Johnson, Mattel, and Motorola, and the
learning addition and subtraction through 18
United Nations.3 7 Like for-profit K12 edu-
and place values up to 100 and to be intro-
cation companies, Bright Horizons high-
duced to geometry, fractions, telling time,
lights its accreditation by the National
and problem solving in the mathematics
program.42
Association for the Education of Young
Children and use of the "The World at Their
Nobel also offers brochures on some indi-
Fingertips Program for Learning," which is
vidual schools and programs. For example, a
based on the work of developmental theo-
parent of a child suffering from dyslexia,
rists and educators, including Jean Piaget
attention deficit disorder, or other learning
and Erik Erickson.38
disabilities can review information about the
Paladin Academies. There are eight stand-
Parents who were accustomed to and sat-
alone Paladin Academies, and the Paladin
isfied with Bright Horizons' early-learning
program is available at many of the private
facilities wanted their children to continue
schools. Parents can review the type of
learning in a Bright Horizons school. In
instruction that will be available to their
response, Bright Horizons opened a private
child and the tutoring, summer camps, and
elementary school in Bellevue, Washington,
other programs available for special-needs
to meet parents' demands:
students.4 3
We opened Chestnut Hill Academy
Nobel emphasizes its students' perfor-
in response to demand from parents
mance on the Stanford 9, a national achieve-
who wanted to keep their school-age
ment test that is administered to all K8
Nobel students.4 4 However, Nobel also rec-
children in a Bright Horizons Family
Solutions program. Chestnut Hill
ognizes that there are different goals for dif-
has an innovative design that serves
ferent students. For example, Nobel's
working-parent families with pro-
brochure on the Houston Learning Acade-
gressive, community-oriented learn-
my, a high school that caters to students
ing and an extensive after-school
who need extra attention and may have had
enrichment program including karate,
trouble in traditional schools, emphasizes
piano, cooking, art, and science.3 9
the high graduation rate and the percentage
of graduates who go on to college.4 5 Nobel
Nobel's services
recognizes that high test scores are only one
Like Bright Horizons, Nobel Learning
measure of success. As parents know, differ-
Communities, Inc., began as a child care
include private
ent children have different needs.
provider and expanded its business to
preschools, ele-
The growing demand for alternative
include K12 education. Nobel Learning
K12 schools presents opportunities for
Communities operates 153 schools, includ-
mentary and mid-
education companies, but there are also
ing approximately 100 preschools, in 16
dle schools,
states.4 0 Nobel's services include private
many obstacles. Companies attempting to
schools for learn-
start schools face large overhead: school
preschools, elementary and middle schools,
buildings, staff, computer technology, text-
schools for learning-challenged students,
ing-challenged
books, and other materials require a consid-
publicly funded charter schools, corporate-
students, charter
erable initial investment. They often must
sponsored schools, diagnostic and tutorial
schools, corpo-
contend with teachers' unions that typically
centers, and summer camps. Parents can
oppose change in the educational system
learn about Nobel's various programs
rate-sponsored
and are hostile to for-profit schools, which
through Nobel's informational brochures
schools, diagnos-
may make attracting qualified teachers more
and on its Web sites. For example, one
difficult.4 6 Companies managing charter
brochure includes Nobel's mission statement,
tic and tutorial
vision, and general educational curriculum.41
schools also face significant political risk:
centers, and sum-
they depend on government funding, and
Parents whose child will be entering first grade
mer camps.
shifting political winds may blow against
will find that they can expect their child to be
7