Opinion
Education Letter to the Editor

Spread Gates Funding Over Wider School Map

August 29, 2006 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

In response to Paul T. Hill’s Aug. 9, 2006, Commentary “Money, Momentum, and the Gates Foundation":

As repetitive as it may be to suggest that Warren E. Buffett’s donation to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation be spent on programs seeking more innovative ways to improve learning in our deteriorating schools, I will nonetheless state the obvious: What we are doing in most American schools is what we have been doing for decades, and it no longer works. It’s time for new thinking about learning in America. Through the generosity of Mr. Buffett and the Gates Foundation, we have an opportunity to investigate and support existing innovative programs, and to create new ones, without the politics of public school education policy.

I lead an innovative independent school. Because we are independent, we are in a position to try new ideas and put forward-thinking programs into practice without the bureaucracy that plagues large public districts. Unfortunately, being independent also makes it difficult to impossible to find grants to fund our work. Consequently, we and other independent schools run our programs for public school educators in the red year after year. Sadly, independent schools are mistakenly considered by many to be too elitist to be innovative. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I would urge the Gates Foundation and other funders to make greater efforts to look outside the public school box and consider all innovative programs that might improve American education. There are hidden gems operating quietly all across this nation. We need to uncover them, and learn from as many sources as we possibly can. Our children deserve nothing less.

Hope E. Boyd

Head

Wildwood School

Los Angeles, Calif.

A version of this article appeared in the August 30, 2006 edition of Education Week

Events

Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and K-12 education jubs at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
How District Leaders Align Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction for Student Success
Join K-12 leaders as they share strategies for aligning curriculum, assessment, and instruction to support all learners.
Content provided by Otus
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Reading & Literacy Webinar
Achieve Early Literacy Success at Scale
Researchers have uncovered an intervention helping schools achieve early literacy success at scale. Learn how to bring it to your district.
Content provided by Ignite Reading

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: January 15, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Quiz Education Week News Quiz: Jan. 10, 2025
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
President Jimmy Carter waves to the crowd while walking with his wife, Rosalynn, and their daughter, Amy, along Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House following his inauguration in Washington, Jan. 20, 1977.
President Jimmy Carter waves to the crowd while walking with his wife, Rosalynn, and their daughter, Amy, along Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House following his inauguration in Washington, Jan. 20, 1977.
Suzanne Vlamis/AP
Education Quiz Education Week News Quiz: Dec. 19, 2024
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
TIghtly cropped photograph showing a cafeteria worker helping elementary students select food in lunch line. Food shown include pizza, apples, and broccoli.
iStock/Getty
Education The Education Word of 2024 Is ...
Educators, policymakers, and parents all zeroed in on students' tech use in 2024, which prompted this year's winner.
5 min read
Image of a cellphone ban, disruption, and symbol of AI.
Laura Baker/Education Week via Canva