The Center for Leadership and Educational Equity (CLEE) is a Rhode Island-based advocacy group that claims to provide training programs for administrators and educators towards promoting equity within the New England education system. ^{1 2 3 4}

Programs

The Center for Leadership and Educational Equity (CLEE) operates several training programs towards promoting equity within the New England public education system. Such programs include “Principal Preparation,” “Continuous Improvement for Educators,” and “Facilitator Training.” ⁵

The Facilitator Training program places an emphasis on becoming “familiar with tools to take on difficult conversations.” Participants are trained to “identify and implement improvements to increase equitable outcomes for students.” ⁶

CLEE also operates the Principal Residency Network (PRN), a residency-based principal certification program for administrators of pre-K through 12^th grade schools. The program is certified to operate in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island. ⁷

Financials

In 2023, the Center for Leadership and Educational Equity (CLEE) reported $3,199,856 in revenue and $2,451,021 in expenses, with $2,022,118 in net assets. From the 2022 to the 2023 fiscal year, the total grants and contributions received by the organization rose over 300 percent, and its revenues rose over 100 percent. ⁸

On January 17, 2025, the Biden Administration‘s Department of Education awarded a 5-year $9.97 million grant to CLEE. ^{9 10 11} The award is one of 10 Mid-Phase grants through the Department’s Educational Innovation and Research Program (EIR) to promote leadership training and “retention of school leaders,” among other initiatives, in the New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. ⁴

In 2022, CLEE was also awarded what ultimately became a $9.2 million grant from the Biden Administration’s Department of Education through its Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) program for teachers and administrator training to “address the root causes of educational inequities.” ^{12 13}

In 2022, CLEE reportedly received a $349,812 grant from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation. ¹⁴ It received another $76,000 from the Foundation in 2023. ¹⁵ The Nellie Mae Education Foundation is a left-of-center nonprofit based in the New England region focused on aligning the local public school system with critical race theory policies. ¹⁶

In 2022, CLEE reportedly received a $150,000 grant from the Rhode Island Foundation. ¹⁷ It received the same amount from the Foundation in 2023. ¹⁸ The Rhode Island Foundation is a grantmaking organization that focuses on issues related to economic security, education, health and “inequity and racial disparities.” ¹⁹

People

Donna Braun is the co-founder and executive director of the Center for Leadership and Educational Equity (CLEE). Prior to co-founding CLEE, Braun was a science teacher and a school leader in Tucson, Arizona and Providence, Rhode Island. ²⁰

1. “About Us.” Center for Leadership and Educational Equity. Accessed February 6, 2025. https://www.clee.org/about-us/.
2. “Equity Statement.” Center for Leadership and Educational Equity. Accessed February 6, 2025. https://www.clee.org/about-us/equity-statement/.
3. “Our Impact.” Center for Leadership and Educational Equity. Accessed February 6, 2025. https://www.clee.org/about-us/our-impact/.
4. “The Center for Leadership in Educational Equity (CLEE) Announced Today…” LinkedIn. Accessed January 17, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/center-for-leadership-and-educational-equity_the-center-for-leadership-in-educational-activity-7285989646071644160-iUkC.
5. “Clee Programs: Center for Leadership & Educational Equity.” Center for Leadership and Educational Equity (CLEE), April 9, 2024. https://www.clee.org/programs/.
6.  “Facilitator Training: Clee Programs & Service.” Center for Leadership and Educational Equity (CLEE), March 6, 2024. https://www.clee.org/programs/facilitator-training/.
7. “Principal Residency Network (PRN): Clee Programs & Services.” Center for Leadership and Educational Equity (CLEE), May 6, 2024. https://www.clee.org/programs/principal-residency-network-prn/.
8. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Center for Leadership and Educational Equity. 2022. Part I, lines 8, 12, 18, 22.
9. “Exposing $1 Billion in Department of Education grant funding that has entrenched far-left ideologies in education.” DefendingED, December 12, 2024. Accessed February 6, 2025. https://defendinged.org/investigations/granted/.
10. “Biden Administration Races to Issue Final Grants, Spending Projects before Trump Takes Office.” NTD, November 25, 2024. https://www.ntd.com/biden-administration-races-to-issue-final-grants-spending-projects-before-trump-takes-office_1030736.html.
11. “Search: Center for Leadership and Educational Equity.” USASpending.gov. Accessed February 6, 2025. https://www.usaspending.gov/search/?hash=7cd829065436748a4e01e99f4fef8f46.
12. “CRA Budget in Focus: Department of Education.” The Center for Renewing America, February 23, 2023. Accessed January 22, 2024. https://americarenewing.com/cra-budget-in-focus-department-of-education/.
13. Project Grant FAIN: S423A220015. USASpending.gov. Accessed February 13, 2025. Available at: https://www.usaspending.gov/award/ASST_NON_S423A220015_9100
14. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Center for Leadership and Educational Equity. 2022. Schedule I, Part II – Grants and Other Assistance.
15. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Center for Leadership and Educational Equity. 2023. Schedule I, Part II – Grants and Other Assistance.
16. “Our History: Nellie Mae Education Foundation (NME).” Nellie Mae Education Foundation, October 30, 2023. https://nmefoundation.org/our-history/.
17. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). The Rhode Island Community Foundation. 2022. Schedule I, Part II – Grants and Other Assistance.
18. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). The Rhode Island Community Foundation. 2023. Schedule I, Part II – Grants and Other Assistance.
19. Rivera, Elliot A., and Alan Harlam. “Rhode Island Foundation Must Seize the Opportunity to Truly Be about the Community.” BostonGlobe.com, July 20, 2022. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/07/20/metro/rhode-island-foundation-must-seize-opportunity-truly-be-about-community/.
20. “Staff and Board.” Center for Leadership and Educational Equity. Accessed February 6, 2025. https://www.clee.org/about-us/staff-and-board/.