Ever since New York City officials decided they might turn over at least 20 poorly-run public schools to private companies so the city could focus on its remaining schools, the for-profit school industry has shown it is a serious contender in the battle over educational reform.

One system working hard to distinguish itself is Edison Schools, the country's largest for-profit manager of public schools.

Closely following the events in New York, Edison officials have announced its pupils' test scores rose to their highest levels, and showed large increases from previous years, the New York Times reports.

On national assessment tests, Edison students performed at the 39th percentile, up from the 34th percentile a year ago. The rates increased even as the schools enrolled more poor and minority students, discounting claims the for-profit group would be unable to sustain achievement gains.

African-American students made up 55 percent of Edison's overall student body last year, compared to 46 percent in 1998. Nearly two-thirds of all Edison students qualified for free or reduced meal programs last year, "a generally recognized poverty indicator," the newspaper reports. This compares to a national public school average of 33 percent of students in these programs.

Edison -- launched in 1992 as the Edison Project -- has more than 38,000 students in 79 schools in 16 states and the District of Columbia. Its facilities essentially are still public schools, "open to all students and funded with tax dollars," the company reports.

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