An Edited Volume Presents Solutions to one of America's Most Troubling
Educational Issues
NEW YORK, Nov. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Edison Schools Inc. (Nasdaq: EDSN), the nation's leading private manager of
public schools, announced the release of a new book, "Bridging the Achievement
Gap," which is the culmination of a joint effort between Edison Schools and
the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution. For the
first time in one place, this book provides evidence that the achievement gap,
one of the most important and troublesome issues in American education today,
can be bridged.
White students achieve at levels significantly higher than African
American and Hispanic students. In February 2001, Edison's Chief Education
Officer, John Chubb, and Brookings' Senior Fellow, Tom Loveless, assembled a
group of scholars to analyze various approaches to this persistent problem.
"Bridging the Achievement Gap," which was co-edited by Chubb and Loveless,
brings together the findings of these renowned education scholars who show how
various states, school districts, and individual schools have lifted the
achievement levels of poor and minority students.
"Closing the achievement gap has always been central to Edison's mission
of providing a world class education for every child," said John Chubb. "We
believe 'Bridging the Achievement Gap' is not only provocative but can be a
valuable resource for educators who are committed to tackling inequities in
our nation's schools."
The most promising strategies presented in the book include focusing on
core academic skills, reducing class size, enrolling students in more
challenging courses, administering annual achievement assessment tests,
creating schools with a culture of competition and success, and offering
vouchers in big-city school districts. While implementing new educational
programs on a large scale is fraught with difficulties, these successful
reform efforts offer what could be the start of widespread effective solutions
for bridging the achievement gap.
John E. Chubb is a founding partner of Edison Schools and a nonresident
senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution. His books
include (with Terry M. Moe) "Politics, Markets, and America's Schools"
(Brookings, 1990). Tom Loveless is director of the Brown Center on Education
Policy and senior fellow in the Governance Studies program at the Brookings
Institution. His most recent book is "The Great Curriculum Debate: How Should
We Teach Reading and Math?" (Brookings, 2001).
"Bridging the Achievement Gap" is available through Brookings Institution
Press (1-800-275-1447 or 202-797-6258).
ABOUT EDISON SCHOOLS
Edison is the nation's largest private manager of public schools. Edison
educates approximately 110,000 students in 150 full year schools and
178 summer schools. Through contracts with local school districts, states,
and public charter school boards, Edison assumes educational and operational
responsibility for individual schools in return for funding that is generally
comparable to that spent on other public schools in the area. Over the course
of three years of intensive research, Edison's team of leading educators and
scholars developed an innovative curriculum and school design. Edison opened
its first four schools in August 1995, and has grown rapidly in every
subsequent year.
Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and
prospects for Edison, including statements about Edison's future financial
results and other statements containing the words "believes," "anticipates,"
"plans," "expects," "will," and similar expressions, constitute
forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from
those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various
important factors, including that Edison could lose revenue if it is unable to
enroll enough students or to attract and retain enough principals and
teachers, Edison's management agreements involve financial risk and are
terminable under specified circumstances prior to their expiration, Edison
could be come liable for its charter schools' financial obligations and other
factors discussed in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the
SEC on September 30, 2002. In addition, the forward-looking statements
included in this press release represent Edison's estimates as of November 21,
2002. Edison anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause
Edison's estimates to change. However, while Edison may elect to update these
forward-looking statements at some point in the future, Edison specifically
disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should
not be relied upon as representing Edison's estimates or views as of any date
subsequent to November 21, 2002.
SOURCE Edison Schools Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.edisonschools.com
CONTACT:
Adam Tucker, VP Communications, Edison
Schools, +1-212-419-1602
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