Dive Brief:

• In a Huffington Post column reprinted by the Washington Post, educator Alan Singer breaks down the relationship between charter schools and Wall Street, indicating tax breaks and real estate incentives may encourage ties.  
• According to Singer, the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 — which provides tax incentives to businesses that work and hire people in high-poverty neighborhoods — allows charter-supporting banks and funds a tax credit that can be used with other tax breaks. Additionally, the federal EB-5 program gives foreign investors donating at least $500,000 to charter companies easier immigration visa access.
• Singer also focuses on the real estate side of charter investments.  While real estate companies also get tax breaks if they redevelop in low-income neighborhoods, Singer also discusses schools that spend more than 20% of their total budget on school rental costs.  

Dive Insight:

Singer's column gives insight into the growing relationship between charter schools and banks/hedge funds. While the business sector's growing interest in education has typically been framed as a focus on learning gaps and wanting to better prepare the next generation of business leaders and employees, Singer's column provides evidence of how the desire for good may also have a financially appealing sub-layer.