The privatization movement has swung into high gear.
Many people find it hard to understand why so many Wall Street hedge fund managers and equity investors have suddenly become interested in public education.
No one ever went wrong by following the money.
Who wins? Who loses?
And another important issue: where is the evidence that privatization improves education or saves money? Or does it save money while making education worse?
Diane Ravitch's blog 
About as close to a smoking gun as you can ask for. We need to spread this around.
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What was title of article at link?
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“Education Profiteering” is title.
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Yes, this is the true story of school “reform.” At least the public and many journalists are beginning to catch on.
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The math on the money is pretty clear cut. If a privatized school gets the same $$$ as a public school, uses computers to increase the pupil-to-teacher ratio, hires new teachers and provides limited benefit packages, is given school buildings with minimal or low operating costs, pays no retirement to the state system, and uses busses provided and paid for by public schools, how can it cost more unless you pay the CEO lots of money or pay high dividends to the shareholders? If you get marginally better results (a high probability since you are drawing from only the children of engaged parents) or the same results, you are “operating more efficiently” and making the politicians happy. It’s a win-win proposition for everyone: teachers unable to find employment get a job; shareholders make lots of money; and politicians look good (and maybe get some money for their next campaign). Oh… the KIDS? Well, they’re not less well off, eh?
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Look at the evidence–The public pays the same amount for schools that are no better and often worse generally, and they lose facilities for special ed and other public needs. The profit comes from the corporate reformer’s bait and switch–convincing the public that their charters are the same “schools” as the public schools that will now close for lack of funding, but knowing all the while that they will provide far less in terms of service and quality.
No, this is not a “win-win”; it’s a scam that defrauds the public of hundreds of millions of dollars.
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And these are the people who brought us several other high points in American economic history; savings and loan debacle, housing bust; the great recession, etc.
They don’t like regulation, they don’t like the “sunlight”, and they certainly have no appreciation for accountability (theirs, not ours)
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What a joke! All these Wall Street people & corporations belong in jail. I can’t believe Bloomberg is still alive.
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Wall Street has been profiting and making millions off of public school distircts and the taxpayers for years in the form of issuance and underwriting fees for municipal bonds that schools issue.
Construction companies profit and make millions building and rebuilding schools for public school districts.
Apple profits and makes millions selling iPads and Mac Books to public school districts.
What is the point?
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