The NCLB SES program is a classic example of structural market fragmentation. Yes, there are big(ger), perhaps impersonal, firms, but a good deal of work is being done by local educator/entreprenuers. There are also some interesting cost structure issues when comparing local for profits, nonprofits, districts and national for profits - and onsite v. off-site v. online. Then there's the issue of students getting the same pool of teachers they see during the day. Does this matter - good, bad, neutral, it depends? In all, a lot to think about when considering program efficacy and value. And all touched on in one article.   more »

Pre-K is expensive, universal pre-K more so. Evaluation will matter. But let's stick with outcomes. Benchmarking inputs tells us nothing about performance.   more »

This is one future for NCLB reauthorization. Democrats and teachers unions (with the Republican right goading them on) link higher education spending to higher taxes and watch NCLB collapse. A scenario the industry needs to avoid.   more »

Good press for Virtual High and Apex   more »

This Week: 180 + new federal, state, and local RFPs   more »

How many SES Providers can meet this defintion? Does Maryland have the latitude to define "Research-based" in the SES provisions of NCLB under the law's higher standard of "Scientifically-Based Research"? Something to be sorted out in NCLB II?   more »