In the Spotlight

The Gates Foundation, funded by Bill and Melinda Gates of Microsoft, of course, spent $373 million last year on education, and $80 million on education lobbying, according to The New York Times. This Times story says the Gates Foundation will be spending $3.5 billion over the next six years on education, and about 15 percent of that on education lobbying efforts, such as a push to end firing practices based on seniority.