The Edison debate continues A San Francisco schools activist critiques Salon's Edison Charter Academy coverage, and Joan Walsh replies. The article mistakenly compared Edison's funding from the school district alone with other schools' combined funding from district, state and federal sources.
Middle schools receive more per student than do elementary schools.
Edison does indeed receive more money than other district schools. Other schools' district funding covers teacher salaries and educational expenses as well as administrative costs, transportation, security, food service, major capital maintenance and other services. But under the Edison contract, the money that the company gets per student does not pay for those additional services. Two of Edison's earliest contracts, in San Antonio and Sherman, Texas, are not being renewed because of high costs to the districts. Edison's claims of student achievement are highly questionable as well.