In a recent roundtable discussion excerpted in Philanthropy magazine, Kaleem Caire (project director at Fight for Children, Inc., and a mover/shaker in the District of Columbia's school choice movement) and Phoebe Boyer (executive director of the Tiger Foundation in New York City) provide perceptive insights on how philanthropies in those cities are driving education reforms. In Washington, a "three-sector" reform strategy of vouchers, charters, and private scholarships was created and sustained by funders such as Sallie Mae, the Fannie Mae Foundation, and the Kimsey Foundation. In New York, private funders partnered with schools chancellor Joel Klein to raise $50 million to form charter schools, which led to an additional $250 million from the state legislature in facilities funding. Nationally, philanthropists are underwriting school accountability and parent information tools, such as Greatschools.net. From their efforts in securing private funding to their success at building governmental and grassroots support, Caire and Boyer provide firsthand insights into how philanthropies are spearheading educational reforms.
"Breaking through: How Washington, D.C. and New York City are creating, and sustaining, breakthroughs in K-12 education reform," Philanthropy, January/February 2005