As we have explored, the education non-profit sector is murkier than it first appears. Big donors like the Gates Foundation can mend public policy, while smaller donors at private institutions can impact specific change at a singular institution. All of these changes affect kids in the schooling system, however, and must be looked at as something to improve. Philanthropic giving in general and to education specifically can be used to hide nefarious practices, whether being the non-profit general goal of writing off taxes or other means of concealing funds. Education philanthropy must be shielded from this as much as possible because of the important work it does maintaining parts of the American public school system, as well as funding the private schooling sector.

Improvements to educational philanthropy must also force billionaires to disclose why they are donating money and what changes they are trying to implement. Structures and guidelines that protect curriculums and procedures from being manipulated by a single actor are a necessity because public education policy should not be set with a single voice controlling the conversation. When Common Core was passed because of Bill Gates' vision for a better schooling system rather than on hard data related to education, the US fell further behind the rest of the world in terms of its public education standards. As with other areas of philanthropy, controversy in the education sphere comes from when philanthropists try to hide the true purpose of their donations. Whether just in the education space or in the nonprofit sector in general, greater transparency would allow everyone, from bureaucrats working on shaping policy to philanthropists trying to implement their own ideas to be more successful.

Private educational philanthropy also has room for improvement. While not on the scale of university endowments, private elementary and secondary schools also sit on piles of money that they get from donors, money that could be used in more productive ways than as venture capital investments. Having guidelines that encourage and reward private educational institutions to use their donations in more proactive ways could go a long way in providing a higher educational standard outside of public schooling while also encouraging curriculums and educational experiences not viable in a public school environment. 

Controversies in educational philanthropy hold real life consequences, both for the children in the education system and for those employed by it. Taking a closer look at how outside money is spent, allocated and actually used is critical, just as it is for all aspects of philanthropy. Educational philanthropy can be a force for unbridled social progress, or it can lead to the downfall of an entire generation's educational quality. It is necessary to make sure that educational philanthropy does the former.