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Non-profit

Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation

Website:

cdefoundation.org/
Location:

Redwood City, CA
Tax ID:

45-0676449
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2019):

Revenue: $3,538,095
Expenses: $3,433,667
Assets: $2,360,829
Type:

Education Pass-Through
Founded:

2011

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Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation manages private donations to the California Department of Education (CDE) and collaborates with the CDE, labor unions, nonprofits, schools, and businesses to develop programs with the funding. 1 It argues the California school system has historically been and continues to be “systemically racist” and for that reason, promotes identity politics to develop initiatives within the CDE. 2

Emails from founder Tom Torlakson, sent while was State Superintendent of Public Instruction, revealed that he had been developing a partnership between the Chinese education system and the CDE. Additional emails discovered that he was also trying to help Chinese high school students in California receive preferential admissions treatment from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). 3

Background

Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation describes itself as the “fiscal manager” for the California Department of Education. It was founded in 2011 by the former state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson. 4 5 It works with the CDE to develop programming funded from private donations. 6

The nonprofit receives funding from private companies, nonprofit organizations, and several universities. 7 It describes itself as fiscal manager for the CDE, responsible for handling private donations to the agency, determining how the donations are to be used, and developing programs funded by private donations. 8

Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation uses identity politics as a foundation for developing programs and managing donations, arguing that the school system is “systematically racist.” It also states that it accounts for the variety of gender, sexual, racial, and other forms of identity in its activities. 9

Activities

In addition to funding several programs, Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation holds conventions for the CDE and its employees, California state agencies, and private organizations to fundraise and collaborate on CDE initiatives. 10

The group’s California Labor Management Initiative (CA LMI) that has been active since 2015. CA LMI has worked with more than 170 groups, partnering with labor unions and California public schools to develop practices for publicly funded schools to adopt. 11

The California Teacher Residency Lab works with professional development programs for teachers to integrate racial equity standards in their curriculum. It funds programs to increase professional development resources for teachers and increase focus on equity. 12

Emails from 2018 from then-Superintendent Tom Torlakson, who founded the group, revealed that he had been working with administrators from a Chinese high school in California named Pegasus California School to establish a “true partnership between our California education system and the Chinese education system.” Additional emails from Torlakson to Pegasus administrators also reveal that he had been working with UCLA admissions officials to help Pegasus students gain admission. 13

Funding

Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation reported on its 2020 tax returns that it had more than 100 donors that contributed $11.9 million to the foundation. 14 Some of its donors include Chevron, Heising-Simons Foundation, Seek Common Ground, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Silver Giving Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Stuart Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and Thompson Family Foundation. 15

References

  1. [1] “Who We Are.” Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation. https://cdefoundation.org/who-we-are/#funders.
  2. “CDE Foundation One Pager.” San Francisco: Californians for Dedicated Education Foundation. https://cdefoundation.org/staging/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/CDEF-Onepager-2022.pdf.
  3. Einbinder, Nicole. “Emails Obtained by Insider Show How California’s Top Education Official Helped a Private School for Wealthy Chinese Kids.” Insider. June 14, 2021. https://www.insider.com/emails-obtained-by-insider-show-how-californias-top-education-official-helped-a-private-school-for-wealthy-chinese-kids-2021-6.
  4. “Governing Board Members.” California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE). July 31, 2020. https://ccee-ca.org/about/governing-board/governing-board-members/.
  5. “Home.” Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation. https://cdefoundation.org/.
  6. “Home.” Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation. https://cdefoundation.org/.
  7. “Who We Are.” Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation. https://cdefoundation.org/who-we-are/#funders.
  8. [1] “CDE Foundation One Pager.” San Francisco: Californians for Dedicated Education Foundation. 2022. https://cdefoundation.org/staging/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/CDEF-Onepager-2022.pdf
  9. “CDE Foundation One Pager.” San Francisco: Californians for Dedicated Education Foundation. 2022. https://cdefoundation.org/staging/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/CDEF-Onepager-2022.pdf
  10. “CDE Foundation One Pager.” San Francisco: Californians for Dedicated Education Foundation. 2022. https://cdefoundation.org/staging/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/CDEF-Onepager-2022.pdf
  11. “California Labor Management Initiative.” Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation. https://cdefoundation.org/cde_programs/clmi/.
  12. “California Teacher Residency Lab.” Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation. https://cdefoundation.org/cde_programs/thelab/.
  13. Einbinder, Nicole. “Emails Obtained by Insider Show How California’s Top Education Official Helped a Private School for Wealthy Chinese Kids.” Insider. June 14, 2021. https://www.insider.com/emails-obtained-by-insider-show-how-californias-top-education-official-helped-a-private-school-for-wealthy-chinese-kids-2021-6.
  14. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation. 2020. Part III, Section 4a.
  15. “Who We Are.” Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation. https://cdefoundation.org/who-we-are/#funders.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: June - May
  • Tax Exemption Received: June 1, 2011

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2019 Jun Form 990 $3,538,095 $3,433,667 $2,360,829 $494,206 N $2,632,527 $904,749 $809 $140,525 PDF
    2018 Jun Form 990 $2,489,807 $3,662,765 $2,171,668 $409,473 N $1,457,411 $1,021,400 $895 $119,800 PDF
    2017 Jun Form 990 $5,242,730 $4,986,000 $2,254,285 $347,982 N $4,431,384 $808,554 $932 $117,800 PDF
    2016 Jun Form 990 $2,479,246 $2,861,322 $1,846,473 $196,900 N $1,498,421 $957,208 $1,117 $107,943
    2015 Jun Form 990 $2,924,132 $3,250,787 $2,359,703 $328,054 N $1,741,592 $937,887 $1,433 $173,883 PDF
    2014 Jun Form 990 $3,410,937 $1,968,233 $2,695,171 $336,867 N $2,599,360 $755,430 $3,599 $92,777 PDF
    2013 Jun Form 990 $788,516 $878,705 $1,067,516 $60,801 N $780,801 $2,800 $4,915 $79,500 PDF
    2012 Jun Form 990 $1,244,543 $147,639 $1,097,195 $638,047 N $1,241,902 $0 $2,641 $0 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation

    260 Main Street, Suite 200
    Redwood City, CA