Facebook Chief Mark Zuckerberg Failed Big Time in Newark Public Schools

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's ventures in Newark Public Schools are perceived to be a failed attempt by people and media, reported Yahoo! Finance. In 2010, he had announced he was donating $100 million to Newark Public Schools that were ailing under lack of financial support.

Zuckerberg wanted to make Newark a model city for education reform in next five years. In 2015, the project looked like a failed attempt according to the book authored the book 'The Prize: Who's in Charge of America's Schools.' She trailed the money that went into the project and said Zuckerberg's $100 million actually became $200 million under agreement that other sources would match his contribution.

One of the major reasons cited for Zuckerberg's failure was absence of re-negotiation of teacher's contracts. He envisioned that teacher contract reform will be the centerpiece of the contract and attributed half of his donation to teacher's contract. He wanted more flexibility in teacher's contracts wherein high performing teacher would be rewarded and paid higher while under performing teacher would be fired.

However, such rules are governed by New Jersey Law and Zuckerberg would have had to change the State Legislature in order to bring in the said change. Further, a big slice of donation went to the charter schools which were beneficial to some extent. However, schools were rearranged and consolidated to downsize districts and such a step was done without consulting parents or local administrators who would have given their valuable input to make the cause worthy.

A part of donation went to the consultants which led to poor implementation of the plan. While consultants were being paid $100 per day, teachers were not paid according to the efforts they had put in, said  journalist Dale Russakoff in a report by Business Insider.