculum to size.

A Consumer’s Guide was developed as a resource with parents and educators in mind to act as a guide helping them navigate the vast amount of information available to them and to help them evaluate their choice of a school in the role of a consumer. A Consumer’s Guide provides history of these public-private partnerships and valuable information on each company: schools and enrollment; curriculum; student achievement; and parent and student satisfaction. Armed with this information parents and educators can be in the driver’s seat in selecting the best fit for their child.

"A good business and a public school are not mutually exclusive concepts," noted CER president Jeanne Allen. "For decades schools and school systems have been outsourcing for goods and services ‘traditionally’ provided by the school system. While the quality and programs may vary, the options afforded parents will grow and improve as the demand grows. CER welcomes the advent of these public-private partnerships."

Public-Private Partnerships: A Consumer’s Guide is available for $29.95 plus S&H by calling the Center at (202) 822-9000 or through our online Publications Order Form. Link here to Executive Summary.

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The Center for Education Reform is a national, independent, non-profit advocacy organization providing support and guidance to individuals, community and civic groups, policymakers and others who are working to bring fundamental reforms to their schools.  For further information, please call (202) 822-9000

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