The city that won the most education grant money from the Walton Family Foundation in 2010 was Washington D.C., according to new figures that showed how $157 million was distributed.
The foundation is one of the three big family education philanthropies — the other two being the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation,— and the one that gives the most money to initiatives involving the school choice movement such as vouchers and charter schools.
The three are leaders of what education historian Diane Ravitch termed “the billionaire boy’s club” (in her best-selling book The Death and Life of the Great American School System ) because they are run by the super-wealthy who promote the privatization of public education and high-stakes standardized testing as the school reform solutions.
The money these foundations pour into public education has an important effect on the shape of education reform, which some critics say is undemocratic because the priorities are selected by wealthy businessmen who want to support their own pet projects. Another big issue in the movement toward privatizing public education is whether it is a good idea to make public schools dependent on the good will — and business fortunes — of private entities.
The foundation focuses on seven cities: Albany, Denver, East and South Los Angeles, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Newark and Washington, D.C. Of those, the District received the most cash from the foundation in 2010, $17 million, part of it to help fund a controversial new teacher evaluation system implemented by former D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, who quit after 3 1/2 years last October. She won millions from the Walton and other foundations to help fund the evaluation system, IMPACT, which involves paying teachers extra for raising student standardized test scores (an assessment model that experts warn against).
Below is a breakdown on how the foundation spent money on education-related initiatives in 2010, and, after that, a list of all 2010 grantees. The breadth of grantees helps show the foundation’s reach and impact.
2010 Education Reform Grants — $157,220,283
By Initiative
• Shaping Public Policy $52,487,447
• Creating Quality Schools $63,846,907
• Improving Existing Schools $38,810,815
Research and Evaluation Grants $2,075,114
Top Strategic Investments Include:
• Teach For America $16,652,436
• Charter School Growth Fund $12,533,526
• DC Public Education Fund $10,000,000
• KIPP Foundation $8,650,000
• California Charter Schools Assoc. $3,940,652
Grant Totals by Community
• Albany $2,183,195
• Denver $4,211,776
• Los Angeles $11,981,508
• Milwaukee $5,616,634
• Newark $3,643,750
• New Orleans $4,834,962
• Washington, D.C. $16,998,745
2010 K-12 Education Reform Grants
Category: Shape Public Policy
(Grants in this category were directed to advocacy groups promoting public charter school choice; private school choice; district reforms, particularly open enrollment and district school choice; and cross-sector parental choice.)
Agudath Israel of Illinois $500,000
Alliance for School Choice, Inc. $2,308,376
American Center for School Choice $60,000
Arete Scholars Fund, Inc. $500,000
Arizona Charter Schools Association (ACSA) $682,000
Association of Missouri Charter Schools (AMCS) $270,133
Barry Goldwater Institute for Public Policy Research $50,000
Bellwether Education Partners $90,000
Black Alliance for Educational Options $675,000
Brookings Institution $200,000
California Charter Schools Association $3,940,652
Catholic Association of Latino Leaders Inc $150,000
Center for Education Reform $518,273
Charter School Partners $269,477
Children’s Scholarship Fund $13,559,790
Colorado League of Charter Schools $951,174
Colorado Legacy Foundation $24,261
Colorado Nonprofit Development Center (CNDC) $243,980
Colorado Succeeds $127,500
Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now Inc. (ConnCAN) $1,300,000
DC Public Charter School Board $108,000
DC School Reform Now $125,000
District of Columbia College Access Program $333,000
Education Pioneers $100,000
Education Reform Now, Inc. $1,325,000
Education Trust, Inc. $300,000
Excellent Education for Everyone, Inc. (E3) $750,000
Foundation for Educational Choice, Inc. $735,000
Foundation for Excellence in Education FEE $1,692,000
Friends of Choice in Urban Schools (FOCUS) $567,946
Georgia Charter Schools Association Inc.$ 650,000
Greater Houston Community Foundation $100,000
GreatSchools Inc. $1,800,000
Harvard College $405,600
Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options (HCREO) $240,000
Illinois Network of Charter Schools (INCS) $1,055,628
