<PAGE>
                                                                   Exhibit 10.42


NEITHER THIS WARRANT NOR THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE HEREOF HAS BEEN
REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR THE SECURITIES LAWS
OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION. NEITHER THIS
WARRANT NOR THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE HEREOF MAY BE TRANSFERRED IN
VIOLATION OF SUCH ACT OR SECURITIES LAWS, THE RULES AND REGULATIONS PROMULGATED
UNDER SUCH ACT OR SECURITIES LAWS OR THE PROVISIONS OF THIS WARRANT.

                               EDISON SCHOOLS INC.

                      CLASS A COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT

Date of Issuance: July 31, 2002                                 478,435   Shares

      For value received, Edison Schools Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), hereby grants to School Services LLC, and to its respective
transferees and assigns, subject to the provisions set forth herein, the right
to purchase from the Company at a price of $1.00 per share, subject to
adjustment as set forth herein (the "Exercise Price"), 478,435 shares of Class A
Common Stock (the "Warrant Shares"). Certain capitalized terms used herein are
defined in Section 2 hereof.

      This Warrant is subject to the following provisions:

      SECTION 1. Exercise of Warrant.

      1.1 Duration. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the purchase
rights represented by this Warrant may be exercised in whole or in part at any
time or from time to time during the Exercise Period.

      1.2 Exercise Procedure.

            (a) This Warrant shall be deemed to have been exercised by the
Holder (as defined in Section 2.5) when all of the following items have been
delivered to the Company by or on behalf of the Holder, provided, however, that
if all of such items are delivered to the Company at such time as the stock
transfer books of the Company are required by applicable law, regulation or
order to be closed, this Warrant shall be deemed to have been exercised at the
close of business on the next succeeding date on which the stock transfer books
are open (the "Exercise Time"):

            (i) a completed Exercise Agreement, substantially in the form set
      forth in Exhibit I hereto, executed by each Holder exercising all or part
      of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant;

            (ii)  a copy of this Warrant certified as true and correct by
      such Holder; and

            (iii) a check payable to the Company in an amount equal to the
      product of the Exercise Price multiplied by the number of Warrant Shares
      being purchased by such Holder upon such exercise, or by delivery to the
      Company of the written election of the Holder to
<PAGE>
      have such amount of Warrant Shares withheld by the Company from Warrant
      Shares otherwise to be received by the Holder as have a Fair Market Value
      equal to the aggregate Exercise Price for the number of Warrant Shares
      being purchased, or by a combination of the foregoing.

            (b) Certificates for Warrant Shares purchased upon exercise of this
Warrant shall be delivered by the Company to each exercising Holder within two
(2) business days (or one business day if at the time of exercise applicable law
or rules of the securities exchange where the Warrant Shares are traded requires
delivery of certificates one business day or less after sale) after the date of
the Exercise Time together with any cash payable in lieu of a fraction of a
share pursuant to Section 11 hereof.

            (c) The Warrant Shares issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant
shall be deemed to have been issued to a Holder at the Exercise Time, and such
Holder shall be deemed for all purposes to have become the record holder of such
Warrant Shares at the Exercise Time.

            (d) The issuance of certificates for Warrant Shares upon exercise of
this Warrant shall be made without charge to the exercising Holder for any
issuance tax in respect thereof or other cost incurred by the Company in
connection with such exercise and the related issuance of Warrant Shares.

            (e) The Company shall assist and cooperate with the Holder required
to make any governmental filings or obtain any governmental approvals prior to
or in connection with any exercise of this Warrant.

            (f) All Warrant Shares which are issuable upon exercise of this
Warrant shall, when issued and upon the payment of the Exercise Price, be duly
and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens
and charges. The Company shall take all such actions as may be necessary to
ensure that all such Warrant Shares may be so issued without violation by the
Company of any applicable law or governmental regulation or any requirements of
any domestic securities exchange or automated quotation system upon which shares
of Common Stock constituting Warrant Shares may be listed (except for official
notice of issuance which shall be immediately delivered by the Company upon each
such issuance).

      SECTION 2.  Definitions.

