H. Christopher Whittle

H. CHRISTOPHER WHITTLE is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Edison
Schools, Inc., America’s leading manager of public schools. Out of
15,000 public school systems in the United States, Edison is the 45th
largest and the fastest growing. This fall the company will operate 139
schools in 50 cities and 22 states with an enrollment of 75,000 children
and over 7,000 staff members. Edison estimates its enrollment will rise
to 250,000 within 36 months. Two-thirds of these students are
economically disadvantaged and 80% are children of color. Mr. Whittle
believes Edison’s growth is due to its exceptional academic results.
Systemwide data from its first seven years of operation shows that
Edison students are moving up at the rate of a full quartile every five
years, life-changing progress that only a few systems are achieving.
Prior to founding Edison, Mr. Whittle had a 25-year career in publishing
and television. He was Chairman of Whittle Communications; Founder of
Channel One (now in 12,000 schools across the country); and Chairman and
Publisher of Esquire magazine. Mr. Whittle graduated from the University
of Tennessee, where he now funds 50 full scholarships for exceptional
students.