This article was originally published in The Notebook. In August 2020, The Notebook became Chalkbeat Philadelphia.
Since signing five-year contracts with educational management organizations in 2002 to run over 40 District schools at an annual cost of over $20 million (see Some school managers bring in their own curriculum), the District has signed many other large contracts with companies providing educational services. Private companies have taken on a significant role in developing and delivering curricula and instruction. Apart from the EMOs, here are the largest educational service contracts authorized with private education providers for the past and current school years, on an annual basis. Dates approved by the School Reform Commission are in parentheses.
| $28,000,000 |
| Community Education Partners, to operate three alternative schools (5/04) |
| $ 4,500,000 |
| Kaplan, Inc., to provide Secondary Curriculum Services (6/03) |
| $ 4,000,000 |
| Camelot Schools, to operate Boone School, a disciplinary school (7/04) |
| $ 2,960,000 |
| Princeton Review, for summer programs in 2004 (4/04) |
| $ 2,950,182 |
| Voyager Expanded Learning, for summer programs in 2004 (4/04) |
| $ 2,813,370 |
| Voyager Expanded Learning, for extended day program in 2004-05 (9/04) |
| $ 2,300,000 |
| Camelot Schools, to operate a new alternative high school (8/04) |
| $ 2,200,000 |
| Princeton Review, for extended day program in 2004-05 (9/04) |
| $ 2,200,000 |
| CTB/McGraw Hill, to provide student assessment services, training and materials (11/03) |
| $10,977,975 |
| Scientific Learning, for Fast ForWord reading program, for perpetual site licenses (6/04 – contract covers multiple years) |