Bill Gates Foundations Eyes Atlanta For Headquarters (Forsyth: real estate, 2013)

[Atlwarrior]

Gates Foundation-backed nonprofit eyes ATL HQ



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Gates: “I think the most critical change we can make in U.S. K-12 education ... is to create teacher-feedback systems ...”












A new nonprofit organization backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that aims to transform American education is considering Atlanta for its headquarters.
The nonprofit, supported by the world’s largest philanthropic organization, would make Atlanta the center of a cohesive effort to accelerate student achievement in the United States by boosting personalized learning in schools.
The Gates Foundation is arguably the best-known philanthropic group in the world. It has a roughly $36 billion endowment and its leadership includes the high-profile founder of Microsoft Corp. and investor Warren Buffet. Based in Seattle, its mission includes helping people with the fewest resources gain access to a better education.
The newly formed nonprofit will use technology services designed to increase personalized learning in American classrooms and allow states, districts and schools to work more closely together.
The nonprofit has yet to be named. Its organizers have hired a commercial real estate brokerage to help it find office space in Atlanta, Atlanta Business Chronicle has learned.
The new nonprofit emerged from an existing alliance of states, districts, nonprofits, foundations and companies known as the Shared Learning Collaborative (SLC) that believes personalized learning in the classroom accelerates student achievement. The Gates Foundation and Carnegie Corporation of New York have been funding the SLC.
The SLC has a six-person advisory board, one of whose members is Michael Lomax, an Atlantan who is now president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund.
The SLC’s technology, already rolled out in various states, including New York, helps teachers access a vast array of educational materials more quickly and directs them to a particular student’s needs.

[joey86]

This would be huge!

[ChefRamsey]

And it would be something Atlanta public schools really need.

Hope it happens!

[Atlwarrior]

Originally Posted by ChefRamsey

And it would be something Atlanta public schools really need.

Hope it happens!

Who would have thought that the blueprint for K-12 Educating would possible come out of Atlanta. Just so much good news coming out of the Atlanta region lately.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by ChefRamsey

And it would be something Atlanta public schools really need.

Hope it happens!

A bit ironic in a way. And it won't be exclusively for the benefit of Atlanta schools. Wonder if the Teacher's Unions will resist anything forthcoming from it? Probably better off supporting the Home Schooling movement.

[Atlwarrior]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

A bit ironic in a way. And it won't be exclusively for the benefit of Atlanta schools. Wonder if the Teacher's Unions will resist anything forthcoming from it? Probably better off supporting the Home Schooling movement.

Yes it would be much bigger than just Atlanta, but it's a bit ironic considering the test scandal with the City of Atlanta, could possible be the home for Education reform. What an awesome redemption. I don't think the Teachers Union would be that dumb to opposed someone who is so iconic with a created mind. That would be like Kool Aid versus Coke Cola. Also everyone knows that the way public schools are teaching kids is outdated ,archaic, and boring. It is pass time for the Logical left side of the brain and created Right side of the brain to merge and create a new way of learning.

[lastminutemom]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

A bit ironic in a way. And it won't be exclusively for the benefit of Atlanta schools. Wonder if the Teacher's Unions will resist anything forthcoming from it? Probably better off supporting the Home Schooling movement.

Originally Posted by Atlwarrior

Yes it would be much bigger than just Atlanta, but it's a bit ironic considering the test scandal with the City of Atlanta, could possible be the home for Education reform. What an awesome redemption. I don't think the Teachers Union would be that dumb to opposed someone who is so iconic with a created mind. That would be like Kool Aid versus Coke Cola. Also everyone knows that the way public schools are teaching kids is outdated ,archaic, and boring. It is pass time for the Logical left side of the brain and created Right side of the brain to merge and create a new way of learning.

So, GA doesn't have teachers unions. We are a right to work state and that includes education.

Second, many of Gates' initiatives thus far have not been very successful. The research on them shows mixed results, especially as they relate to the small learning communities models in high schools.

I think this initiative sounds good. However, the real key to improving educational outcomes have to do with solving the myriad issues related to multi-generational poverty and non-English speaking children whose families aren't in a hurry to assimilate.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by lastminutemom

So, GA doesn't have teachers unions. We are a right to work state and that includes education.

Second, many of Gates' initiatives thus far have not been very successful. The research on them shows mixed results, especially as they relate to the small learning communities models in high schools.

I think this initiative sounds good. However, the real key to improving educational outcomes have to do with solving the myriad issues related to multi-generational poverty and non-English speaking children whose families aren't in a hurry to assimilate.

No, GA has Teachers Unions. Right-to-work doesn't mean no unions. Unions will not not look kindly on teacher assessment.

I agree though on the latter point. I'm not sure that software engaged learning is that useful. Hopefully the thought isn't "we need more computers in the classroom". At the college level, I definitely could see having PCs in the classroom was a hindrance to learning. Over the years we keep coming up with new teaching ideas and then gradually fall back to the old fashioned ways. Although, the PowerPoint presentation does seem to be pushing out the old black (or white) board.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by lastminutemom

So, GA doesn't have teachers unions. We are a right to work state and that includes education.

Second, many of Gates' initiatives thus far have not been very successful. The research on them shows mixed results, especially as they relate to the small learning communities models in high schools.

I think this initiative sounds good. However, the real key to improving educational outcomes have to do with solving the myriad issues related to multi-generational poverty and non-English speaking children whose families aren't in a hurry to assimilate.

This.

Keep tellin' the truth, lmm.


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[BR Valentine]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

No, GA has Teachers Unions. Right-to-work doesn't mean no unions. Unions will not not look kindly on teacher assessment.

I agree though on the latter point. I'm not sure that software engaged learning is that useful. Hopefully the thought isn't "we need more computers in the classroom". At the college level, I definitely could see having PCs in the classroom was a hindrance to learning. Over the years we keep coming up with new teaching ideas and then gradually fall back to the old fashioned ways. Although, the PowerPoint presentation does seem to be pushing out the old black (or white) board.

My wife has worked in school districts such as Chicago and New York that do have teachers unions as well as in Atlanta and Forsyth. And no, Georgia does not have teachers unions. Teachers are prohibited by law from engaging in collective bargining in Georgia which means that there are no teacher unions in Georgia. There are professional associations such as GAE, but they have no legal or contractual authority, most teachers aren't members and they have absolutely no political influence. As for the Gates Foundation, I think the man is well-intentioned, but the educational initiatives that the Gates foundation has promoted to date have yielded middling results at best.