Dive Brief:
- A new list was published detailing the giving of the Walton Family Foundation in 2013; collectively, the grants lean toward the promotion of school choice, vouchers, and privatization.
- The top grantees are: Teach For America (nearly $20M), Charter Fund Inc. ($14.5M), KIPP Foundation ($8.8M), the school voucher organization Children’s Scholarship Fund ($8.56M), and the California Charter School Association ($5M).
- The education grants were divided into five categories: Shape Public Policy, Create Quality Schools, Improve Existing Schools, Research and Evaluation, and Other Education Grants.
Dive Insight:
Without ever having to step in a legislative office, billionaires like the Waltons can make influential decisions on education — decisions that not only make waves but define the landscape. Simply by funding or defunding a program, a person with money can influence education and the choices of many. This is privatization — money being used to support a personal preference, without having to defer to the votes and opinions of others.
For more on how billionaires are shaping education, check out our recent feature detailing the world's 10 richest.