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Charter Management Organizations are latest education reform trend to be surfed by venture philanthropy.... The Gates Foundation and others have committed $65 million to CMO KIPP for 42 new charter schools in Houston. At over $1.5 million per new school, and with an ongoing need of $1000 per student per year from philanthropy, it is not a scaleable model for the charter movement as a whole - and the opportunity costs in terms of the stand-alone charters that will not be formed - and could be formed for far less - are huge. It is also incredibly suspicious that literally none of these nonprofit CMOs reveal their business plans, financial models or detailed operating statements.   more »