Clegg Named Entrepreneur of the Year

Published October 1, 2000

Each year the Association of Education Practitioners and Providers presents its Entrepreneur of the Year Award to an individual who goes “above and beyond” to demonstrate the benefits of entrepreneurship in education. This year’s recipient was Jack Clegg, president of Nobel Learning Communities–the nation’s largest operator of private schools.

Nobel is unique among private school operators: Unlike the fast-growing but as-yet unprofitable Edison Schools or the shrinking and financially ailing TesseracT, Nobel’s educational services do not operate at a loss.

“It’s not a money problem in public education, it’s a money management problem,” said Clegg, speaking at EdVentures 2000 in Detroit at the end of July. Inefficiencies in the public system are robbing children of their right to a good education, he added. “We can provide private school education for less than the cost of public education.”

Nobel currently has 153 schools and revenues of $127 million. Clegg wants to expand to 500 schools in five years with estimated revenues of $500 million. He said Nobel intends to continue to be number one in private schools in the nation, and also plans to become number one in special education schools.