By Additional Needs, Inc.
In today’s world of quick clicks and outrage headlines, a recent article about Bono’s connection to a UK-based network of special education schools drew attention—mostly because of his name, not the real issue at hand. The story raises valid concerns about private investment in education for students with additional needs, particularly when profit appears to come before progress. Yet the way this story was framed—emphasizing Bono’s financial involvement rather than the actual conditions and outcomes of the schools—misses a much more urgent point: our systems are broken, and we need new models that actually work.
Let’s be clear—there is a long history of special needs schools operating under private ownership without transparency, and with limited accountability. The consequences have been heartbreaking for many families, with students not receiving the education and support they deserve. This concern is real, and we applaud journalism that uncovers injustices that need to be addressed. But in this case, the deeper question got lost:
Can ethical investment actually improve special education—and if so, how do we ensure accountability?
The Rise Fund: Profit with Purpose?
The Rise Fund isn’t a typical private equity firm. Launched by TPG in 2016 in partnership with Bono (a member of U2) and Jeff Skoll (founder of Participant Media), it includes an advisory board made up of leaders in education, business, philanthropy, and the arts—such as Laurene Powell Jobs (founder of Emerson Collective), Mellody Hobson (Co-CEO of Ariel Investments), and Mo Ibrahim (founder of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation). Bono’s involvement helped draw public attention to the growing field of impact investing: the belief that you can generate measurable, positive social outcomes alongside financial returns.
That idea—while not new—is radical in practice. And often controversial.
Following the acquisition of Outcomes First Group (OFG) in 2023, The Rise Fund affirmed its commitment to enhancing OFG’s clinical capabilities and embedding robust impact measurement systems. However, public evidence of completed reforms remains limited, making it too early to confirm the full extent of implementation. Still, the model itself raises an important possibility worth exploring.“
Instead of simply asking who profits, we should also be asking: What are the actual outcomes for students and families today—not just what’s reported, yet what’s experienced in the classroom, at home, and in the long term?
Why This Matters to the Additional Needs Community
At Additional Needs, Inc., we support individuals with additional needs and their families by advocating for more inclusive systems, better services, and stronger community support. We’ve seen how public schools are overwhelmed, educators are overextended, and families are exhausted from navigating systems not designed for their children to thrive.
Despite decades of funding, policy shifts, and goodwill, students with additional needs remain underserved. So when a new model—especially one backed by a diverse group of leaders with a track record of values-driven work—claims to offer solutions, we believe it deserves not just scrutiny, but supportive attention and sincere hope.
If private capital can truly empower educators, uplift families, and improve real-world outcomes—not just in theory but in daily reality—and do so transparently and in partnership with the community, then it could be the game-changer we’ve been waiting for.
The Rise Fund, with its thoughtful advisory board and clear intention to blend purpose with performance, is one of the most promising attempts we’ve seen. That fire shouldn’t be extinguished by quick outrage. It should be fanned by genuine encouragement and collective accountability.
What Accountability Must Look Like
To ensure that promise is realized, we believe any such model must meet these minimum standards:
• Transparent reporting of outcomes, including independent evaluations.
• Meaningful inclusion of families and educators in decision-making.
• Ongoing community feedback loops that inform and guide improvement.
• Real consequences for failure—financial, legal, or reputational.
• Equity at the center, not as an afterthought.
This isn’t just about trusting a firm or its board. It’s about building a new framework with shared responsibility, where everyone—investors, educators, families, and advocates—has a seat at the table and a voice in shaping outcomes.
Let’s Redirect the Spotlight
It’s easy to zero in on a celebrity’s name, especially when it’s someone like Bono. Yet the story that matters most here isn’t about him—it’s about what’s possible when bold, values-aligned leaders bring new ideas into a system that desperately needs change.
We invite journalists, investors, educators, and families alike: let’s keep asking hard questions—and keep lifting up those who dare to try something better.
Because at the heart of this conversation isn’t a business model or a celebrity headline. It’s a child. And that child doesn’t just deserve our outrage. They deserve our innovation. Our collaboration. Our very best effort.
Let’s keep the light on—and keep the fire burning.
If you have experience—good or bad—with privately run special education programs, we’d love to hear your story. Your voice matters as we work toward solutions that serve every child.
