Mandatory Credit: Photo by Masatoshi Okauchi/REX/Shutterstock (5737366j) Reed Hastings Netflix contents presentation, Tokyo, Japan - 27 Jun 2016
The Netflix billionaire has been quietly pulling permits for a 2,100-acre luxury ranch/retreat nestled in the foothills. Sold at a price-tag of just over $11 Million the large stretch of undeveloped land is just 25 mins southwest of the Denver metro area.
For some time, Hastings has been one of the largest donors and advocates for education reform in the US. With the goal of reinvigorating America’s struggling school system, it seems that a newly established foundation will operate this retreat as a training facility for public school teachers.
He is one of many California tech billionaires who have started taking an interest in education reform. In typical silicon valley fashion, these entrepreneurs wish to disrupt and change the system. While at first glance it may seem as if dollars being allocated to public schools isn’t bad, the methods of funding and what is funded are certainly ripe for critique.
Calls for more accountability for teachers, more testing, and the expansion of alternative schools aimed at closing America’s achievement gaps are popular talking points in the education reform movement. However, a lot of the reforms championed by these tech leaders have uncertain results, leaving many to question truly how effective they really are in the long run.
Many opponents to the idea that big tech can save public schools continue to point out how reformers are very often blaming educators for factors that are well beyond their control, such as economic circumstances and irregular funding from district to district.
This new training center has been in the works for quite some time, called The Retreat Land at Lone Rock, now seems to be somewhat of a priority for Mr. Hastings. With frequent visits to the area in the last 5 years to shore up permits and proper documentation with the local government.
Public records filed in Park County seem to indicate that this retreat is going to be pretty ambitious — A spa, plenty of guest cabins, and conference centers spread across the massive piece of foothills. From what we see, we could even expect, at the very least, a partial opening in March of 2021.
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