Giving Compass' Take:

• The John and Arnold Foundation is investing in local education by creating The City Fund, which will target specific cities in the hopes of increasing access to public education. 

•  The schools in The City Fund will have autonomy and will be in charge of most of the decision making. What kind of accountability system should be in place for these schools? And what are the potential challenges? 

• Read about the politics of public education and take a deeper dive into teacher dilemmas. 

Moving forward, the Laura and John Arnold Foundation (LJAF) will seek to support local education leaders by funding a newly created non-profit organization called The City Fund.  The goal of The City Fund will be to increase the number of students who have access to a great public education, so they can further their education, get great jobs, and lead lives full of opportunity.

In many ways, The City Fund represents both an enhancement and extension of the education reform efforts previously undertaken within the LJAF operation.  Several former LJAF team members are transitioning to The City Fund, where they will be joined by representatives from Education Cities, as well as expert practitioners from the state, district, charter and non-profit sectors.

Unlike many traditional school systems where school leaders must follow a specific instructional program and adhere to district mandates, schools in these cities have a great deal of autonomy in their decision making. They select their own curriculum and materials, hire teachers and staff, and control the campus budget. Families in these cities also have access to public schools through an open enrollment process.  A recent evaluation of this approach in New Orleans found evidence of positive impacts on high school graduation, college enrollment, and college completion.

Read the full article about education reform at the Laura and John Arnold Foundation.