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Non-profit

Center for Education Reform

Tax ID:

52-1847187
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2019):

Revenue: $2,552,391
Expenses: $2,343,931
Assets: $730,195
Website:

edreform.com
Location:

Washington, DC
Formation:

1994
Type:

Non-Profit
Founder and CEO:

Jeanne Allen
Founder and CEO's Salary:

$301,900 1

References

  1. Center for Education Reform, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2019, Part VII, Section A, Line 1a.

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The Center for Education Reform (CER) is a non-partisan education policy organization that advocates for the expansion of school choice in order to create innovation, improve economic outcomes, and promote freedom. 1

The Center for Education Reform is an associate member of the State Policy Network, a coalition of free-market state-level policy organizations. 2 While CER is non-partisan, members of its staff and board of directors have affiliations with both the Democratic and Republican Parties.

Activity

Founded in 1993, the Center for Education Reform advocates for the constitutionality and expansion of school choice policies. CER supports parents’ right to choose their child’s school outside of the standard district school model, with support of programs like tuition vouchers, private scholarships, and charter schools. 3 The Center for Education Reform claims that because charter schools operate using the principles of innovation, freedom, accountability, and choice, they can provide a higher quality education with a focus on students, leading to safer, stronger communities. 4

The Center for Education Reform points to a 2020 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue as a victory for school choice. The Court ruled that a provision in Montana’s Constitution, the “Blaine Amendment,” violated the free exercise clause of the U.S. Constitution, because it denied parents the choice of using scholarship funds to send their children to religious schools. CER claims that this ruling shows that it is unconstitutional to deny parents the right to choices in education, whether religious or not. 5

The Center for Education Reform claims that labor unions like the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) are working to limit educational opportunity and innovation. CER further claims that NEA and AFT intend to adopt national education platforms that include limiting education to in-person schools exclusively, decolonizing curriculum, and encouraging educators to run for local office and school boards. CER further claims these unions support replacing school police, unionizing Amazon, and supporting the Palestinians against Israel. The Center for Education Reform encourages teachers to use their Janus rights to opt out of their unions. 6

Funding

The Center for Education Reform is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. CER discloses some of its donors on its website and tax filings confirm donations from organizations like the Walton Family Foundation ($200,000 in 2014), 7 the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation ($103,356 in 2017), 8 and the Jaquelin Hume Foundation ($100,000 in 2017). 9

People

Senior Staff

Jeanne Allen is the founder and CEO of the Center for Education Reform. Allen formerly worked as an advisor at the Modern States Education Alliance, as the manager of education policy at the Heritage Foundation, and as a special assistant to former Reagan administration education secretary William J. Bennett at the Department of Education. 10

Sounding Board

Center for Education Reform’s “Sounding Board” includes leaders in education innovation and convenes its members to strengthen CER’s work. 11

Jamie Candee is the CEO of Edmentum and founder of its foundation, We Can Learn. Candee sits on the boards of Project Success and Learning Tree International. 12

Dennis Cariello formerly worked as deputy general counsel at the Department of Education. 13

Ulrik Juul Christensen serves on the boards of LEAP Innovation, the Mastery Transcript Consortium, Transcend Education, and the Center for Curriculum Redesign. 14

Denise Gallucci is the CEO of Rise Education Group and founder of The Education Partners. Gallucci is the former CEO of GEMS Education Americas. 15

Peter Ruppert is the founder and CEO of the Fusion Education Group. 16

Jane Swift is the president and executive director of LearnLaunch and serves on the board of Academic Programs International. Swift formerly served as lieutenant governor and acting governor of Massachusetts as a Republican and is the former executive chair of Ultimate Medical Academy. 17

Board of Directors

Donald Hense is secretary of the board of CER, the founder and chair of the Friendship Public Charter School, and treasurer of the D.C. Association of Charter Schools. Hense formerly worked as vice president of the National Urban League and director of development at the Children’s Defense Fund. 18

Kevin Chavous is the president of academics, policy, and schools at Stride, a technology-based education company. Chavous formerly served as a member of the Council of the District of Columbia. 19

Dave Hardy is co-founder and former CEO of Boys’ Latin of Philadelphia charter school, a founding board member of the Philadelphia School Partnership, the former executive director of Excellent Schools PA, and formerly served on the board of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. Hardy currently serves on the board of the Pennsylvania State Coalition of Public Charter Schools. 20

Nick Paradiso is the vice president of government relations and partner services at National Heritage Academies and former vice president of the New York Charter School Resource Center. Paradiso serves on Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s (D-MI) Return to School Advisory Council. 21