Indiana Public Charter Schools Association, Inc. $420,000
Institute For Justice $400,000
John K. Maclver Institute for Public Policy, Inc. $101,800
Klamath River Early College of the Redwoods $156,446
Los Angeles Parent Union $500,000
Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools $374,733
Lutheran Urban Mission Initiative Inc. $55,000
MAPSA - Michigan Association of Public School Academies $264,300
Marquette University $235,300
Milwaukee Chapter - Black Alliance for Educational Options Inc. (MCBAEO) $75,000
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) $1,175,000
National Conference of State Legislatures $156,856
National Right to Work Legal Defense & Education Foundation $75,000
New Jersey Charter Public Schools Association $950,000
New Mexico Coalition for Charter Schools $50,000
New York Charter Schools Association (NYCSA) $585,459
NewSchools Venture Fund $237,350
Ohio Alliance of Public Charter Schools (OAPCS) $309,160
Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina (PEFNC) $525,000
Participant Foundation $500,000
Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools $203,000
Philanthropy Roundtable $100,000
PICO National Network $840,410
Public Education and Business Coalition $50,000
Reason Foundation $40,000
School Choice Ohio $415,000
School Choice Wisconsin $300,000
Stand for Children Leadership Center $1,378,527
Step Up for Students - Formerly Florida School Choice Fund - FSCF $666,240
Success Charter Network $1,310,000
Tennessee Charter Schools Association $812,000
Texas Charter Schools Association $715,000
Thomas B. Fordham Institute $557,780
United Community Center, Inc. $160,000
United Negro College Fund, Inc. (UNCF) $359,365
University of Notre Dame $300,000
Urban League of Greater New Orleans $200,000
Washington Scholarship Fund, Inc. $225,931
Shape Public Policy Total $52,487,447
Category: Create Quality Schools:
Academy for Global Citizenship Charter School $250,000
Academy of New Media Middle $30,000
Academy of North Minneapolis $220,000
ADI Charter Schools, Inc. $500,000
Alkebu-Lan Village $30,000
Alliance for Universal Education Inc $30,000
Amani Public Charter School $30,000
Aprendes Foundation $30,000
Aspire Alexander Twilight College Preparatory Academy $250,000
Aspire ERES Academy $250,000
Aspire Titan Academy $250,000
Aspire Vanguard College Preparatory Academy $250,000
Barack Obama Charter School $250,000
Brighter Choice Foundation $995,332
Broome Street Academy Charter High School $30,000
Building Excellent Schools (BES) $1,758,245
Building Hope $1,013,295
Camino Nuevo Elementary School #3 250,000
Camp Fire USA 30,000
Capitol Collegiate Academy 250,000
Carondelet Leadership Academy 220,000
Catalyst Elementary Charter School - Circle Rock 250,000
Center for Inspired Teaching f/b/o Inspired Teaching Demonstration School 250,000
CEO Leadership Academy, Inc. 250,000
Charter Fund - d/b/a CSGF Tennessee 1,563,109
Charter Fund, Inc. (CSGF) 12,533,526
Charter School Financing Partnership LLC CSFP 2,850,000
Charter School of Excellence Inc. 660,000
City of Trees Public Charter School 30,000
College-Ready Academy High School #11 $250,000
College-Ready Academy High School #13 $250,000
College-Ready Academy High School #14 $250,000
College-Ready Academy High School #16 $250,000
College-Ready Middle Academy #7 $250,000
Colorado Nonprofit Development Center $150,000
Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee $478,770
Cornerstone Montessori Elementary $220,000
Crestworth Learning Academy $250,000
Crown Preparatory Academy $220,000
D’Arbonne Woods Charter School $250,000
DC Public Charter School Board $230,000
Democracy Prep-Blackstone Valley $250,000
Detroit Leadership Academy $250,000
Dr. Richard Izquierdo Health and Science Charter School $220,000
Eastbrook Academy $274,500
Edison Public School Academy $250,000
Educational Enterprises, Inc. $760,000
Environmental Charter Middle School $220,000
EPIC Academy Charter High School $250,000
e-STEM Public Charter Schools, Inc. $562,500
EXCEL Prep Charter School$220,000
Excellence and Equity in Education $30,000
Excellent Education Development, Inc. (ExED) $250,000
Fernando Pullum Performing Arts High School $250,000
Friends of E Prep Schools $30,000
Friends of Nest Charter School Inc. $50,000
Garden Homes Community Montessori School, Inc. $30,000
Global Green USA $55,010
Graham Expeditionary Middle School $220,000
Grand Center Arts Academy $220,000
Green Dot Public Schools $500,000
Hennepin Elementary School $30,000
Hiawatha Leadership Academy $249,500
Highland Park Leadership & Sports Academy $30,000
ICEF Elementary School #7 $250,000
ICEF Middle School #8 $250,000
IFF $1,200,000
Illinois College $30,000
