This essay reviews the history of school commercialization in the USA and the forms that it has taken over time, with particular attention paid to research measuring the scope and variety of commercialization trends in US public schools. The implications of commercialization activities such as those that promote the consumption of nutritionally deficient foods and beverages are explored. The argument is made that the values inherent in the consumerist ideology used to support school privatization conflict with the democratic values on which public education has been historically based. Edison Schools is discussed as a model of the for-profit management of public schools and emerging forms of school commercialization are considered. Finally, the role of free trade agreements in promoting school commercialism and privatization is described. (Contains 1 figure.)