Janine Yass is an emeritus member of the CER board. Yass is a co-founder of Boys’ Latin of Philadelphia charter school where she formerly served as vice chair of the board, and a co-founder of the Philadelphia School Partnership. 22

References

  1. “CER’s Mission.” Center for Education Reform, 2021. Accessed September 4, 2021. https://edreform.com/about-2/.
  2. “The Network: Washington, DC.” State Policy Network, 2021. Accessed September 4, 2021. https://spn.org/directory/#DC.
  3. “Choice and Charter Schools.” Center for Education Reform, 2021. Accessed September 4, 2021. https://edreform.com/issues/choice-charter-schools/.
  4. “Just the FAQs – Charter Schools.” Center for Education Reform, 2021. Accessed September 4, 2021. https://edreform.com/2021/03/just-the-faqs-charter-schools/.
  5. “Choice is Constitutional.” Center for Education Reform, 2021. Accessed September 4, 2021. https://edreform.com/choice-is-constitutional/.
  6. “Unions Begin Meeting to Adopt National Platforms.” Center for Education Reform, July 1,2021. Accessed September 4, 2021. https://edreform.com/2021/07/unions-begin-meeting-to-adopt-national-platforms/.
  7. Walton Family Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2014, Part XV, Line 3a.
  8. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2017, Part XV, Line 3a.
  9. Jaquelin Hume Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2017, Part XV, Line 3a.
  10. “Jeanne Allen.” LinkedIn, 2021. Accessed September 4, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanne-allen-6542b915/.
  11. Center for Education Reform. “Board of Directors.” Center for Education Reform. Accessed September 21, 2021. https://edreform.com/about-2/board-of-directors/.
  12. “Jamie Candee.” Center for Education Reform, 2021. Accessed September 4, 2021. https://edreform.com/people/jamie-candee-president-and-ceo-of-edmentum/.
  13. “Dennis Cariello.” Center for Education Reform, 2021. Accessed September 4, 2021. https://edreform.com/people/dennis-cariello/.
  14. “Ulrik Juul Christensen.” Center for Education Reform, 2021. Accessed September 4, 2021. https://edreform.com/people/ulrik-juul-christensen-md-chief-executive-officer-of-area9-lyceum/.
  15. “Denise Gallucci.” Center for Education Reform, 2021. Accessed September 4, 2021. https://edreform.com/people/denise-gallucci-chief-executive-officer-of-rise-education-group/.
  16. “Peter Ruppert.” Center for Education Reform, 2021. Accessed September 4, 2021. https://edreform.com/people/peter-ruppert/.
  17. “Jane Swift.” Center for Education Reform, 2021. Accessed September 4, 2021. https://edreform.com/people/jane-swift/.
  18. “Donald Hense.” Center for Education Reform, 2021. Accessed September 4, 2021. https://edreform.com/people/donald-hense/.
  19. “Kevin Chavous.” Center for Education Reform, 2021. Accessed September 4, 2021. https://edreform.com/people/kevin-chavous/.
  20. “David Hardy.” Center for Education Reform, 2021. Accessed September 4, 2021. https://edreform.com/people/david-hardy/.
  21. “Nick Paradiso.” Center for Education Reform, 2021. Accessed September 4, 2021. https://edreform.com/people/nick-paradiso/.
  22. “Janine Yass.” Center for Education Reform, 2021. Accessed September 4, 2021. https://edreform.com/people/janine-yass/.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: March 1, 1994

    • 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 Dec Form 990 $2,552,391 $2,343,931 $730,195 $95,911 N $2,427,286 $0 $39 $399,400 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $2,098,444 $2,321,756 $1,184,791 $758,967 N $2,026,893 $0 $36 $454,999 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $1,164,299 $2,366,966 $743,380 $94,244 N $1,137,280 $0 $14 $513,682 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $4,090,687 $2,538,118 $2,021,021 $169,218 N $4,072,356 $0 $6 $293,064 PDF
    2015 Dec Form 990 $1,394,809 $1,226,791 $387,603 $88,369 N $1,391,431 $0 $6 $370,534 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $1,186,294 $1,585,334 $196,298 $65,082 N $1,185,542 $0 $5 $433,499 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $1,559,967 $1,921,629 $591,996 $61,740 N $1,608,494 $50,000 $0 $313,534 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $2,464,785 $2,072,233 $973,656 $81,738 N $2,434,206 $25,000 $0 $235,669 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990 $2,603,114 $2,295,379 $570,200 $70,834 N $2,672,033 $13,000 $0 $215,000 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)