With nearly half its students still in the bottom fourth, the Edison school has a challenge.

"Students in nearly every Edison school are achieving more today than when the schools opened," the report says.

All but one of its eight current cities have expanded their Edison schools since beginning the relationship.

The Edison school now runs an after-school program that charges parents about $200 a month, the report said.

"It is done at Edison schools throughout the country."

At the Edison school, students will get their own computers and a longer school year.

The company, Edison Schools, appears to have kept its word.

Others said they were told that poorly performing children could be kicked out of Edison schools.

The Edison schools are meant to be open to all, with students selected at random and scholarships available for one student in five.

Edison Schools bases its approach on ten fundamentals and various core values.