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Non-profit

Education Reform Now (ERN)

Website:

edreformnow.org/
Location:

New York, NY
Tax ID:

20-3687838
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2021):

Revenue: $9,742,321
Expenses: $8,168,050
Assets: $12,856,272
Type:

Education Activist Organization
Formation:

2008
Executive Director:

Jorge Elorza

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Education Reform Now (ERN) is a left-of-center education activist organization. ERN supports the far-left  Black Lives Matter movement, 1 is committed to the far-left concept of anti-racism, 2 supports race-based admissions standards for colleges and universities, opposed the Supreme Court ruling ending affirmative action for university admissions, and claims that the critical race theory-influenced concept of structural racism is “ingrained in the fibers of every institution” in the United Sates. 3

ERN has received millions of dollars in grants from the left-of-center Walton Family Foundation, including $3,772,250 in 2022, $4,000,000 in 2021, $150,000 in 2020, and $4,730,000 in 2019. 4

Background

Education Reform Now (ERN) was founded in 2006 5 and received nonprofit status from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) later that year. 6

Jorge Elorza is the chief executive officer of Education Reform Now. Elorza has supported the critical race theory-influenced concept of education equity. He is also the CEO of Democrats for Education Reform (DFER), an affiliated political action committee (PAC) 7 of ERN that supports Democratic Party-affiliated candidates and policies. 8 9

Prior to joining ERN, Elorza was the mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, where he pursued an agenda guided by the far-left concept of racial justice. He is a co-founder of the Latino Policy Institute. 10

Activities

Education Reform Now (ERN) is a left-of-center education activist organization. ERN is committed to the far-left concept of anti-racism and diversity, 11 supports race-based admissions standards for colleges and universities, opposed the Supreme Court ruling ending affirmative action, and claims that the critical race theory-influenced concept of structural racism is “ingrained in the fibers of every institution” in the United Sates. 12

ERN has state chapters in Colorado, Connecticut, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Washington, D.C. 13 It also has a national board overseeing state affiliates, 501(c)(3) and 401(c)(4) structures, and a political action committee (PAC) called Democrats for Education Reform (DEFR), with a separate board but shared staff with its related organizations. 14

ERN works to ensure the critical race theory-influenced concept of equity drives all education policy 15 and supports the far-left Black Lives Matter movement. The organization has also attempted to link what it calls the “progressive idealism” of BLM and LGBT social movements to education policy 16 and supported Biden administration efforts to use the federal government to cancel student loans. 17

ERN claims that American public schools have been rooted in the far-left concept of “inequity” since their inception. 18 The organization is committed to the critical race theory-influenced concept of anti-racism, believes the far-left concept of systemic racism is entrenched across the American education system, and focuses its policy and research efforts on the far-left concept of educational justice. 19

ERN has used the term “Latinx” to refer to Hispanic Americans and supports the Obama administration-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration policy, which grants temporary legal status to illegal immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. 20 The organization opposes school district maps, calling school-district borders similar to redlining and saying that working class and minority families are often boxed out of the best educational opportunities. 21

Grantmaking

In 2021, ERN spent $6,436,076 on programming to build a “durable network of progressive champions in the educational policymaking arena.” That same year, ERN gave its affiliated Education Reform Now Advocacy organization $4,367,252 and gave $10,000 grants to Collective Future Fund, Strive Prep, and Unite Inc. 22

Funding

Education Reform Now receives its funding from individual donations and grants. 23 In 2021, ERN reported revenue of $9,742,321 and expenses of $8,168,050. The organization reported revenue of $8,769,665 and expenses of $7,216,324. 24

ERN has received millions of dollars of grants from the left-of-center Walton Family Foundation since its launch. This includes grants of $3,772,250 in 2022, $4,000,000 in 2021, $150,000 in 2020, and $4,730,000 in 2019. 25 The left-of-center Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has given ERN at least $1,650,000 since 2017, including grants worth of $700,000 in 2021, $800,000 in 2019, and $150,000 in 2017. 26

ERN received $275,000 from the PCLB Foundation in 2023 for its Connecticut operations. 27 In 2022, ERN received $490,000 from Education Forward DC and $400,000 from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. 28 ERN also received $1,000,000 from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation in 2017 and grants worth $250,000 in both 2016 and 2014. 29 30 31

The Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego gave ERN $40,000 in 2019. 32 In 2018, ERN received  $155,000 from the New Schools Venture Fund 33 and $60,000 from the Boston Foundation. 34

