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    Democrats for Education Reform

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    Democrats for Education Reform
    Democrats for Education Reform logo.jpg
    Basic facts
    Location:New York, New York
    Type:PAC
    Website:Official website

    Democrats for Education Reform was founded as a political action committee (PAC) focused on education. Based in New York City, DFER is led by Joe Williams. The organization had offices in Washington, D.C., and nine states including Arizona, Colorado, and Illinois, as of April 2014.[1] The group advocates the establishment of charter schools, de-unionization of public school teachers, and expansion of standardized testing.

    Mission[edit]

    As of May 2017, the website of DFER listed the following mission statement for the organization:[2]

    “ We are Democrats leading a political reform organization that cultivates and supports leaders in our party who champion America's public schoolchildren.[3] ”

    History[edit]

    DFER was founded in 2007 by a number of New York hedge fund managers, including Whitney Tilson, R. Boykin Curry IV, and John Petry. The group was founded as an alternative to the more mainstream Democratic Party positions on changes in the education system. According to Philanthropy Roundtable, the group started as a "lobbying, funding and advocacy group that plans to challenge the entrenched party power of teachers’ unions and other education sector interests, who largely define the official Democratic position on education issues."[4]

    Work[edit]

    In July 2014, The Washington Post characterized DFER's activities, writing that the group "has for years supported Obama’s reform agenda and supported the spread of public charter schools."[5] In its statement of principles, DFER calls for changes to public education through the establishment of charter schools. A portion of their principles reads:[6]

    “ We support leaders in our party who have the courage to challenge a failing status quo and who believe that the severity of our nation’s educational crisis demands that we tackle this problem using every possible tool at our disposal. We believe that reforming broken public school systems cannot be accomplished by tinkering at the margins, but rather through bold and revolutionary leadership. This requires opening up the traditional top-down monopoly of most school systems and empowering all parents to access great schools for their children.[3] ”

    Democratic National Convention, 2008[edit]

    The organization first came into the national spotlight in 2008 at the Democratic National Convention, according to the Los Angeles Times. The paper reported:[7]

    “ That year’s Democratic National Convention included a DFER seminar that received little publicity at the time, but has since been recognized as the start of a shift in how the party handles education. The idea was to move policymaking from the hands of teachers unions and let 'education reform' -- the group’s term for a more technocratic way of thinking around schools -- lead the way.[3] ”

    Democratic National Convention, 2016[edit]

    During the 2016 Democratic National Convention, the party chose to revise the platform language concerning standardized tests, charter schools, and teacher evaluation. According to The Washington Post, DFER opposed the revised language, releasing a statement that said the new platform language supported policies that harmed "the prospects of low-income and minority children." DFER's statement also said, "President Obama has made clear that the best way to strengthen our system is not just with more resources, but reforms that ensure our children are progressing. Our party’s platform should build upon that legacy."[8]

    Political activity[edit]

    In Colorado, the PAC spent $8,414.90 on the school board election in Denver Public Schools, which was held on November 5, 2013. This total included $2,000 each to Barbara O'Brien, Rosemary Rodriguez, Mike Johnson, and Landri Taylor, who all won election to the board.[9]

    According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the following is a breakdown of the money raised and spent by Democrats for Education Reform in federal election cycles from 2006 to 2016:

    Annual revenue and expenses for Democrats for Education Reform, 2006–2014
    Election Year Total Raised Total Spent
    2016[10] $83,609 $83,456
    2014[11] $106,390 $101,746
    2012[12] $53,830 $52,321
    2010[13] $184,133 $182,892
    2008[14] $170,770 $165,391
    2006[15] $92,017 $91,316

    Leadership[edit]

    As of May 2017, the website for DFER listed the following individuals as the organization's national staff:[16]

    • Shavar Jeffries, National president
    • Charles Barone, Policy director
    • Patrick van Keerbergen, National political director
    • Kathleen Nugent Hughes, Chief of staff and state operations
    • Tanya Y. Mitchell, Chief financial officer
    • Mike Larson, Development director
    • Takirra Winfield Dixon, Communications director

    Legal status[edit]

    DFER is a political action committee (PAC). PACs are political committees established and administered by corporations, labor unions, membership organizations or trade associations. The general definition is a group that spends money on elections, but is not run by a party or individual candidate. However, PACs can donate money to parties or candidates they support. These committees raise funds either from individuals associated with the corporation (Separate Segregated Funds) or from any individuals who wish to contribute to the committee (Nonconnected PACs).[17] Nonconnected PACs are financially independent and pay for themselves via the contributions they raise. Separate segregated funds are funded by the organization they are associated with.[18]

    Opposition[edit]

    The financial backing for DFER has been a source of opposition from other education advocates. DFER's funding largely comes from private interests. Diane Ravitch, a progressive education expert, has called DFER a "Wall Street hedge fund managers’ group."[19] In 2013, the Democratic Party of California denounced the group, saying DFER "is funded by corporations, Republican operatives and wealthy individuals dedicated to privatization and anti-educator initiatives, and not grassroots democrats or classroom educators."[20]

    Recent news[edit]

    This section links to a Google news search for the term "Democrats + for + Education + Reform"

    Democrats for Education Reform News Feed

    See also[edit]

    External links[edit]

    Footnotes[edit]

    1. ↑ Democrats for Education Reform, "Contact DFER," accessed April 11, 2014
    2. ↑ Democrats for Education Reform, "Statement of Principles," accessed May 22, 2017
    3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    4. ↑ Philanthropy Roundtable, "Democrats for Education Reform," May/June 2007
    5. ↑ The Washington Post, "'Education reform' now a pejorative term to many progressive Democrats," July 28, 2014
    6. ↑ Democrats for Education Reform, "Statement of Principles," accessed August 3, 2015
    7. ↑ Los Angeles Times, "The new face of Democrats who support education reform," September 3, 2015
    8. ↑ The Washington Post, "Democrats make education revisions to 2016 platform — and a key reformer is furious," July 12, 2016
    9. ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "Details for the January 15, 2014 - Report of Contributions and Expenditures," accessed April 11, 2014
    10. ↑ Open Secrets, "Democrats for Education Reform," accessed May 22, 2017
    11. ↑ Open Secrets, "Democrats for Education Reform," accessed August 3, 2015
    12. ↑ Open Secrets, "Democrats for Education Reform," accessed August 3, 2015
    13. ↑ Open Secrets, "Democrats for Education Reform," accessed August 3, 2015
    14. ↑ Open Secrets, "Democrats for Education Reform," accessed August 3, 2015
    15. ↑ Open Secrets, "Democrats for Education Reform," accessed August 3, 2015
    16. ↑ Democrats for Education Reform, "National Staff," accessed May 22, 2017
    17. ↑ FEC "Quick Answers," accessed August 9, 2013
    18. ↑ FEC "SSFs vs Nonconnected," accessed August 9, 2013
    19. ↑ Diane Ravitch's Blog, "Breaking News! California Democratic Party Blasts Corporate Education Reform: UPDATE," accessed August 3, 2015
    20. ↑ Persephone's Mother, "California Dem’s Resolving not to be suckered by corporate 'reformers,'" accessed August 3, 2015
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