Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Latest from the ownership society

Ever heard of RevolutionLearning?

Probably not. Doesn't it sound like some radical '60s N.Y. agit/prop group? Don't worry, it's not. Quite the opposite. RevLearning is actually an international consulting group, hoping to make a few bucks in the ed biz. Their managing partner is Tom Vander Ark--yes that Vander Ark--who still trades on his stint at the Gates Foundation. Here's the rest of the group, including the principals.

Isn't it funny how they now call public school superintendents, "CEOs" while at the same time, calling business CEOs "principals." Well anyway, I think it is.

Here's how they describe themselves:
Revolution Learning is a multi-stage private equity firm focused primarily on growth equity and acquisition opportunities in the global learning market broadly defined.
The global learning market VERY "broadly defined," of course.

RevLearning is spreading the good news internationally about the profitability of public ed reform, especially the profitability of charter schools. In case you don't believe that there's a profit to be made in the world of charters, just check out the job description of Rev Partner Robert J. Hutter:
He is a founding member of a New Markets Tax Credits partnership administered by the U.S. Treasury Department that underwrites major campus real estate transactions for California Statewide Charter school recipients operating in the K-12 space.
Then there's Managing Partner Greg Mauro:
Prior to Revolution, Greg founded eSubscriber, a subscriber management company, and Tachyon, a broadband-satellite pioneer utilized today by U.S. forces in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Oh, btw, when he's not profiteering in those two war-torn countries, Greg serves as a Trustee at the High Tech High Foundation. Rev Associate Gil Shafir, a Wall St. investment guy, is also a graduate of High Tech High.

The only Rev exec who's not a black-suit jacket-white shirt-with-no-tie wearing-white guy (they look like they should be on the team at Morning Joe), is Principal Alice Wang, another Wall St. investment person (JP Morgan).

Is this what they've done with our bailout money?

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