Is Your Program “Safe and Effective”?

During EIA’s recent (and very successful and well-attended) 2013 Education Industry Days Summit here in Washington, DC, there was much discussion of the confluence of three related trends: (1) tighter K-12 education budgets nationwide; (2) state and local education procurement policies with ever-higher hurdles for would-be contractors; and (3) a growing focus on education program effectiveness and accountability.

How should EIA members and other education companies respond to the current state of affairs – one expected to be with us for some time?

While certainly not the proverbial “magic bullet,” one step EIA members can take – also discussed during the EI Days Summit – is to invest in objective, third-party studies that validate your organizations’ outcomes and the impact of your solutions. And this doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming.

You probably have a “gut-feeling” that your product/service is effective and works well. You also have an emotional and financial investment that drives you to market to schools and/or consumers. So why would you not want to truly know that your product/service works; under what conditions it works; and what you could do to improve it?

Featured at the recent Education Industry Days Summit, Dr. Steve Ross of the Johns Hopkins Center for Research and Reform in Education (CRRE) told attendees he’s ready to tailor study designs balancing budget and rigor considerations for EIA members. When conducted by an independent group like the CRRE, simple and low-cost case studies, surveys/interviews, or quantitative control group studies, can produce very useful reports for the company. Dr. Ross said studies of this kind can be produced in short order, especially when researchers have direct access to the cooperative customers of the education company.

Dr. Ross added that when you engage CRRE, the study and its findings belong to your company; unless you choose to do so, the study will not be independently published in an academic journal.

The bottom line for education entrepreneurs is this: the buying strategies of public school administrators have become more sophisticated and competitive, and ever mindful of scarce resources and effectiveness, they are looking at evaluation data more than ever before to support their procurement decisions.

I encourage you to read more about Dr. Ross’ presentation, and my column on education company evaluation, in the current issue of Enterprising Entrepreneurs, now available on the EIA website: http://www.educationindustry.org

Happy researching and evaluating!

The 2013 Education Industry Days Summit Takeaway: Leadership Will Lead to Success

The 13th Annual Education Industry Days Summit here in Washington, DC (February 20-22) was, in my considered opinion, one of the most informative and substantive conferences we’ve ever hosted. Our topics, speakers and attendees were all first rate, and I thank them all for their participation (If you couldn’t make it there, please take a peek at #EIDays13 on Twitter to get a flavor of our discussion).

Together, all of those interesting sessions produced what I believe will be the enduring value of EI Days this year: The impression that public education needs and wants our services and products, our innovation and commitment, more than ever and that K-12 districts and administrators are looking to the education industry for leadership on how to make that happen.
Here are my takeaways:

1) Systems and policies governing procurement of education services and products must be improved – We heard this time and again, from U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Tony Miller, from senior executives with the National School Boards Association, the National Association of State Boards of Education, the Council of Chief State School Officers, and from current and former district superintendents. Even in – and perhaps because of – these tight budgetary times, procurement at the state and district levels is dysfunctional at best. Their message: help us clean it up!

2) The education industry has the opportunity to establish a framework that marries performance standards with greater opportunity – Jim Shelton, who runs the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Innovation and Improvement, was unequivocal with his advice: education businesses should be flexible and creative in developing and agreeing to performance-based programs and contracts.

3) Education companies should embrace third-party, objective evaluation to achieve greater levels of success winning contracts and business – Dean David Andrews and Professor Steve Ross from the Johns Hopkins University School of Education – echoed by Denver Public Schools Superintendent Tom Boasberg and senior Connecticut education official Steven Adamowski – produced evidence of the wisdom of education companies producing their own evidence.

“No Child Left Behind” and supplemental educational services (SES) are largely behind us. NCLB waivers, “Race to the Top,” I³ grants, “Common Core,” and tighter state and district budgets are the order of the day. This can, and should, mean opportunity for individual education businesses and for the education industry writ large. But, according to the experts at EI Days, only if we lead on procurement, performance standards and evaluation.

So I say let’s lead – together.

The Glare of the Spotlight: AEI’s Ric Hess Calls Out Government’s Anti-Education Business Bias

 

In the middle of this holiday season, Frederick Hess of the American Enterprise Institute has given private sector providers of educational services a very nice gift: a public pronouncement of respect for us, and a healthy dose of criticism for our many detractors in government and public education administration.

 

In a Wall Street Journal editorial, “The Irrational Fear of For-Profit Education”, Hess offers up a spirited analysis of the ideologically driven and often hypocritical anti-business bias that passes as wise educational policy.

 

It’s worth a read, and I hope it encourages you as much as it did me.  As an industry, we can and should be proud of our commitment, our achievements and our record of success.  And we should continue to fight for a level procurement playing field that is blind to tax status but strict on accountability and performance.  Because I’m convinced we’ll succeed every time.

 

Thanks, Mr. Hess.  And to all of you, a wonderful holiday season and a 2013 filled with success!

