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It's no surprise that a majority of school districts are facing budget cuts and diminished funding by state and federal government.  Instead of decreasing the opportunities they can offer students, some schools are innovating their way to larger budgets.

The trend toward corporate sponsorships in schools is growing. While it may sound degrading to the institution of education at first, consider the alternatives: cutting beneficial programs or raising taxes (again and more this time).

D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty is looking toward other schools already in the naming rights game for estimating the potential. In California, hundreds of thousands of dollars have been handed over to schools from corporate sponsors like Nike and Pepsi to sponsor big sporting events. Texas high schools have raised millions by allowing corporate sponsors to name their football fields.

"I think it's a good thing. I think there should be public-private partnerships in schools," Fenty says."I don't think the government should just try and do everything themselves.  I think there's a way to do it and make sure that you're keeping a separation from donors who support schools and athletic facilities from some who are just looking for benefits from the government.

With many schools are in dire need of funding, corporate sponsorships are an efficient means to not only maintain the status quo of current educational opportunities, but to possibly improve the scope of curricular and athletic outlets for students.

Yet, critics bemoan the potential for more branding to creep into young people's learning environment.  Indeed, branded principal's offices and lunchrooms could be intrusive.

Realizing the need for additional funding sources for education, but seeking a less intrusive method to offer sponsorships, a new vertical search solution company is focusing on the institution's needs, while addressing student learning opportunities and parental involvement strategies.

The company, Educated Search Inc. delivers customizable search results for educational institution websites in a controlled, child-safe online environment. The synergistic solution enables its clients to capitalize on five emerging trends:

• The growth of the Internet as an important tool in the learning process
• Rising concerns about the safety of the Internet for children
• Shifting of advertising spending from traditional "mass" methods to more targeted methods, specifically paid placement advertising, through Internet search engines
• The need for non-government or tax-based funding outlets by educational institutions
• Rising demand for more relevant and targeted search results among Internet users, specifically local products and services

Powered by Vortaloptics' patent-pending search engine technology, Educated Search believes that building educational sites with only human-reviewed, safe and relevant information for students and families will promote safety and community. Curriculum-related search results comprise the majority of the online platform, with local search offering a value-added benefit for parents and families to connect with trusted local businesses.  Unobtrusive local advertising and corporate sponsorships are tactfully displayed according to institution-selected options within the search portal.

Benefits to each group of constituents are clear and valuable. Students gain a better resource for their studies because the content is tailored to their curriculum, and the search function is accessible from within the classroom and at home. Site visitors (parents, teachers, community members) receive only targeted, relevant local search results and student-friendly, brand-building sponsor exposure. Local businesses benefit from a managed online campaign, ensuring easy distribution of their message to local consumers who are actively looking for the products and services they offer. Sponsors gain the benefit of preferred placement and branding in the local search engine and favored status among families as a contributor to the quality of their child's education.

Educated Search puts the focus back where it should be: on the quality of learning opportunities for students. Now, schools can provide a student-focused research solution that also supplements their dwindling budgets and brings their local community together to support their school.