References

  1. Lombardo, Marianne. “How to Link the Progressive Idealism of the Black Lives Matter, Income Inequality, and LGBT Social Movements to Education Reform.” Education Reform Now. July 29, 2023. https://edreformnow.org/2015/07/29/how-to-link-the-progressive-idealism-of-the-black-lives-matter-income-inequality-and-lgbt-social-movements-to-education-reform/.
  2. “College Advising After the Supreme Court’s Decision to Ban Race-Conscious Admissions.” Education Reform Now. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://edreformnow.org/higher-ed/college-advising-post-sffa/.
  3. Elorza, Jorge. “ERN Statement on SCOTUS Decision to End Race Conscious Admissions in Higher Ed.” Education Reform Now. June 29, 2023. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://edreformnow.org/2023/06/29/ern-statement-on-scotus-decision-on-race-conscious-admissions-in-higher-ed/.
  4. “Grants.” Walton Family Foundation. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/grants-database?q=education+reform+now&s=1.
  5. Manno, Bruno V. “NOT Your Mother’s PTA.” Education Next. Vol. 12, No. 1. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://www.educationnext.org/not-your-mothers-pta/.
  6. “Education Reform Now Inc.” Candid GuideStar. Accessed November 2, 2023. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/20-3687838.
  7. Manno, Bruno V. “NOT Your Mother’s PTA.” Education Next. Vol. 12, No. 1. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://www.educationnext.org/not-your-mothers-pta/.
  8. “Jorge Elorza.” Education Reform Now. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://edreformnow.org/author/jorge-elorza/.
  9. “Meet DFER CEO Jorge Elorza.” Democrats for Education Reform. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/about/meet-dfer-ceo-jorge-elorza/.
  10. “Jorge Elorza.” Education Reform Now. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://edreformnow.org/author/jorge-elorza/.
  11. “College Advising After the Supreme Court’s Decision to Ban Race-Conscious Admissions.” Education Reform Now. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://edreformnow.org/higher-ed/college-advising-post-sffa/.
  12. Elorza, Jorge. “ERN Statement on SCOTUS Decision to End Race Conscious Admissions in Higher Ed.” Education Reform Now. June 29, 2023. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://edreformnow.org/2023/06/29/ern-statement-on-scotus-decision-on-race-conscious-admissions-in-higher-ed/.
  13. “About Us.” Education Reform Now. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://edreformnow.org/about/#states.
  14. Manno, Bruno V. “NOT Your Mother’s PTA.” Education Next. Vol. 12, No. 1. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://www.educationnext.org/not-your-mothers-pta/.
  15. “Impact.” Education Reform Now. Accessed November 6, 2023. https://edreformnow.org/about/impact/.
  16. Lombardo, Marianne. “How to Link the Progressive Idealism of the Black Lives Matter, Income Inequality, and LGBT Social Movements to Education Reform.” Education Reform Now. July 29, 2023. https://edreformnow.org/2015/07/29/how-to-link-the-progressive-idealism-of-the-black-lives-matter-income-inequality-and-lgbt-social-movements-to-education-reform/.
  17. Murphy, James. “ERN Statement on SCOTUS Decision on Student Debt Forgiveness.” Education Reform Now. June 30, 2023. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://edreformnow.org/2023/06/30/ern-statement-on-scotus-decision-on-student-debt-forgiveness/.
  18. “Our Values.” Education Reform Now. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://edreformnow.org/about/values/.
  19. “Our Values.” Education Reform Now. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://edreformnow.org/about/values/.
  20. “Immigration is an Education Issue.” ERN. March 14, 2018. Accessed November 6, 2023. https://edreformnow.org/2018/03/14/immigration-education-issue/.
  21. DeRoche, Tom. “It’s Time to Make Open Enrollment a Civil Rights Issue.” Education Reform Now. October 10, 2023. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://edreformnow.org/2023/10/10/its-time-to-make-open-enrollment-a-civil-rights-issue/.
  22. “Education Reform Now Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2021. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/203687838/202212699349301151/fulll.
  23. “Donate to Education form Now.” Education Reform Now. Accessed November 1, 2023. https://www.classy.org/give/318322/#!/donation/checkout.
  24. “Education Reform Now.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2021. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/203687838/202212699349301151/full.
  25. “Grants.” Walton Family Foundation. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/grants-database?q=education+reform+now&s=1.
  26. “Committed grants.” Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/committed-grants?q=education%20reform%20now.
  27. “Recent Grants.” The Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/about/.
  28. “Education Reform Now.” Cause IQ. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/education-reform-now,203687838/.
  29. “Silicon Valley Community Foundation.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2017. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/205205488/201843199349319564/IRS990ScheduleI.
  30. “Silicon Valley Community Foundation.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2016. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/205205488/201743199349312944/full.
  31. “Silicon Valley Community Foundation.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2014. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/205205488/201543209349306579/full.
  32. “Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2019. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/952504044/202100829349300835/full.
  33.   “New Schools Fund.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2018. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/943281780/201942629349300109/full.
  34. “Boston Foundation Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2018. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/42104021/202001369349301630/full.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: January 1, 2006

    • 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
    2021 Dec Form 990 $9,742,321 $8,168,050 $12,856,272 $1,237,779 N $9,630,432 $67,305 $0 $214,167
    2020 Dec Form 990 $8,769,665 $7,216,324 $10,381,688 $337,466 N $8,674,871 $82,965 $0 $314,673
    2019 Dec Form 990 $11,557,585 $8,086,242 $8,981,072 $490,191 N $11,728,404 $16,039 $0 $313,576 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $5,705,104 $8,135,499 $5,565,818 $546,280 N $5,911,574 $21,426 $0 $256,425 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $10,308,568 $8,741,246 $8,336,765 $886,832 N $10,420,705 $94,070 $0 $156,478
    2016 Dec Form 990 $12,379,392 $8,220,503 $6,926,753 $1,044,142 N $12,564,018 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2015 Dec Form 990 $11,916,305 $9,422,605 $3,068,246 $1,344,524 N $11,910,711 $0 $110 $231,692 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $8,931,232 $9,895,571 $1,166,965 $1,152,344 N $8,930,483 $0 $749 $1,220,325 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $7,463,664 $6,578,665 $1,183,295 $204,335 N $7,463,293 $0 $371 $939,261 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $5,502,422 $5,521,663 $859,250 $765,289 N $5,502,271 $0 $151 $202,275 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990 $6,059,118 $6,105,774 $559,958 $446,756 N $6,048,568 $0 $4,398 $247,765 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Education Reform Now (ERN)

    276 5th Avenue, Suite 704 915
    New York, NY