Hurricane Sandy Can’t Wash Away Educational Progress, Thanks to Noodle Education

All of us saw, and felt, the images, the stories, the tears and the frustrations experienced by millions of New York and New Jersey residents in the aftermath of “superstorm” Sandy in late October.

Now, I’m proud to let everyone know that the education industry – led by New York-based Noodle Education and Executive Director of Learning Content Richard Katzman – is responding with the donation of instructional services to students and schools affected by Sandy.  Noodle has created an online Emergency Education Directory where K-12 education providers can offer services, NY and NJ families can access those services, and everyone else can go for more information. 

Early contributors to this important effort include Princeton Review, Revolution Prep, Kaplan, Unigo, Applywise, ATS Project Success, Middlebury Interactive  and EBL Coaching. 

A big thank you to Noodle and its partners, and an appeal to all members of the education industry – EIA members or not – to do whatever you can to lend a hand.  Let’s show the families and the schools of New York and New Jersey the commitment and determination of the private sector education community.

Status Quo in Washington Should Not Include Private Sector in Education

After two years of campaigning and more than $2 billion in campaign money donated and spent, the American people last week effectively voted for the status quo!  Come January, 2013, the balance of power, and most of the players including President Obama, are going to be the very same as they are today.

I hope and trust the good members of EIA and our colleagues throughout education’s private sector will not allow our situation to remain the same.  And that’s why I encourage everyone to “vote” for the Private Ventures for the Public Good Campaign!

Misperceptions about our sector are not limited to “inside the Beltway.”  Last week I spoke at a conference very much “outside the Beltway,” at Wake Forest University – and I was stunned at the level of misinformation and cynicism I encountered about the role of private enterprise, including charters, publishers and tutors that support our nation’s schools and students.

As I waited to give my presentation, I sensed many in the room perceived the profit motive as single-handily turning back decades of progress since Brown v Board of Education — with corporations as the root-cause of all matters of inequities and injustices in society.

The antipathy is real, it goes beyond Winston-Salem, NC, and its consequences are scary.  On the tactical level, across the United States, including TN, NJ, DE, NY, and LA, there are policies that effectively read, “For-Profit School Operators Need Not Apply.” Recently the Hartford, CT school system solicited bids for after- school tutoring specifically prohibiting for-profits.  Soon, we will see jurisdictions  where parent choice flourishes, only to limit their range of instructional options, and restricting the use of tax credits and vouchers to public and not for profit organizations.

If you know of other examples of restrictions like these, please send them to us.

This practice, fueled by ignorance, distrust, and even some of our own missteps, blocks innovation at the very moment when the country and its students need scalable solutions to more effective teaching and learning. It may not be 1983, but we are still a Nation At Risk!

And that’s why the Education Industry Association has launched the Private Ventures for the Public Good Campaign with 100% participation of your EIA Board of Directors!!

The Campaign will create the conditions that allow charter school operators, providers of extended learning time, suppliers of alternative and special education services and school turn-around/PD companies, to attract new investment capital, apply innovative technologies and methods to solve instructional challenges and help our schools improve student achievement. 

 This is what the PVPG campaign means to You and Your Business!

We have a detailed work plan and professional partners ready to go to work. The first step is to raise sufficient operating funds so that we can begin our work by 2013. That is why I am reaching out to you now for your support. Here is the PVPG Campaign Agreement for your action.

Do you remember the 1976 movie Network?  Take a minute to remind yourself of that incredible scene : “I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it” 

This is how fired up I am, we are, and you should be about the role of private enterprise in education!

Get yourself fired up.  Reject the status quo and the articles of faith that hold our companies in check.  And join the Private Ventures for the Public Good campaign today.

Private Ventures for the Public Good Campaign is Live – and not a Moment too Soon!

 

I’m happy to report that EIA has officially launched our “Private Ventures for the Public Good” campaign.  Read on below to see a letter I sent to all EIA members.

Little did I know as I sent that letter, how timely it would be!  EIA members received it about the same time that non-profit education reform group Parent Revolution blasted “for-profit charter school management companies” as being untrustworthy entities seeking to “take over” charter schools!

Fortunately for EIA and our members, we have a high-profile and influential education commentator in our corner:  Rick Hess of the American Enterprise Institute, who took Parent Revolution to task for its pandering comments in his  Straight Up Blog in Education Week.

Please enjoy Rick’s supportive commentary, read my letter to the EIA community below, and consider supporting “Private Ventures for the Public Good” today!

Originally distributed Wednesday, October 17:

Over the past decade, we have witnessed the growth of high-quality and diverse service providers like yours that partner with our nation’s schools to produce improved teaching and learning.  But despite this record of effectiveness, policy-makers and education administrators, rather than embrace partnerships with diverse providers, erect barriers which prevent or restrict tax-paying vendors from fully participating in public education. 

