A crash course on one man’s schools for profit

Chris Whittle believes it’s possible to reform public education and get rich doing it, and his epic (or as many contend, foolhardy) struggle to turn that vision into reality is crisply captured in “Public Schools Inc.,” tonight’s edition of “Frontline” (9 p.m., KCET).

Whittle, an entrepreneur whose success retooling Esquire magazine helped bankroll later endeavors, moved into education in the 1980s with the launch of Channel One, a news station for students broadcast into schools across the country. There was at least one major hitch, however: The channel would carry commercials aimed at kids, and that was enough to turn off California and New York, which led others to pass on the controversial start-up.

But the experience gave Whittle another idea: replace failing public schools with his network of brand-new private schools. He even had a name for his plan: the Edison Project. His reputation tarnished by the Channel One defections, he persuaded Yale President Benno Schmidt to quit his post and come aboard, and soon they were off and running. And then tripping -- over unions, administrators, parents and investors.

A cookie-cutter formula for “McSchools” that was doomed from the start? Or a bold plan for reform dashed by a lethargic, change-fearing system? Deciding which makes for an intriguing hour of viewing.