Abstract: This Philanthropy magazine's essay on the late John Walton examines his significant influence on the charter school movement and expansion of school choice options. The Walton Family Foundation has given more than $700 million to education causes, with much of it being devoted to supporting charters. Under John Walton’s leadership, the foundation provided more than 500 charter schools with start-up capital of up to $250,000 each. The article discusses how Walton built a network of state charter school organizations, support groups, and advocacy groups to help the schools improve and to bolster the schools in often hostile political environments. "I don’t know if we'd have a charter school movement without John Walton," remarks Kim Smith, executive chairman and co-founder of NewSchools Venture Fund. The essay includes numerous examples of Walton's generous spirit and noteworthy impact on the national charter school movement.
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