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Political Party/527

Democrats for Education Reform (DFER)

Website:

dfer.org/
Location:

New York, NY
Type:

Political Action Committee (PAC)
Formation:

2007
Status:

Affiliated with Education Reform Now (ERN)
Executive Director:

Jorge Elorza

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Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) is a political action committee (PAC) associated with left-of-center education activist organization Education Reform Now (ERN). 1 2

DFER shares staff with ERN 3 and supports Democrats and Democratic Party-aligned education policy at the national and state-level. 4 5 The group is committed to the far-left concept of anti-racism, advocates for the critical race theory-influenced concept of racial justice, 6 and believes that the concept of “systemic racism” is within the American education system. 7

In 2009, DFER prepared a transition memo for the Obama administration’s Department of Education transition efforts. The group continues to work closely 180 Democratic-affiliated officials at the federal, state, and local levels on education policy. 8 9 DFER’s policy positions are occasionally at odds with teachers’ unions due to the organization’s support of certain kinds of school choice, public charter schools, and teacher-evaluation systems. 10

Background

Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) was formed in 2007. 11

Jorge Elorza is the CEO of DFER. He is also the CEO of DFER-affiliated Education Reform Now (ERN). Previously, Elorza was the elected mayor of Providence, Rhode Island. He has expressed support for the critical race theory-influenced concept of education equity and is a co-founder of the Latino Policy Institute. 12

Activities and Funding

Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) is a left-of-center education-focused political action committee (PAC) 13 14 that supports Democratic Party-aligned education reform at the national and state level. 15 16

DFER is a partner organization of left-of-center education policy advocacy nonprofit organization Education Reform Now (ERN) and the affiliated Education Reform Now Advocacy. With ERN, DFER lobbies and leads campaigns to pass legislation to increase public school choice, 17 the critical race theory-influenced concept of resource equity, and other issues. 18 Occasionally DFER has been at odds with teachers’ unions due to the organization’s support of certain kinds of school choice, charter schools, and teacher-evaluation systems. 19

DFER is committed to the far-left concept of anti-racism, advocates for the critical race theory-influenced concept of racial justice, 20 supports the far-left concept that systemic racism is within the American education system, and works to remedy what it identifies as a history of “systemic inequity” in American education. 21

DFER has an independent expenditure committee (IEC) and state-level operations in Colorado, Connecticut, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Washington, D.C. 22 23 In 2008, DFER played a role in shaping the education policies of then-Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), U.S. Senate candidate Michael Bennet (D-CO), and then-Newark, New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker (D). Prior to the 2008 Democratic National Convention, DFER gathered Democratic Party leaders including U.S. Representative James Clyburn (D-SC) to form education policies for the party. 24

In 2009, DFER prepared a transition memo for the Obama administration’s Department of Education transition efforts. The group continues to work closely 180 Democratic-affiliated officials at the federal, state, and local levels on education policy as of 2023. 25 26

Political Activities

Democrats for Education Reform endorses political candidates 27 and directly supported 93 candidates in the 2020 and 2021 election cycles. 28 During the 2022 election cycle, DFER’s independent expenditure committee (IEC) “poured” money into local elections across the country. The IEC spent $700,000 on local elections in 2020 and more than $500,000 in the 2018 election cycle. 29

In 2023, DFER attacked the Republican-led House of Representatives’ fiscal year 2024 budget, claiming that it was an “attack on public education.” 30

Also in 2023, DFER opposed the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board’s decision to approve a Catholic charter school, calling it a “sectarian charter school” and attempting to contrast the school’s funding with that of public charter schools. In a statement criticizing the decision, DFER called for Democrats to stand against public dollars being used to support religious instruction. 31 32

Funding

Democrats for Education Reform receives its money from grants and contributions, primarily from the affiliated Education Reform Now Advocacy. 33 Outside contributions to DEFR are routed through the Democratic-aligned donation platform Democracy Engine. 34

DFER receives funding from Education Reform Now Advocacy for its state-level activities, lobbying, and advocacy efforts. In 2019, DFER received $87,000 from Education Reform Now Advocacy for lobbying and advocacy efforts. 35 DFER’s national organization also received $210,000 from the group in 2018. 36

In 2016, DFER’s Washington, D.C., chapter received $300,000 from Alice Walton, the daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton. That same year, DEFR’s Illinois chapter received $535,100 and Washington PAC received $336,400 from the Education Reform Now Advocacy. 37