      2.1 "Class A Common Stock" means the Company's Class A Common Stock, $.01
par value per share, or any securities into which such Class A Common Stock is
hereafter converted or exchanged.

      2.2 "Common Stock" means (a) the Class A Common Stock and (b) the
Company's Class B Common Stock, $.01 par value per share, or any securities into
which such Class B Common Stock is hereafter converted or exchanged.

      2.3 "Exercise Period" means the period commencing on the date of issuance
of this Warrant as set forth above and concluding on the fifth anniversary of
such date.


                                       2
<PAGE>
      2.4 "Fair Market Value" means with respect to each of the Warrant Shares,
the closing price of the Company's Class A Common Stock on the primary exchange
or automated quotation system on which the Class A Common Stock is listed or
quoted, as reported in The Wall Street Journal, for the trading day immediately
preceding the date of exercise.

      2.5 "Holder" means each holder of this Warrant as reflected in the records
of the Company. The Company shall promptly update its records with respect to
Holders upon receipt of notice of a transfer of rights hereunder in accordance
with Section 6 hereof.

      SECTION 3.  Stock Splits, Consolidation and Antidilution.

      3.1   Proportional Adjustment and Dividends.

            (a) In the event that before the issuance of the Warrant Shares the
Company shall (i) pay a dividend or make a distribution on its Common Stock in
shares of its Common Stock, (ii) subdivide its outstanding Common Stock, (iii)
combine its outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (iv)
issue any shares by reclassification of its Common Stock (including any such
reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing corporation), the number of Warrant Shares issuable
upon exercise of the Warrant and the Exercise Price in effect at the time of the
record date for such dividend or distribution or the effective date of such
subdivision, combination or reclassification shall be proportionately adjusted
(to the nearest cent in the case of the Exercise Price) so that the Holder, upon
exercise of this Warrant after such date, shall be entitled to receive for the
same aggregate consideration the aggregate number and kind of shares of Common
Stock which, if this Warrant had been exercised immediately prior to such date,
it would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive upon such
dividend, distribution, subdivision, combination or reclassification.

            (b) If, after the date hereof, the Company pays a dividend or makes
any other distribution to the holders of Common Stock payable in cash or
property (other than shares of Common Stock or any rights, warrants or other
securities issued to such holders entitling them to purchase any additional
shares of Common Stock in respect of which an adjustment to the Exercise Price
is made pursuant to Section 3.1(a)), then in each such event the Holder shall be
entitled to receive the portion of such dividend or distribution the Holder
would have received if the Holder had exercised the Warrant immediately prior
thereto.

            (c) In the event the Company issues a warrant for the purchase of
Common Stock to Chelsey Funding LLC ("Chelsey") as a settlement, in whole or in
part, of any claim, or as a result of any judgment arising out of any such
claim, by Chelsey arising out of that certain Real Estate Loan Facility
Commitment Letter, dated June 4, 2002 from Chelsey to the Company, the Company
agrees to adjust the Exercise Price and/or number of Warrant Shares issuable
upon exercise of this Warrant on a basis consistent with the essential intent
and principles established in the Warrant necessary to preserve without dilution
the purchase rights represented by the Warrant.

      3.2   Antidilution.


                                       3
<PAGE>
            (a) Subject to the provisions set forth below, if at any time during
the Exercise Period and prior to the issuance of the Warrant Shares the Company
shall issue (i) any shares of Common Stock, or (ii) securities convertible into
or exchangeable for Common Stock ("Convertible Securities"), or (iii) rights,
options or warrants to subscribe for Common Stock or Convertible Securities at a
price per share less than the Exercise Price in effect at such time (such price
per share determined in the case of (ii) and (iii) as the sum of the
consideration received upon the issuance of the convertible or exchangeable
securities or rights, options or warrants and the consideration per share of
Common Stock payable upon the conversion of any such securities, or upon the
exercise of any such rights, options or warrants), then the Exercise Price shall
be adjusted to equal such price per share. In the case of issuance by the
Company of Common Stock, Convertible Securities or any rights, options or
warrants to subscribe for Common Stock or Convertible Securities for
consideration in whole or in part other than cash, the consideration other than
cash shall be deemed to be the fair value thereof as determined in good faith by
the Board of Directors of the Company. For purposes of clarification, the price
per share received by the Company for any issuance of any shares of Common
Stock, Convertible Securities or any rights, options or warrants to subscribe
for Common Stock or Convertible Securities, shall be deemed to be the gross
amount of consideration received therefor without deducting therefrom any
expense paid or incurred by the Company or any underwriting discounts or
commissions or concessions paid or allowed by the Company in connection
therewith. Any Warrant Shares not already issued prior to such adjustment may
thereafter be purchased pursuant to the valid exercise of this Warrant at a
price per share equal to the adjusted Exercise Price.

