Corporations and Public Education in the Cities.

Overview & Synopsis

This report examines the nature of the corporate interest in education in American cities, and outlines what might be done to encourage future corporate activities supportive of urban education. The report is based on a review of literature and interviews with corporate, educational, and civic leaders in several large cities. Section one discusses the pervasive influence of business and corporate interests in education in the first two decades of the twentieth century, the gradual waning of that influence, and corporations' recent attempts to redefine their interest in the public schools. Section two reviews reasons for contemporary corporate interest in education, and examines the corporate view towards its own educational programs, and its involvement in higher education and the public schools. Section three discusses quality as the major focus of corporate interest in education, and describes activities that represent the corporate response to current needs of urban education. Section four examines educators' responses to corporate activities and their growing recognition of the need to bridge the gap between schools and the business community. Section five contains conclusions and recommendations for enhancing corporate involvement in education. Appendices include a list of persons interviewed for the study, and a bibliography. (Author/MJL)