Achieve, Inc.

Achieve, Inc. Achieve, Inc. is a nonprofit organization founded in 1996 in Washington, D.C., to support statewide standards and assessment initiatives aligned with college- and career-ready expectations. The organization has engaged with a range of state education agencies, corporate foundations, foundations, and national consortia to influence policy and practice related to standards-based reforms and assessment systems.

History

Achieve, Inc. originated in 1996 amid nationwide debates following the enactment of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act, the passage of the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994, and discussions that involved stakeholders from the National Governors Association, the Council of Chief State School Officers, and corporate funders such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Early activity included collaborations with state chief executives like Bill Clinton-era education advisors and state chiefs associated with the American Legislative Exchange Council and networks of governors such as Tom Ridge and George Pataki. Throughout the 2000s Achieve worked at the intersection of initiatives linked to the No Child Left Behind Act implementation debates, the evolution of the Common Core State Standards Initiative, and assessment consortia conversations involving the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers and the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. By the 2010s Achieve had partnered with state education agencies, philanthropic entities comparable to the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Ford Foundation, and policy groups like the Brookings Institution and the American Enterprise Institute to advance standards alignment and accountability, while interacting with federal actors in the U.S. Department of Education and members of Congress including those on the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Mission and Programs

Achieve's stated mission emphasizes college- and career-ready standards and the alignment of standards, assessment systems and graduation requirements; programmatic work has included technical assistance for states, development of policy frameworks, and convening stakeholders such as state chiefs from the National Association of State Boards of Education, leaders from the Education Commission of the States, and representatives from higher education institutions like the American Council on Education and the Association of American Universities. Program areas have addressed content standards in subjects referenced by organizations such as the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the National Science Teachers Association, and the Modern Language Association; college-readiness metrics associated with testing organizations like the College Board and the ACT, Inc.; and career-readiness frameworks influenced by workforce partnerships with groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Skills Coalition. Initiatives have produced reports and tools used by state departments of education, local school districts such as those under the Council of the Great City Schools, and education advocacy groups including the Teach For America network and the Education Trust.

Governance and Funding

Achieve is governed by a board drawn from corporate leaders, state education officials, and higher education representatives with ties to organizations like the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, the Business Roundtable, and university systems such as the State University of New York and the University of California. Funding sources historically have included philanthropic foundations such as the Gates Foundation, corporate contributors aligned with companies like Microsoft Corporation and Intel Corporation, and project grants involving federal programs administered by the Institute of Education Sciences and partnerships with national nonprofits like The Aspen Institute. Financial reporting and audit practices reflect common standards used by nonprofit entities such as Independent Sector and regulatory oversight comparable to filings with the Internal Revenue Service and interactions with state charity regulators.

Partnerships and Advocacy

Achieve has formed partnerships with state education agencies, national consortia such as PARCC-affiliated states and Smarter Balanced, professional associations including the National Association for Music Education and the American Federation of Teachers, and policy organizations like Education Week and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute to advocate for aligned standards, assessments, and accountability practices. The organization has engaged with corporate partners from sectors represented by Business Roundtable members and collaborated in coalitions alongside groups such as the Council of Chief State School Officers, the National School Boards Association, and higher education associations during convenings that included stakeholders from the U.S. Department of Labor and workforce development networks like Jobs for the Future.

Criticism and Controversies

Critics have challenged Achieve's role in standards advocacy, raising concerns similar to those levied during debates over the Common Core State Standards and federal involvement in education policy exemplified by disputes over the Every Student Succeeds Act implementation. Commentators from think tanks such as the Heritage Foundation and the Cato Institute, advocacy groups like Parents Across America, and some state legislators have questioned the influence of corporate philanthropy from entities like the Gates Foundation and corporate partners including Pearson PLC on standards and assessment policy. Controversies have included debates over assessment consortia participation, alignment with college admissions tests administered by the College Board and ACT, Inc., and the balance between state autonomy championed by the National Conference of State Legislatures and coordinated policy work promoted through national organizations.

Category:Educational organizations based in the United States