            (b) Whenever the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to paragraph
(a) above, the number of Warrant Shares purchasable upon exercise of this
Warrant shall simultaneously be adjusted to equal the number of Warrant Shares
initially issuable upon exercise of this Warrant multiplied by the Exercise
Price in effect as of the date of this Warrant, divided by the Exercise Price,
as adjusted.

            (c) Upon the expiration of any unexercised rights, options or
warrants or the termination of any unexercised rights to convert or exchange any
securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock, the
Exercise Price and the number of Warrant Shares purchasable upon exercise of
this Warrant, to the extent in any way affected by or adjusted on account of the
issuance of such rights, options, warrants or convertible or exchangeable
securities, shall be recalculated to reflect the Exercise Price and number of
Warrant Shares purchasable upon exercise of this Warrant that would have been in
effect if such rights, options, warrants or convertible or exchangeable
securities had not been issued.

            (d) The foregoing notwithstanding, this Section 3.2 shall find no
application to the issuance by the Company of (i) all shares of Common Stock
issuable upon the conversion of Convertible Securities, (ii) all shares of
Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of all rights, options and warrants,
(iii) all rights, options or warrants, and all shares of Common Stock issued or
issuable upon the exercise thereof, issued to employees, consultants, officers
or directors of the Company, directly or pursuant to a stock option or other
incentive plan, agreement or arrangement approved by the Board of Directors of
the Company, and (iv) all shares of Common Stock or other securities issued or
issuable pursuant to a transaction contemplated by Sections 3.1 or 3.3 hereto.


                                       4
<PAGE>
            (e) No adjustment to the Exercise Price pursuant to the provisions
of this Section 3.2 shall be required unless and until such adjustment would
require an adjustment of at least $0.01 in the Exercise Price.

            (f) If at any time following June 30, 2003 the closing price of the
shares of Class A Common Stock on the primary exchange or automated quotation
system on which the Class A Common Stock is listed or quoted, as reported in The
Wall Street Journal, equals or exceeds $3.50 for every trading day during any
two (2) successive calendar quarters, the provisions set forth in this Section
3.2 shall immediately terminate and be of no further force or effect.

      3.3   Other Dilutive Events.

            (a) In case any event shall occur as to which the provisions of this
Section 3 are not strictly applicable, but the failure to make any adjustment
would not fairly protect the purchase rights represented by the Warrant in
accordance with the essential intent and principles of this Section 3, then, in
each such case, the Company shall determine the adjustment, if any, on a basis
consistent with the essential intent and principles established in this Section
3 hereof necessary to preserve without dilution the purchase rights represented
by the Warrant.

            (b) Anything in this Section 3 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company shall be entitled, but shall not be required, to make such changes in
the Exercise Price, in addition to those required by this Section 3, as it in
its discretion shall determine to be advisable in order that any dividend or
distribution in shares of Common Stock, subdivision, reclassification or
combination of shares of Common Stock, issuance of rights, options or warrants
to purchase Common Stock or distribution of shares of stock other than Common
Stock, evidences of indebtedness or assets (other than distributions in cash out
of retained earnings) referred to hereinabove in this Section 3, hereafter made
by the Company to the holders of its Common Stock shall not be taxable to them,
provided, however, that this would not result in a constructive distribution
under Section 305 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, to the
Holder.

