Jonathan Schorr
Partner
Jonathan Schorr
Jonathan Schorr is a partner in the San Francisco office of the NewSchools Venture Fund. Jonathan leads NewSchools’ field-building efforts, including major events such as the annual Summit and the Aspen Gathering, and oversees NewSchools’ publications and public relations. In addition, like other Partners, Jonathan has responsibility for investment strategy and management. Jonathan is also a lecturer at Stanford University’s graduate school of education.
Prior to joining NewSchools, Jonathan served as Director of New Initiatives at the KIPP Foundation, overseeing the Foundation’s work in elementary schools and high schools, and its services to its alumni nationwide. KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) is a family of more than 50 high-performing inner-city public schools.
Jonathan has worked as an author, journalist and teacher. Schorr’s critically acclaimed first book, titled Hard Lessons: The Promise of an Inner-City Charter School, was published by Ballantine Books in the fall of 2002. The book was written under a fellowship from the Open Society Institute, where Schorr was a fellow. Previously, Schorr was an education reporter with the Oakland Tribune, and also has written on education in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Education Week, The Nation, Teacher Magazine, the Washington Monthly, Salon.com, and other publications. His writing has won numerous awards, including a national education writers award and the Outstanding Young Journalist prize from the Northern California Society of Professional Journalists. He serves on the board of KIPP Bridge Charter School and of Education for Change, both located in Oakland.
Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Jonathan graduated from Yale University with a degree in sociology in 1990. He taught public high school for three years in Southern California as a member of the founding corps of Teach For America before moving to Oakland, California, where he has lived since 1994.