Analysis Questions Impact of Philanthropy Aid for City Schools

Urban school districts that have received significant money from philanthropists like Bill Gates and Eli Broad have not performed noticeably better than their statewide peers, according to an analysis by the Center for Public Integrity’s iWatch News.

The nonprofit investigative-journalism organization examined test scores and graduation rates in 10 districts that have collectively gotten $4.4-billion from the foundations of the Mr. Broad and Mr. Gates as well as from the computer magnate Michael Dell and the Wal-Mart chain’s Walton family.

In nine of the 10 districts, proficiency and graduation rates still substantially trailed statewide figures, iWatch found.

Where the schools improved somewhat, their achievements were slower than statewide gains 40 percent of the time, leaving largely intact wide gulfs in performance between urban schools and their suburban and rural counterparts.

Officials at the foundations said they have learned valuable lessons about investing in struggling schools and retooled their approaches accordingly. “A lot of things we do don’t work out,” Mr. Broad said. “But we can take the criticism.”

Read more: See The Chronicle’s analysis of school-improvement efforts by major philanthropists.