CERU Publications

The Commercialism in Education Research Unit publishes an annual report on schoolhouse commercialism, an annual report on the EMO/CMO industry, and a variety of other documents related to school commercialism and privatization.

NEPC Document Use Policy: NEPC publications are provided free of cost to NEPC’s readers, who may make non-commercial use of them as long as NEPC and its authors are credited as the source. For inquiries about commercial use, please contact NEPC at nepc@colorado.edu.

Time for a Pause: Without Effective Public Oversight, AI in Schools Will Do More Harm Than Good.

Policy Brief

Ben Williamson, Alex Molnar, and Faith Boninger

March 5, 2024

photo of filing cabinets with a key attached

We Need Better Education Policy. Summit Public Schools Shows Why.

Research Brief

Alex Molnar, Faith Boninger, Anna Noble, and Meenakshi Mani

September 21, 2023

Virtual Schools in the U.S. 2023

Research Brief

Alex Molnar, Gary Miron, Shelby Hagle, Charisse Gulosino, Bryan Mann, Luis A. Huerta, Jennifer King Rice, Amanda Glover, and Kayla Bill

May 11, 2023

This Seemingly Benign Education App Seems Harmless. It Isn’t.

Newsletter

March 10, 2022

Virtual Schools in the U.S. 2021

Research Brief

Alex Molnar, Gary Miron, Michael K. Barbour, Luis A. Huerta, Sheryl Rankin Shafer, Jennifer King Rice, Amanda Glover, Nathan Browning, Shelby Hagle, and Faith Boninger

May 6, 2021

New Report Provides Reality Check on Virtual Schools

Resource Document

Valerie Strauss, Alex Molnar, and Faith Boninger

May 6, 2021

Profiles of For-Profit and Nonprofit Education Management Organizations: Fifteenth Edition

Research Brief

Gary Miron, Charisse Gulosino, Christopher Shank, Najat Elgeberi, Caryn Davidson, Fanny Hernandez De Alvarez, Brandy Jurdzy, Judith Larsen, Dung Pham, Kelly Ruder, Laura Urdapilleta, and Jessica Urschel

February 25, 2021

Issues to Consider Before Adopting a Digital Platform or Learning Program

Policy Brief

Faith Boninger, Alex Molnar, and Michael K. Barbour

September 24, 2020

Big Claims, Little Evidence, Lots of Money: The Reality Behind the Summit Learning Program and the Push to Adopt Digital Personalized Learning Platforms

Research Brief

Faith Boninger, Alex Molnar, and Christopher Saldaña

June 25, 2020

New Concerns Raised About a Well-Known Digital Learning Platform

Resource Document

Valerie Strauss, Alex Molnar, and Faith Boninger

June 25, 2020

Children’s Data Privacy During COVID-19 Closures: 10 Questions to Ask

Newsletter

April 9, 2020

Misuse of Screens in Schools: An Action Kit to Help Parents

Newsletter

February 20, 2020

New Report on Virtual Education: ‘It Sure Sounds Good. As It Turns Out, It’s Too Good to Be True.’

Resource Document

Valerie Strauss and Alex Molnar

May 29, 2019

Virtual Schools in the U.S. 2019

Research Brief

Alex Molnar, Gary Miron, Najat Elgeberi, Michael K. Barbour, Luis A. Huerta, Sheryl Rankin Shafer, and Jennifer King Rice

May 28, 2019

Personalized Learning and the Digital Privatization of Curriculum and Teaching

Research Brief

Faith Boninger, Alex Molnar, and Christopher Saldaña

April 30, 2019

How Corporate Interests Are Overtaking Well-Intentioned Goals of Personalized Learning

Resource Document

Valerie Strauss, Alex Molnar, and Faith Boninger

April 30, 2019

Examining the New Phenomenon of Teachers as Brand Ambassadors

Research Brief

Christopher Saldaña, Kevin G. Welner, Susan Malcolm, and Eleanore Tisch

January 17, 2019

Full-Time Virtual and Blended Schools: Enrollment, Student Characteristics, and Performance

Research Brief

Gary Miron, Christopher Shank, and Caryn Davidson

May 1, 2018

Why We’re Glad that the National Education Policy Center Deleted Its Facebook Account

Resource Document

Alex Molnar and Faith Boninger

April 5, 2018

Asleep at the Switch: Schoolhouse Commercialism, Student Privacy, and the Failure of Policymaking

