Social Entrepreneurship in Education: Private Ventures for the Public Good

(Paperback)

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Social Entrepreneurship in Education chronicles the twenty-five-year history of entrepreneurs who responded to the call of A Nation at Risk and helped launch an education industry. It tells the story of these "education entrepreneurs" and the lessons they learned, using entrepreneurial skills to tackle public problems and improve outcomes for millions of students.
This book demonstrates, firsthand, the importance of mentorship and profiles the individuals behind the businesses, highlighting the skills and characteristics that one must possess to successfully execute and operate enterprises in education. It reflects on the development of a burgeoning industry and illuminates the possibilities for applying a private sector mind-set to education. This book is fundamental for understanding the ins and outs of utilizing social entrepreneurship to improve education for American students.

Reviews

When Mike Sandler first came to Chelsea to help me reform their public schools, I did not realize the cavalry had arrived. He brought creative problem-solving skills and enthusiasm to our efforts. His successes provide inspiration and proof that business people can make a tangible difference in education reform, creating initiatives and enterprises in education that help society. This inspiring book offers both an account of lessons learned and a forward look at the opportunities for future entrepreneurs in business and education. -- John Silber, president emeritus, Boston University
Michael R. Sandler and I have worked together for over twenty five years. His experiences at Harvard, at A Different September Foundation, and later, at New American Schools gave him the unique foundation to build Eduventures into a leading research and consulting company. Social Entrepreneurship in Education is a must-read for any entrepreneur, educator, or business person interested in knowing what does and does not work in the education industry. It is a great barometer for the past, present, and future of education. -- David T. Kearns, retired CEO of Xerox Corporation; former deputy secretary of the United States Department of Education
This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand how social entrepreneurship can work to effectively, efficiently, and productively improve education for America's students. -- Thomas W. Payzant, professor of practice at the Harvard Graduate School of Education; former superintendent of the Boston Public Schools
An outstanding book! I read it non-stop, from cover to cover! This book is a must-read for anyone who is interested in improving education in the US and around the world. I would strongly recommend it not only for professional educators and social entrepreneurs in education, but for our legislators, policy-makers, corporate philanthropists, professionals in engineering and science, graduate students, parents, K-12 educators, academia faculty and administration, and all my colleagues from around the world. -- Larisa Schelkin, CEO and Co-Founder, DOME Foundation
In 142 pages Sandler manages to produce a book that is at once a chronicle of his professional life and a 30-year history of US education from the unique perspective of an entrepreneur. Anecdotes from Sandler's experiences as a Fellow of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, from the days of the Boston University operation of the Chelsea School System, and the evolution of Sandler's companyEduVenturesabound. The book views education as an underdeveloped segment of the US economy by dividing it into three sectors: schools, products, and services. It is richest when describing the events in the late 1980s and 1990s in Chelsea, Massachusetts, because there is sufficient detail to bring the people and the process to life for the reader. Sandler's book...serves to enrich the understanding of educational researchers who don't have an economics or business background. A worthwhile short read. Recommended. * Choice Reviews *
Michael Sandlers new book is a must-read for those who want to understand recent United States educational reforms, which have involved partnerships between new enterprises and public entities. His analysis of the historical impact of social entrepreneurship provides a clear guide to all who are interested in understanding how private ventures can support public education in this country. -- Susan Fuhrman, president of Teachers College, Columbia University; president-elect of the National Academy of Education; and founding director

Author Bio

Michael Sandler, a lifelong entrepreneur, is chairman and CEO of the Education Industry Group, an advisory firm supporting social entrepreneurship in education. Previously, he acquired and established numerous businesses in the fields of distribution, real estate and publishing after graduating from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania where he later served as a trustee. In 1989, Sandler was appointed a Fellow of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University to research the role of business and education and later founded Eduventures, Inc. and other businesses in the field of education.