EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY FUND: Private equity firm Sterling Partners has closed a $200 million "Education Opportunity Fund, its first-ever sector-focused fund," according to the release. This fund will "primarily focus on partnership models serving the higher education market as well as technology-relevant businesses, [and] will also invest in targeted areas across the entire student and adult learner lifecycle." Sterling partnered with USA Funds, a nonprofit that provides college financial aid support and has provided more than $200 million in grants and scholarships since 2000 to help low-income students be college- and career-ready. Founded in 1983, Sterling's education portfolio currently includes Baltimore education companies including Laureate Education and Educate, Inc. (which operates Sylvan Learning Centers and Educate Online.)