Research Brief

Faith Boninger, Alex Molnar, and Kevin Murray

August 15, 2017

Learning to be Watched: Surveillance Culture at School

Research Brief

Faith Boninger and Alex Molnar

May 17, 2016

How Companies Learn What Children Secretly Want

Resource Document

Faith Boninger and Alex Molnar

March 17, 2016

How to Create and Maintain Civil Society Space

Policy Memo

Alex Molnar and Faith Boninger

September 18, 2015

School-Based Marketing Threats to Children’s Well-Being Intensify

Newsletter

September 9, 2015

On the Block: Student Data and Privacy in the Digital Age

Research Brief

Alex Molnar and Faith Boninger

April 9, 2015

Schoolhouse Commercialism Leaves Policymakers Behind

Research Brief

Alex Molnar, Faith Boninger, Ken Libby, and Joseph Fogarty

March 11, 2014

Profiles of For-Profit and Nonprofit Education Management Organizations: Fourteenth Edition – 2011-2012

Research Brief

Gary Miron and Charisse Gulosino

November 26, 2013

Representative CERU Publications (prepared for United Nations Consultation on “The Impact of Advertising on Cultural Rights”)

Resource Document

Alex Molnar

October 28, 2013

Promoting Consumption at School: Health Threats Associated with Schoolhouse Commercialism

Research Brief

Alex Molnar, Faith Boninger, Michael D. Harris, Ken Libby, and Joseph Fogarty

April 18, 2013

Privatization, Politics, and Policymaking in Public Education

Resource Document

Alex Molnar

March 1, 2012

Profiles of For-Profit and Nonprofit Education Management Organizations: Thirteenth Annual Report - 2010-2011

Research Brief

Gary Miron, Jessica Urschel, Mayra A. Yat Aguilar, and Breanna Dailey

January 6, 2012

The Educational Cost of Schoolhouse Commercialism

Research Brief

Alex Molnar, Faith Boninger, and Joseph Fogarty

November 7, 2011

Profiles of Nonprofit Education Management Organizations: 2009-2010

Research Brief

Gary Miron and Jessica Urschel

December 15, 2010

Profiles of For-Profit Education Management Organizations: Twelfth Annual Report - 2009-2010

Research Brief

Alex Molnar, Gary Miron, and Jessica Urschel

December 9, 2010

Effectively Embedded: The Thirteenth Annual Report on Schoolhouse Commercializing Trends: 2009-2010

Research Brief

Alex Molnar, Faith Boninger, Gary Wilkinson, Joseph Fogarty, and Sean Geary

December 2, 2010

Policy and Statutory Responses to Advertising and Marketing in Schools

Legislative Brief

Alex Molnar, William S. Koski, and Faith Boninger

January 13, 2010

Profiles of Nonprofit Education Management Organizations: 2008-2009

Research Brief

Gary Miron and Jessica Urschel

October 15, 2009

Click: The Twelfth Annual Report on Schoolhouse Commercialism Trends: 2008-2009

Research Brief

Alex Molnar, Faith Boninger, Gary Wilkinson, and Joseph Fogarty

October 6, 2009

Profiles of For-Profit Educational Management Organizations: 2008-2009

Research Brief

Alex Molnar, Gary Miron, and Jessica Urschel

September 14, 2009

Marketing of Food in Schools: Little Educational or Nutritional Content

Legacy Publication

Alex Molnar

May 29, 2009

Profiles of Nonprofit Education Management Organizations: 2007-2008

Research Brief

Gary Miron and Jessica Urschel

December 23, 2008

At Sea in a Marketing-Saturated World: The Eleventh Annual Report on Schoolhouse Commercialism Trends: 2007-2008

Research Brief

Alex Molnar, Faith Boninger, Gary Wilkinson, and Joseph Fogarty

September 22, 2008

Profiles of For-Profit Education Management Organizations: 2007-2008

Research Brief

Alex Molnar, Gary Miron, and Jessica Urschel

July 30, 2008

The Commercial and Non-Commercial in Education: A Dialogue

Legacy Publication

Alex Molnar

November 17, 2007

Adrift: Schools in a Total Marketing Environment. The Tenth Annual Report on Schoolhouse Commercialism Trends: 2006-2007

Research Brief

Alex Molnar and Faith Boninger

October 1, 2007

Profiles of For-Profit Education Management Organizations: 2006-2007

Research Brief

Alex Molnar, David R. Garcia, Gary Miron, and Shannon Berry

August 1, 2007

A National Survey of the Types and Extent of the Marketing of Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value in Schools

