Top
Ten....United
States:
Profile of Edison Schools..
Founded in 1992, Edison Schools is
the nation's leading partner with
public schools and school districts,
focused on raising student
achievement
through its research-based school
design, uniquely aligned assessment
systems, interactive professional
development, integrated use of
technology
and other proven program features.
Edison students are achieving annual
academic gains well above national
norms.
For the 2005-2006 academic year,
Edison Schools Inc. is serving
approximately 330,000 public school
students in 24 states across the
country and in the U.K. through its
whole school management partnerships
with districts and charter schools;
summer, after-school, and SES
programs; and achievement management
solutions for school systems.
A new study by the Comprehensive
School Reform Quality Center of the
American Institutes of Research has
rated Edison Schools the nation's
top Education Service Provider.
Edison Schools earned the highest
score possible in such important
categories as
the research basis of its design,
professional development and
technical
assistance, and readiness for
successful implementation.
The Education Service Providers
included in the report operate in
roughly 350 schools nationwide and
represent about 65 percent of the
schools served by this new industry.
ESPs are increasingly important
contributors to the nation's
public-school improvement efforts,
running charter schools and managing
traditional public schools that have
failed to make "adequate yearly
progress" under No Child Left
Behind, the federal government's
tough accountability system. The
CSRQ Center reviewed over 900
studies of these companies, judging
each by rigorous scientific
standards
of evidence, and used only the
highest quality evidence in drawing
its conclusions.
"Edison is proud to have the hard
work of its teachers and principals
validated by this prestigious
report," said John E. Chubb,
Edison's chief education officer.
"It is also a validation of the
school districts and charter boards
that are our partners. They are the
ones who ultimately make this kind
of success possible."
"At the same time, the study also
shines a light on something public
educators have known for a long
time: raising achievement in
under-performing schools is tough
work. While Edison is proud to have
the highest score in this study, we
also note that the highest score is
described by the study's authors as
"moderate."
That means there still is
considerable room for all of us to
improve. Our nation must continue to
focus relentlessly on the difficult
work of improving all of our
schools."
The high standards used in this
report have been used in all other
reports from the CSRQ Center and
allow decision-makers to compare the
effectiveness of these providers to
reform organizations reviewed
previously. For example, Edison's
overall effectiveness rating is the
same as that recently awarded to the
venerable Core Knowledge Foundation,
widely recognized as the national
leader in content-rich school
curricula.
As a strong believer in, and long
time practitioner of, transparency
in school reform and performance,
Edison welcomes the rigorous
research represented by this report.
"While we are pleased to have our
work so strongly validated, we also
know that we always have more to
learn and much to improve.
Scientific research is the best
guide to building better schools and
a better Edison in the years to
come," added Chris Whittle, Edison's
founder and chief executive officer.
Last fall, the Rand Corporation
released a multi-year, independent
scientific study of Edison Schools.
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