Indiana Math and Science Academy- North Indianapolis $240,000
Inspire Charter Academy $250,000
Instituto Health Sciences Career Academy $250,000
Invictus Preparatory Charter School $250,000
Inwood Academy for Leadership Charter School $250,000
John Dibert Community School $250,000
King’s Academy $250,000
KIPP Foundation $8,650,000
Lakeview Charter High School $220,000
Legacy Charter Academy $250,000
Legal Prep Charter Academy $30,000
Lighthouse Academies $100,000
Lincoln-King Academy $250,000
Little Rock Urban Collegiate Public Charter School for Young Men $220,000
Local Initiatives Support Corporation $2,584,000
Lotus School for Excellence $280,000
Madison Preparatory Academy $250,000
Magnolia Science Academy-8 Bell Charter School $250,000
Memphis College Preparatory School $250,000
Milwaukee College Preparatory School (Lindsay Heights Campus) $250,000
Milwaukee Community Cyber High School $250,000
Mission Preparatory School $250,000
MMAC Community Support Foundation $150,000
Montessori School of Englewood $30,000
Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School $250,000
New Orleans College Preparatory Academies $250,000
New Urban Learning $220,000
Newark Charter School Fund $1,750,000
Newark Legacy Charter School $248,750
NewSchools Venture Fund $1,000,000
Northeast Ohio Preparatory School $250,000
Nova Academy Early College High School $250,000
Partners for Developing Futures $750,426
Partnerships to Uplift Communities $60,000
Passages Charter School $250,000
Pataula Charter Academy $220,000
Peoria Charter School Initiative $250,000
Pima Prevention Partnership $250,000
Preclarus Mastery Academy $30,000
Renaissance Charter High School for Innovation $250,000
ReNEW School #1 $250,000
ReNEW School #2 $250,000
Rosewood Community Development Corporation Inc. $10,000
Rowe Elementary School $250,000
Saint Anthony Congregation - Formerly St. Anthony School of Milwaukee $350,000
SOAR II Charter School $250,000
Sonoran Science Academy - Phoenix Metro $220,000
South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corp (SoBRO) $30,000
South City Preparatory Academy Charter School $30,000
Southland College Prep Charter School, Inc $250,000
Stockton Collegiate International Secondary School $250,000
Synergy Charter Academy $250,000
Taylor International Academy $250,000
The New Common School Foundation $60,000
Triumph Charter High School $220,000
University of Notre Dame $750,000
University Preparatory School $250,000
University YES! Academy $249,944
UNO Charter School Network $230,000
Urban Day School Inc. $440,000
Urban Prep Charter Academy for Young Men High School - East Garfield $250,000
Urban Prep Charter Academy for Young Men High School - South Shore $250,000
Valley Charter Elementary School $220,000
Valley Charter Middle School $220,000
Veritas College Preparatory Charter School $250,000
Washington-Parks Academy $250,000
Create Quality Schools Total $63,846,907
Category: Improve Existing Schools
Achievement Network, LTD $62,500
Association of American Educators Foundation $200,000
Cole Arts and Science Academy $100,000
Colorado League of Charter Schools $220,000
DC Public Charter School Board $860,573
DC Public Education Fund $10,000,000
Denver Green School $300,000
Denver Public Schools $270,000
Georgia Charter School Commission, Inc. $245,100
High Bar, LLC $400,000
Indiana Public Charter Schools Association, Inc. $174,750
MAPSA - Michigan Association of Public School Academies $743,540
Marquette University $260,334
National Association of Charter School Authorizers $1,874,274
National Council of La Raza $582,148
New Orleans East Charter Academies Inc. $200,000
New Orleans Military/Maritime Academy $250,000
New Teacher Project $2,250,000
New York Charter Schools Association $460,000
Northwest Evaluation Association $125,000
Pathways To Success $25,000
Recovery School District $666,891
Rhode Island Mayoral Academies $500,000
Seton Education Partners - formerly Aquinas Education Trust $150,000
Teach for America (National) $16,652,436
University of Notre Dame$ 897,600
Voices for International Business & Education $340,669
Improve Existing Schools Total $38,810,815
Category: Research and Evaluation
Hoover Institution, Stanford University $569,018
Northwest Evaluation Association $39,700
University of Arkansas Foundation, Inc. $680,283
University of Notre Dame $250,000
University of Southern California $160,030
University of Washington $51,083
University of Washington Foundation - Center on Reinventing Public Education $50,000
University of Wisconsin - Madison $275,000
Research and Evaluation Total $2,075,114
2010 K-12 Education Reform and other education grants total: $157,220,283
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