Research Brief

Alex Molnar, David R. Garcia, Faith Boninger, and Bruce Merrill

January 1, 2006

The Ninth Annual Report on Schoolhouse Commercialism Trends: 2005-2006

Research Brief

Alex Molnar

January 1, 2006

Profiles of For-Profit Education Management Organizations: 2005-2006

Research Brief

Alex Molnar and David R. Garcia

January 1, 2006

Empty Calories: Commercializing Activities in America's Schools

Research Brief

Alex Molnar and David R. Garcia

November 1, 2005

Profiles of For-Profit Education Management Organizations: 2004-2005

Research Brief

Alex Molnar, David R. Garcia, Carolyn Sullivan, Brendan McEvoy, and Jamie Joanou

April 1, 2005

School Commercialism and Adolescent Health

Legacy Publication

Alex Molnar

January 1, 2005

Cashing in on the Classroom

Legacy Publication

Alex Molnar

January 1, 2004

Virtually Everywhere: Marketing to Children in America's Schools

Research Brief

Alex Molnar

January 1, 2004

Profiles of For-Profit Education Management Organizations: 2003-2004

Research Brief

Alex Molnar

January 1, 2004

The Commercial Assault on Children and the School Environment

Legacy Publication

Alex Molnar

January 1, 2003

Profiles of For-Profit Education Management Organizations: 2002-2003

Research Brief

Alex Molnar, Glen Wilson, and Daniel Allen

January 1, 2003

Parents, Are You Aware of the Commercialism Activity in Your School? You Should Be

Legacy Publication

Alex Molnar

January 1, 2003

Sold Out: Corporate Marketing in America's Schools

Legacy Publication

Alex Molnar

January 1, 2003

No Student Left Unsold

Research Brief

Alex Molnar

January 1, 2003

School Commercialism, Student Health, and the Pressure to Do More With Less

Research Brief

Alex Molnar

January 1, 2003

Profiles of For-Profit Education Management Companies: 2001-2002

Research Brief

Alex Molnar, Glen Wilson, Melissa Restori, and John Hutchinson

January 1, 2002

Salem-Keizer School District and Pepsi Pouring Rights

Legacy Publication

Alex Molnar

January 1, 2002

The Corporate Branding of Our Schools

Legacy Publication

Alex Molnar

January 1, 2002

Commercializing Schools: A Threat to Our Children's Health

Legacy Publication

Alex Molnar

January 1, 2002

The Market in Theory Meets the Market in Practice: The Case of Edison Schools

Policy Brief

Gerald W. Bracey

January 1, 2002

What's in a Name? The Corporate Branding of America's Schools

Research Brief

Alex Molnar

January 1, 2002

Profiles of For-Profit Education Management Companies: 2000-2001

Research Brief

Alex Molnar, Jennifer Morales, and Alison Vander Wyst

January 1, 2001

Corporate Involvement in Schools: Time for a More Critical Look

Legacy Publication

Alex Molnar

January 1, 2001

Buy Me! Buy Me!

Legacy Publication

Alex Molnar and Joseph A. Reaves

January 1, 2001

Buy Me! Buy Me!

Research Brief

Alex Molnar and Joseph A. Reaves

January 1, 2001

Companies and Organizations Involved in Schoolhouse Commercializing Activities

Legacy Publication

Alex Molnar

January 1, 2001

Commercials as Curriculum

Legacy Publication

Alex Molnar and Jennifer Morales

October 5, 2000

Looking for Funds in All the Wrong Places

Policy Brief

Alex Molnar

January 1, 2000

Colonizing Our Future: The Commercial Transformation of America's Schools

Legacy Publication

Alex Molnar

January 1, 2000

Profiles of For-Profit Education Management Companies: 1999-2000

Research Brief

Alex Molnar, Jennifer Morales, and Alison Vander Wyst

January 1, 2000

Commercialism@School.com

Research Brief

Jennifer Morales and Alex Molnar

January 1, 2000

ZapMe! Linking Schoolhouse and Marketplace in a Seamless Web

Legacy Publication

Alex Molnar

January 1, 2000

The Commercial Transformation of American Public Education

Legacy Publication

Alex Molnar

January 1, 1999

Integrating the Schoolhouse and the Marketplace: A Preliminary Assessment of the Emerging Role of Electronic Technology

Legacy Publication

Alex Molnar

January 1, 1999

Profiles of For-Profit Education Management Companies: 1998-1999

Research Brief

Alex Molnar, Jennifer Morales, and Alison Vander Wyst

January 1, 1999

Chronology of Edison Project Funding

Research Brief

Alex Molnar

January 1, 1999

Cashing in on Kids

Research Brief

Alex Molnar

January 1, 1999

The Hidden Costs of Channel One: Estimates for the 50 States

Research Brief

Max B. Sawicky and Alex Molnar

January 1, 1998

Education Interview of the Month: Greg Smith Interviews Faith Boninger and Alex Molnar About Personalized Learning and Digital Privatization

FYI

Gregory A. Smith, Faith Boninger, and Alex Molnar

May 14, 2019

Education Interview of the Month: Greg Smith Interviews Faith Boninger on Student Privacy

FYI

Gregory A. Smith and Faith Boninger

September 21, 2017