            (c) If after the date hereof, any capital reorganization or
reclassification of the Common Stock of the Company, or consolidation or merger
of the Company with another corporation (other than covered by Section 3.1) or
the sale of all or substantially all of its assets to another corporation or
other similar event shall be effected (any such event a "Merger Event"), then as
a condition of such Merger Event, lawful, fair and adequate provision shall be
made whereby the Holder shall have the right to purchase and receive after the
Merger Event in lieu of the Common Stock of the Company purchasable and
receivable upon the exercise of the Warrant, such shares of stock or other
securities or assets as may be issuable or payable with respect to or in
exchange for the number of shares of Common Stock immediately theretofore
purchasable and receivable upon the exercise of the Warrant, had such Merger
Event not taken place. To the extent the consideration to be received by the
Holder as a result of a Merger Event consists of securities in the surviving
entity such surviving entity shall execute and deliver to the Holder a
substitute Warrant granting the Holder the right to receive upon exercise
thereof the kind and amount of securities receivable by a holder of the number
of shares of Common Stock of the Company for which such Warrant might have been
exercised immediately prior to such Merger Event, which warrant shall have terms
and conditions as nearly as may be equivalent to


                                       5
<PAGE>
those specified herein (including without limitation provisions for adjustments
of the Exercise Price and number of Warrant Shares purchasable upon the exercise
of the Warrant).

      3.4 Notification. Whenever the Exercise Price is adjusted as herein
provided, the Company shall cause a notice setting forth the adjusted Exercise
Price and adjusted number of Warrant Shares, and a brief statement of the facts
requiring such adjustment and the computation thereof, to be mailed to the
Holder. The certificate setting forth the computation shall be signed by the
Chief Financial Officer of the Company. In addition, in case at any time the
Company shall propose:

            (a) to pay any dividend or make any distribution on shares of Common
Stock in shares of Common Stock or make any other distribution to all holders of
Common Stock; or

            (b) to issue any rights, warrants or other securities to all holders
of Common Stock entitling them to purchase any additional shares of Common Stock
or any other rights, warrants or other securities; or

            (c) to effect any reclassification or change of outstanding shares
of Common Stock, or any consolidation, merger or sale; or

            (d) to effect any liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the
Company;

then, and in any one or more of such cases, the Company shall give written
notice thereof in accordance with Section 9 to the Holder at least fifteen (15)
days prior to (i) the date as of which the holders of record of shares of Common
Stock to be entitled to receive any such dividend, distribution, rights,
warrants or other securities are to be determined or (ii) the date on which any
such reclassification, change of outstanding shares of Common Stock,
consolidation, merger, sale, liquidation, dissolution or winding-up is expected
to become effective, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of
record of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to exchange their shares for
securities or other property, if any, deliverable upon such reclassification,
change of outstanding shares, consolidation, merger, sale, liquidation,
dissolution or winding-up.

      SECTION 4. Registration Rights. Upon exercise of this Warrant, the Warrant
Shares shall be subject to, and the purchaser of such Warrant Shares shall be
entitled to and bound by all of the rights and obligations set forth in Section
4 of that certain Warrant Agreement dated as of the date hereof between the
Company and the Holder.

      SECTION 5. No Voting Rights; Limitations of Liability. This Warrant shall
not entitle a holder hereof to any voting rights or other rights as a
stockholder of the Company. No provision hereof, in the absence of affirmative
action by the Holder to purchase Warrant Shares, and no enumeration herein of
the rights or privileges of a Holder shall give rise to any liability of a
Holder for the Exercise Price of Warrant Shares that may be acquired by exercise
hereof or as a stockholder of the Company.

      SECTION 6. Warrant Transferable. This Warrant and all rights hereunder are
transferable, in whole or in part, without charge to the Holders hereof upon
surrender of this Warrant with a properly executed Assignment (in the form of
Exhibit II hereto) at the principal


                                       6
<PAGE>
office of the Company; provided, however, that the parties to an Assignment
shall be responsible for the payment of any applicable transfer or other taxes.

      SECTION 7. Warrant Exchangeable for Different Denominations. This Warrant
is exchangeable, upon the surrender hereof by the Holder at the principal office
of the Company together with a written exchange request specifying the desired
number of warrants and the allocation of the Warrant Shares, for new Warrants
having the same Exercise Price and other terms and conditions of this Warrant
representing in the aggregate the purchase rights hereunder, and each of such
new Warrants shall represent such portion of such rights as is designated by the
Holder at the time of such surrender. All Warrants representing portions of the
rights hereunder are referred to herein as the "Warrants".

