FILE - In this Sept. 8, 2009, file photo Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates speaks at the "Get Schooled" conference hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Viacom in Los Angeles. The Gates Foundation has been by far the biggest player in the school reform movement, spending around $200 million a year on grants to elementary and secondary education. Now the foundation is taking unprecedented steps to influence education policy, spending millions of dollars to sway how the federal government distributes $5 billion in grants to overhaul public schools. AP Photo logo AP Photo 3 months ago

FILE - In this Sept. 8, 2009, file photo Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates speaks at the "Get Schooled" conference hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Viacom in Los Angeles. The Gates Foundation has been by far the biggest player in the school reform movement, spending around $200 million a year on grants to elementary and secondary education. Now the foundation is taking unprecedented steps to influence education policy, spending millions of dollars to sway how the federal government distributes $5 billion in grants to overhaul public schools.

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  1. WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 27: Microsoft founder Bill Gates (2nd L) and his wife Melinda Gates (3rd L) leaves after addressing a weekly Republican policy luncheon in the U.S. Captiol October 27, 2009 in Washington, DC. Gates has been on Capitol Hill to promote the idea of more U.S. funding of global health and foreign aid.
  2. In this image released by PictureGroup, Jessie McCartney performs during The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Viacom hosted "Get Schooled" conference and premiere of TV documentary at the Paramount Pictures Lot on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009 in Los Angeles.

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  1. Bill Gates, right, and his wife Melinda speak to students at an appearance at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009.
  2. Microsoft founder Bill Gates (R) cuts a ribbon with chairman of Hillman Foundation Henry Hillman during a dedication ceremony for the Gates Center for Computer Science and the Hillman Center for Future-Generation Technologies at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania September 22, 2009.
  3. In this image released by PictureGroup, Bill Gates, left, and his wife Melinda, right, pose with President and Chief Executive Officer of Viacom Philippe Dauman at the "Get Schooled" conference and premiere hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Viacom on Tuesday Sept. 8, 2009, in Los Angeles.
  4. Microsoft founder Bill Gates talks to students at an appearance at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009.
  5. Microsoft founder Bill Gates delivers a speech during a dedication ceremony for the Gates Center for Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania September 22, 2009.
  6. Microsoft founder Bill Gates delivers a speech during a dedication ceremony for the Gates Center for Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania September 22, 2009.
  7. WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 27: Microsoft founder Bill Gates (2nd L) and his wife Melinda Gates (3rd L) leaves after addressing a weekly Republican policy luncheon in the U.S. Captiol October 27, 2009 in Washington, DC. Gates has been on Capitol Hill to promote the idea of more U.S. funding of global health and foreign aid.
  8. This undated handout photo provided by the State Department shows Rajiv Shah. The Obama administration will nominate Shah, a former executive with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to run America's top foreign assistance program, the U.S. Agency for International Development.
  9. In this image released by PictureGroup, Bill Gates, left, and his wife Melinda, right, pose with President and Chief Executive Officer of Viacom Philippe Dauman at the "Get Schooled" conference and premiere hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Viacom on Tuesday Sept. 8, 2009, in Los Angeles.
  10. Singer Jesse McCartney performs at the "Get Schooled" conference and premiere hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Viacom in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009.
  11. Singer Jesse McCartney performs at the "Get Schooled" conference and premiere hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Viacom in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009.
  12. Singer Jesse McCartney performs at the "Get Schooled" conference and premiere hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Viacom in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009.
  13. MUNICH, GERMANY - OCTOBER 07: Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft Corporation Steve Ballmer addresses the media during a news conference on October 7, 2009 in Munich, Germany. Ballmer talked about the upcoming launch of the new Windows 7 computer operating system.
  14. MUNICH, GERMANY - OCTOBER 07: Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft Corporation Steve Ballmer looks on during a news conference on October 7, 2009 in Munich, Germany. Ballmer talked about the upcoming launch of the new Windows 7 computer operating system.
  15. MUNICH, GERMANY - OCTOBER 07: Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft Corporation Steve Ballmer looks on during a news conference on October 7, 2009 in Munich, Germany. Ballmer talked about the upcoming launch of the new Windows 7 computer operating system.
  16. MUNICH, GERMANY - OCTOBER 07: Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft Corporation Steve Ballmer addresses the media during a news conference on October 7, 2009 in Munich, Germany. Ballmer talked about the upcoming launch of the new Windows 7 computer operating system.

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