Giving Compass Take

· The Koch Network is taking an interest in K-12 students across five unnamed states with a focus on the curriculum and technology. The specifics on what the network wants to accomplish are still unknown.

· What requirements will the Koch Network put on the funds? How can these funds help improve education for K-12 students?

· Read more about private funding for education. 

In a time when education budgets still seem to be too small, it seems counterintuitive to imagine a district or school turning down funding for their own buildings or classrooms. But how that funding is going to be used is important to understand before money exchanges hands. On one hand, districts are required, when qualifying for or accepting certain kinds of funding — such as federal e-rate money — to meet basic educational requirements or standards.

On the other hand, accepting private dollars can also come with requirements that are often tied to the agenda of the group with the funding. Numerous organizations, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Annenberg Foundation, offer educational grants. And in some cases, these groups are looking to underwrite specific initiatives — such as bringing more technology into schools — while in other cases, they may want districts to agree to different demands.

Read the full article about private funding for education by Lauren Barack at Education Dive.