Editorial: Patience wearing thin with Edison Schools

Friday, March 14, 2003 | 5 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION: March 16, 2003

Two years ago the Clark County School District signed a $30 million, five-year contract with Edison Schools Inc. The contract called for Edison to manage seven of the district's low-performing schools. After the latest round of statewide tests, 30 of the district's schools, including six of the seven managed by Edison, were placed on the state education department's "needing improvement" list.

The results are disappointing, but we agree with the school district that Edison deserves at least another year to prove itself. In a recent survey, parents of Edison students expressed confidence in the teachers and managers at their schools. But ultimately, it's academic achievement that counts most and the company's performance here for the past two years and nationally since 1995, the year it was founded, has not been impressive. If there is no improvement within the schools managed by Edison by this time next year, the district should reconsider the contract.