Koch spearheads plan for K-12 education

By

Opinion

July 29, 2019 - 10:20 AM

Last week 3,100 offenders were released from federal prison as a result of bipartisan criminal justice reform that will reduce prison populations, provide social services and cut federal incarceration costs.  This restructure, years in coming, was helped by an effort from industrialist and philanthropist Charles Koch that began in five states with Republicans, Democrats and nonprofit leaders of multiple prison reform organizations — unlikely allies.   

The effort encouraged advocates who believed in reform although they disagreed among ways to accomplish it. The successful strategy depended not on system-wide change but building from consensus-driven, small steps.  

Now, the question is whether this approach can benefit K-12 education.  

At a January meeting of Seminar Network, a Koch-backed organization, two initiatives, Yes Every Kid and 4.0 Schools were introduced. Both are funded by the Charles Koch Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation at $5 million each plus another $5 million from donors.

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