In 2015, DFER received $400,000 from Memphis Education Fund Inc. 38

References

  1. 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/.
  2. “Democrats for Education Reform.” Democrats for Education Reform LinkedIn Page. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/company/democrats-for-education-reform/about/.
  3. 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/.
  4. “Our Values.” Democrats for Education Reform. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/about/values/.
  5. “About Us.” Democrats for Education Reform. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/about/.
  6. “Our Values.” Democrats for Education Reform. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/about/values/.
  7. “Our Values.” Democrats for Education Reform. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/about/values/.
  8. “DFER Origin Story.” Democrats for Education Reform. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/about/dfer-origin-story/.
  9. “About Us.” Democrats for Education Reform. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/about/.
  10. Stein, Perry. “The education group putting big money into this D.C. election cycle.” Washington Post. June 7, 2022. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/06/07/dc-school-board-election-contributions/.
  11. “DFER Origin Story.” Democrats for Education Reform. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/about/dfer-origin-story/.
  12. “Meet DFER CEO Jorge Elorza.” Democrats for Education Reform. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/about/meet-dfer-ceo-jorge-elorza/.
  13. 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/.
  14. “Democrats for Education Reform.” Democrats for Education Reform LinkedIn Page. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/company/democrats-for-education-reform/about/.
  15. “Our Values.” Democrats for Education Reform. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/about/values/.
  16. “About Us.” Democrats for Education Reform. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/about/.
  17. Fosdal, Victoria. “ERNA Warns Republicans Over Impact of Education Disinvestments.” Democrats for Education Reform. August 23, 2023. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/2023/08/23/erna-warns-republicans-over-impact-of-education-disinvestments/.
  18. “About Us.” Democrats for Education Reform. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/about/.
  19. Stein, Perry. “The education group putting big money into this D.C. election cycle.” Washington Post. June 7, 2022. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/06/07/dc-school-board-election-contributions/.
  20. “Our Values.” Democrats for Education Reform. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/about/values/.
  21. Our Values.” Democrats for Education Reform. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/about/values/.
  22. “Donate.” Democrats for Educational Reform. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://www.dferlist.org/page/DFER.
  23. “About Us.” Democrats for Education Reform. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/about/.
  24. “DFER Origin Story.” Democrats for Education Reform. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/about/dfer-origin-story/.
  25.  “DFER Origin Story.” Democrats for Education Reform. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/about/dfer-origin-story/.
  26. “About Us.” Democrats for Education Reform. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/about/.
  27. “DFER LA PAC Announces 13 Endorsements for 2023 Statewide Elections. Democrats for Education Reform. September 12, 2023. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/2023/09/12/dfer-la-pac-announces-13-endorsements-for-2023-statewide-elections/.
  28.  “About Us.” Democrats for Education Reform. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/about/.
  29. Stein, Perry. “The education group putting big money into this D.C. election cycle.” Washington Post. June 7, 2020. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/06/07/dc-school-board-election-contributions/.
  30. Fosdal, Victoria. “DFER Condemns House Committee Republicans’ FY 24 Draft Budget.” Democrats for Education Reform. July 19, 2023. Accessed November 23, 2023. https://dfer.org/2023/07/19/dfer-condemns-house-committee-republicans-fy-24-draft-budget/.
  31. Elorza, Jorge. “DFER Condemns Approval of Sectarian Charter School. June 4, 2023. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://dfer.org/2023/06/05/dfer-response-to-sectarian-charter-decision/.
  32. Perez, Juan Jr. “Oklahoma approves nation’s first public religious charter school.” Politico. June 5, 2023. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/05/oklahoma-approves-public-religious-charter-school-00100269.
  33. “Memphis Education Fund Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2015. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/473660677/201613359349300906/full.
  34. “Donate.” Democrats for Educational Reform. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://www.dferlist.org/page/DFER.
  35. “Education Reform Now Advocacy Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2019. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/260596684/202023119349301372/full.
  36. “Education Reform Now Advocacy Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2018. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/260596684/201903109349302890/full.
  37. “Education Reform Now Advocacy Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2016. Schedule C. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/260596684/201732779349301558/full.
  38. “Memphis Education Fund Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2015. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/473660677/201613359349300906/full.
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Democrats for Education Reform (DFER)


New York, NY