Navigating Public-Private Partnerships: Introducing the Continuum of Control

Abstract

In many urban districts, the public education landscape is being transformed as private-sector providers such as educational management organizations, charter management organizations, and partner support organizations partner with or run district schools. While some private-sector providers’ visions for school reform have remained static over time, others’ have changed due to factors like the evolving policy environment, changes in local contexts, or new direction in the providers’ own agendas. This article creates a framework that places these private-sector players on a continuum of control. Such a continuum captures the variety of providers in the field examining different attributes that can contribute to the likely success or failure of a partnership. Particularly for practitioners, it captures the varying degrees of support and loss of control that collaboration with an outside provider might entail.