Education Reform

The Walton Family Foundation focuses on a select number of Market Share Demonstration Sites, where we hope to show that parental choice can inspire meaningful improvements in the education system and higher academic achievement for all students. To date, we have worked in seven Market Share Demonstration Sites:

• Albany;
• Denver;
• East and South Los Angeles;
• Milwaukee;
• New Orleans;
• Newark; and
• Washington, D.C.

In selecting Market Share Demonstration Sites, we have have sought low-income districts where, with the right reforms, a sizeable market share of students will be able to enroll in high-quality schools of choice.

Although all Market Share Demonstration Sites similarly serve high concentrations of low-income families, they are diverse geographically and racially, which helps demonstrate that parental choice can work in any district, regardless of student composition or type of students served.

In addition, our staff monitors an additional 14 Potential Market Share Demonstration Sites. In these markets, we focus on shaping public policy so that parents have more quality choices and better information about school quality. The Foundation also helps create new quality schools. The Potential Market Share Demonstration Sites include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Harlem, Houston, Indianapolis, Memphis, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Phoenix, St. Louis and Tampa.

Learn more about our Market Share Demonstration Sites by exploring the map to the right.