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| Center for Education Reform | |
|---|---|
| Name | Center for Education Reform |
| Formation | 1993 |
| Founder | Michelle Rhee |
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Region served | United States |
| Leader title | President |
| Leader name | Kati Haycock |
Center for Education Reform
The Center for Education Reform (CER) is a Washington, D.C.–based nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 1993 that promotes school choice policy initiatives such as charter school expansion, voucher programs, and education reform legislation. Its activities intersect with national debates involving figures and institutions such as Michelle Rhee, Betsy DeVos, Arne Duncan, Bill Gates, and organizations including National Education Association, American Federation of Teachers, EdTrust, and Thomas B. Fordham Foundation. CER has engaged with state governments like Florida, Ohio, Arizona, California, and with federal actors in the United States Department of Education, the United States Senate, and the United States House of Representatives.
CER was established in 1993 amid policy shifts that included the passage of initiatives akin to Education Reform Act-style measures and the rise of charter school legislation in states such as Minnesota, California, and Michigan. Early interactions involved alliances and tensions with labor organizations like the American Federation of Teachers and advocacy groups such as Alliance for Excellent Education and National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. Over time CER’s timeline intersected with administrations of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump through debates on legislation comparable to No Child Left Behind Act, Every Student Succeeds Act, and budget proposals by United States Department of Education officials.
CER's stated mission emphasizes market-oriented reforms similar to agendas advanced by Milton Friedman-influenced thinkers and institutions like the Heritage Foundation, Cato Institute, and American Enterprise Institute. Core activities include policy advocacy, model legislation drafting for state legislatures such as those in Texas and New York, legal strategy coordination with groups like the Institute for Justice, and public communication campaigns involving media outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Fox News, and National Public Radio. CER has organized conferences and briefings with stakeholders from foundations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and the Carnegie Corporation.
CER advocates for expanded charter school authorization, deregulatory approaches urged by proponents within Brookings Institution-style policy circles, and various voucher and tax credit scholarship programs supported by actors like Betsy DeVos and Jeb Bush. It has opposed regulatory measures promoted by unions such as the National Education Association and supported legislation modeled on laws in Arizona and Florida that altered funding, accountability, and authorization frameworks. CER has made public statements on accountability systems like value-added assessment and on standards debates connected to initiatives such as the Common Core State Standards Initiative, interacting with think tanks like Thomas B. Fordham Foundation and advocacy groups like StudentsFirst.
CER publishes policy briefs, model legislation templates, and annual reports that analyze state-level data akin to studies from the National Center for Education Statistics, the Brookings Institution, and the Urban Institute. Its publications often reference comparative examples from systems in places like New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina, charter reforms in Colorado, and expansion models in Michigan. CER’s materials are cited in commentary by media organizations such as Education Week, Chalkbeat, and The Atlantic, and sometimes inform testimony before committees including the United States House Committee on Education and Labor.
Funding for CER has included contributions from philanthropic entities such as the Walton Family Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and other private donors often active in education philanthropy like Carnegie Corporation of New York. Governance structures have involved boards and executives who engage with networks including Charter School Growth Fund, Broad Foundation, and policy networks tied to figures like Michael Bloomberg and Eli Broad. CER’s governance and donor relationships have been a subject of transparency discussions similar to those involving other nonprofits such as KIPP Foundation and Teach For America.
CER has drawn criticism from teachers’ unions including the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association, civil rights organizations such as the NAACP and Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and education research critics linked to institutions like the Economic Policy Institute and Center for American Progress. Critics have challenged CER on issues of charter school accountability, privatization concerns raised by commentators in The Nation and Jacobin, and the influence of philanthropy paralleling debates about the Walton Family Foundation and Broad Foundation. Legal challenges and investigative reporting by outlets like ProPublica and The New York Times have examined relationships among advocacy groups, donors, and policy outcomes in states like Michigan and Arizona.
CER has influenced charter authorization statutes, voucher-related legislation, and policy debates in states including Arizona, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan, and has been involved in federal policy conversations during administrations linked to Department of Education leadership such as Arne Duncan and Betsy DeVos. Its work is cited by policymakers and think tanks including Brookings Institution, AEI, and Urban Institute, and has affected organizational strategies among networks like the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools and Charter Schools USA. The organization’s legacy is reflected in the proliferation of charter networks such as KIPP, the involvement of philanthropic funders like the Walton Family Foundation, and ongoing debates among stakeholders including civil rights organizations and labor unions such as the American Federation of Teachers.