<PAGE>


                                                                   Exhibit 10.56

                      Amendment to Letter Agreement between
     H. Christopher Whittle and Edison Schools Inc. Dated December 18, 2001


The following changes to the terms and conditions of your employment were
approved by the Company's Board of Directors on November 13, 2002 and shall go
into effect November 15, 2002.

         1.       Salary. Effective November 15, 2002 your annual base salary
                  will be increased to $345,000.

         2.       Performance Bonus. Subject to your continued employment and
                  Board approval, on a going-forward basis you shall be eligible
                  for an annual performance bonus of up to 150% of your base
                  salary for each fiscal year. The Board shall establish
                  performance criteria and payment schedules for each fiscal
                  year.

                           Current Year Bonus. For fiscal year 2003, ending June
                           30, 2003, you shall be eligible for a prorated
                           performance bonus based on your annual salary rate
                           effective November 15, 2002. Performance shall be
                           assessed by the Board after each of the second, third
                           and fourth quarters of fiscal year 2003, and bonus
                           payment shall be made, to the extent awarded, in a
                           regularly scheduled paycheck within thirty days of
                           Board approval. The Board will evaluate your
                           eligibility for the payment of these installments for
                           the second and third quarters of fiscal year 2003
                           based on whether the Company has made definitive
                           progress towards 1) $20 million in EBITDA, 2)
                           refinancing $25 million of gross proceeds from
                           Charter School Notes, and 3) not issuing substantial
                           incremental equity other than for executive
                           compensation or similar programs. If the Board finds
                           that the Company has made definitive progress toward
                           achieving these goals after the second quarter of
                           fiscal year 2003, then it will award you up to
                           $64,687.50. If the Board finds that the Company has
                           made definitive progress toward achieving these goals
                           after the third quarter of fiscal year 2003, then it
                           will award you up to $129,375. (The second quarter
                           bonus potential is prorated based on the number of
                           days in the quarter between the effective date of
                           this amendment and December 31, 2002.) After the
                           fourth quarter of fiscal year 2003, you shall be
                           eligible to receive up to the remainder of your
                           potential bonus amount ($323,437.50 less any payments
                           already made in the second or third quarters) if the
                           Company has met all three of the above-stated goals.
                           The Board will approve any fourth quarter payment
                           after the Form 10-K for fiscal year 2003 has been
                           filed. For all quarters, payment is in the sole
                           discretion of the Board.

                           i.       The term "EBITDA" shall mean earnings before
                                    interest income and expense, income tax
                                    expense, depreciation and amortization,
                                    stock-based capital charges, and other
                                    onetime or specific event-related charges
                                    including but not limited to gains or losses
                                    on disposals of assets, charges related to
                                    closings of schools, charges


<PAGE>

                                    relating to losses on charter or other
                                    loans, extraordinary items and write-downs
                                    of investments and intangibles.

                           ii.      The term "Gross Proceeds of Charter School
                                    Notes" shall mean the gross amount of funds
                                    received from the refinancing of charter
                                    school loans before any deductions of
                                    commissions or deal fees and without
                                    deduction of monies to be repaid to existing
                                    lenders.

Edison Schools Inc.                             H. Christopher Whittle

By: /s/ Benno C. Schmidt, Jr.                   /s/ H. Christopher Whittle
    -------------------------                   --------------------------
    Benno C. Schmidt, Jr.


                                       2