The private side of public education.

• Author: Koprowicz, Connie L.
• Position: Schools considering contracting instruction and administration services - Includes related article

In the quest for improvement, schools are looking at contracting for a number of services including, in some instances, instruction and administration--much to the dismay of unions and certified education personnel. Peter Hutchinson gained a place in history when the Minneapolis school board named him superintendent last November. On the surface, nothing seems spectacular about the hiring; but two factors make this appointment unique.

First, the superintendent's background separates him from the traditional pool of candidates. Hutchinson, a consultant by profession, has been chosen for a position usually reserved for certified education personnel. In fact, his confirmation hinged on the board's request for a state waiver allowing someone other than a school administrator to fill this post.

Second, this agreement contains unusual terms: Hutchinson's pay is contingent on his performance--a first for this position. Traditionally, a superintendent is offered a contract including salary and, except in extreme circumstances, retains his position and pay through the term of that contract. In this case, achievement results will be set and the superintendent's salary will rely on meeting those benchmarks.

While Hutchinson's situation distinguishes him from other superintendents, it reflects a growing trend in public education: contracting with the private sector. In the quest for school improvement, cost savings or more efficient administration, more and more school districts and lawmakers are looking for ways to tap private resources for services previously reserved for full-time, licensed employees.

Not a New Idea

Hiring private companies to provide services to public schools is not a new idea. According to a report by the Reason Foundation, a non-profit group that studies privatization, schools have used private transportation, data processing and accounting firms for decades with little if any opposition and often significant savings. The report, "Public-Private Partnerships: The Private Sector and Innovation in Education" (July 1992), says that contracting out for busing can save districts 12 percent of public ownership costs. Private food services resulted in an 87 percent savings for one district. The controversy begins when the services are educational or managerial. Then, private individuals are seen as a threat to the system and to the jobs of people who have spent years complying with state certification and licensing procedures.

Doug May, Colorado economist and educational researcher, says that objections could be counteracted by educating those currently in the system and letting the idea of contracting work in its own defense. "This is not a particularly radical move; it happens all the time in business. We're just not used to talking about it in the education setting."

Is it Privatization or Not?

The popular catchphrase for this trend is "privatization," an umbrella term used to describe several controversial education alternatives including private management, private practice teachers, for-profit schools, charter schools and K-12 educational vouchers. Each initiative has a separate and fairly complex relationship to the public school system, yet all are considered part of a movement that, intentionally or not, may be blurring the line between public and private schools.

Professionals attempting to provide educational or...