Inexperienced Companies Chase U.S. School Funds

[groovedaddy]

With the Obama administration pouring billions into its nationwide campaign to overhaul failing schools, dozens of companies with little or no experience are portraying themselves as school-turnaround experts as they compete for the money.

A husband-and-wife team that has specialized in teaching communication skills but never led a single school overhaul is seeking contracts in Ohio and Virginia. A corporation that has run into trouble with parents or the authorities in several states in its charter school management business has now opened a school-turnaround subsidiary. Other companies seeking federal money include offshoots of textbook conglomerates and classroom technology vendors.

Many of the new companies seem unprepared for the challenge of making over a public school, yet neither the federal government nor many state governments are organized to offer effective oversight, said Jack Jennings, president of the Center on Education Policy, a nonprofit group in Washington.

“Many of these companies clearly just smell the money,” Mr. Jennings said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/10/education/10schools.html?th&emc=th

[mediaman007]

1. Why should we expect anything else?

Its the American way: Profit at every turn!

This will make the Republicans happy.

[groovedaddy]

3. Only when Obama is no longer in the White House. They aren't allowed to be happy about

anything that Obama does.

[daylan b]

4. Where do you think the money goes when we throw it a problem?

n/m

[daylan b]

2. My mother, a former administrator

...has been sought out by numerous schools to take these sorts of contracts.

There's nowhere near enough qualified experts in the field to fill the huge demand recent policy changes have created.

[Reader Rabbit]

5. Not at all surprising.

This administration has already shown that they have more respect for those without any educational experience or expertise than they do for teachers. Why shouldn't every yahoo in America think they have a good chance to score some easy money?

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. +1

[w4rma]

7. Obama is going to be remembered as a poor President. (nt)