      SECTION 8. Replacement. Upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory
to the Company (an affidavit of a Holder shall be satisfactory) of the ownership
and the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of any certificate evidencing
this Warrant, and in the case of any such loss, theft or destruction, upon
receipt of indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Company, or, in the case of
any such mutilation upon surrender of such certificate, the Company shall (at
the expense of such Holder) execute and deliver in lieu of such certificate a
new certificate of like kind representing the same rights represented by such
lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated certificate and dated the date of such
lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated certificate.

      SECTION 9. Notices. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all
notices and deliveries referred to in this Warrant shall be in writing and shall
be delivered personally or sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt
requested, postage prepaid and shall be deemed to have been given when so
delivered (or when received, if delivered by any other method) if sent (i) to
the Company, at its principal executive offices and (ii) to a Holder, at such
holder's address as it appears in the records of the Company (unless otherwise
indicated by any such holder).

      SECTION 10. Amendment and Waiver. Except as otherwise provided herein, the
provisions of this Warrant may be amended and the Company may take any action
herein prohibited, or omit to perform any act herein required to be performed by
it, only if the Company has obtained the prior written consent of the Holder.

      SECTION 11. Fractions of Shares. The Company may, but shall not be
required to, issue a fraction of a Warrant Share upon the exercise of this
Warrant in whole or in part. As to any fraction of a share which the Company
elects not to issue, the Company shall make a cash payment in respect of such
fraction in an amount equal to the same fraction of the last reported sale price
of the Class A Common Stock on the NASDAQ National Market System or any other
national securities exchange on which the Class A Common Stock is then listed.

      SECTION 12. Descriptive Headings; Governing Law. The descriptive headings
of the several Sections and paragraphs of this Warrant are inserted for
convenience only and do not constitute a part of this Warrant. This Warrant
shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the
State of New York applicable to contracts entered into and to be performed
entirely within the State of New York, except that, as to matters of corporate
law, the Delaware General Corporation Law shall govern.


                                       7
<PAGE>
      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be signed by
its duly authorized officers under its corporate seal and to be dated the date
hereof.

                                          EDISON SCHOOLS INC.


                                          By:    /s/ David Graff
                                                 -------------------------------
                                          Name:  David Graff
                                          Title: Senior Vice President
                                                 and General Counsel


                                          Corporate Seal


                                       8
<PAGE>
                                                                       EXHIBIT I

                          FORM OF EXERCISE AGREEMENT

       (To be Executed by the Holder in order to Exercise the Warrant)


To:   EDISON SCHOOLS INC.                                   Dated:


       The undersigned, pursuant to the provisions set forth in the attached
Warrant, hereby subscribes for the purchase of _____________ Warrant Shares
covered by such Warrant and

      / /   makes payment herewith in the amount of _____________, as payment
            in full for ________ Warrant Shares at the price per share
            provided by such Warrant

      / /   hereby instructs the Company to withhold from Warrant Shares being
            purchased hereby, a number of Warrant Shares sufficient to pay the
            purchase price therefore

      all in accordance with the conditions and provisions of the said Warrant,
and requests that certificates for such Warrant Shares be issued in the name of,
and delivered to:


                                 _______________________

                                 _______________________

                                 _______________________



                                          [Holder]

                                          By: _____________________________
                                                Name:
                                                Title:

                                          Address _________________________


                                       9
<PAGE>
                                                                    EXHIBIT II

                                  ASSIGNMENT


      FOR VALUE RECEIVED, _________ hereby sells, assigns and transfers all of
the rights of the undersigned under the attached Warrant with respect to the
number of Warrant Shares covered thereby set forth below, unto:


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
      Name of Assignee              Address                     No. of Shares
<S>                                 <C>                         <C>


</TABLE>



Dated:                                       By:      __________________________
                                                      Name:
                                                      Title:


                                             Witness  __________________________


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