You know exactly what I am talking about. You experience the double standard.The cynicism. And most disturbingly, you experience the doors of business opportunities being slammed shut.

This must not stand.  And that’s why the Education Industry Association has launched the Private Ventures for the Public Good Campaign with 100% participation of your EIA Board of Directors!!

What’s in it for You?

The Education Industry Association is committed to carrying out this long-term, comprehensive campaign, combining research, advocacy and communications.  We intendto create a more open market and new business opportunities for charter school operators, providers of extended learning time, suppliers of alternative and special education services and school turn-around/PD companies, whether they are site-based or virtual.

 

Timing

The first step is to raise sufficient operating funds so that we can begin our work by 2013. That is why I am reaching out to you now for your support. Besides corporate investments from companies like yours, we are seeking grants from foundations. We will prioritize our work plan based on funding commitments and in full consultation with you.

Capacity

We are building out our capacity to fulfill the promise of the Campaign. Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Research and Reform in Education will support the opinion polling phase. We have already begun discussions with NSBA, AASA, CCSSO and NASBE to help with outreach to their respective constituencies. Steve Drake and other communications specialists will develop messages and manage an integrated traditional and social media campaign. Government relations at the federal level may be supported by the Penn Hill Group, the widely respected firm here in DC. And we will engage a campaign manager to supplement my own efforts to implement the work plan.

Campaign Outputs

We will accelerate the school reform environment; build a more accessible record of success by the commercial sector; and shine a bright light on regulations and policies that either help or hinder the participation of private  providers. 

We will produce model legislation and regulations that are neutral regarding the tax status of vendors; create a council to facilitate more education industry-sponsored research; and encourage more balanced commentary about and coverage of private education company activities in the news media.

The Campaign will create conditions that allow education entrepreneurs and companies to attract new investment capital, apply innovative technologies and methods to solve instructional challenges, and help our schools improve student achievement. 

This is what the PVPG campaign means to You and Your Business!

Join the PVPG online here.

Thank you for your careful consideration and I know that we can count on your participation.

Sincerely,

Steve

 

Back to School for Business Reporters . . . and Everybody Else Who Misunderstands Us

The headline was the first clue that the reporter was, well . . . perhaps a bit clueless.  Or perhaps a bit antagonistic?

“Private firms eyeing profits from U.S. public schools,” it cried out.  And it was followed by an article portraying education industry entrepreneurs and investors as rapacious predators seeking nothing less than the takeover of U.S. public education!

The EIA and its members have come to expect such treatment in the blogs and on the websites of ideologues and defenders of the K-12 education status quo; in fact, this article quoted one of those defenders, New York University professor and  newly minted anti-business advocate Diane Ravitch, at length.  Commenting on the quality of private sector providers,  Ravitch charges, “…the bottom line is that they’re seeking profit first.”

When I read or hear such comments, I feel like pounding my head against a wall — or perhaps pound something else!  Why is it that in education, commercial service providers are quickly pilloried and their motivations cynically questioned as if a company cannot “do good and do well” at the same time?   Surely, had this policy wonk been commenting on a meeting of defense contractors and investors, she would not make distracting swipes at the companies’ pursuit of profits at the risk of the safety of soldiers, sailors, aviators, and Marines.

The universal truth about capitalism is that companies are organized to produce products and services that satisfy a customer’s need, and at a fair price. Maybe we need a refresher course in economics 101 for the media and wonky commentators?

 Making matters worse:  the aforementioned August 1 piece was produced and distributed by Reuters.  That’s right, Reuters:  one of the world’s preeminent business and financial news organizations.  When an organization like Reuters takes aim at an important, dedicated business sector that sees public K-12 education and students as its customers and clients, you know that the education industry is sorely and woefully misunderstood.

Fortunately for EIA and for our sector, we have members like Mark Claypool, CEO of Educational Services of America (ESA), who not only granted an interview to the misguided Reuters reporter, but who invited her to visit one of the alternative education and special needs programs his company runs in 250 school districts nationwide.

We need more Mark Claypools – many more – to help explain, educate and showcase our sector’s very real, and very significant accomplishments. 

EIA last month formally announced our “Private Ventures for the Public Good” Campaign – a comprehensive, multi-year effort to explode the myths, illuminate the facts and tell the real story of the good work our sector and our organizations do, every day, to improve the performance and the promise of our schools, our teachers and our students.  Our target audience:  education policymakers, administrators, teachers, families, and yes – even business reporters (because we understand that the language and the labels they use to describe us can have a powerful influence on our other important audiences).  The campaign includes advocacy, research, professional development, public relations and the sharing of best practices and success stories.

 In the coming weeks and months, we will report on our progress in getting “Private Ventures for the Public Good” off the ground, and into the hearts and minds of key audiences near you.  In the meantime, we need you – to support this campaign with your passion, energy, stories and yes, with your money.

 Stay tuned.  But contact me today if you can help and want a peek at the next chapter of our story.  I can promise you this:  it’ll be good.