Foundation for Excellence in Education

Foundation for Excellence in Education
Name	Foundation for Excellence in Education
Type	Nonprofit advocacy organization
Founded	2007
Founder	Jeb Bush
Headquarters	Tallahassee, Florida
Area served	United States
Focus	Education reform

Foundation for Excellence in Education The Foundation for Excellence in Education is a United States-based nonprofit advocacy organization established to influence public K-12 education policy and reform efforts. It advocates for standards, accountability, and policy models associated with state-level leaders and national organizations, engaging policymakers, think tanks, and philanthropic institutions to promote legislative change and program adoption.

History and founding

The organization was established in 2007 by Jeb Bush following his tenure as Governor of Florida, drawing on networks that included figures from The Heritage Foundation, American Enterprise Institute, Brookings Institution, and the Gates Foundation. Early alliances connected the Foundation with state leaders such as Rick Scott, Scott Walker, Bobby Jindal, and Chris Christie who sought model policies for No Child Left Behind Act waivers, Common Core State Standards Initiative, and Race to the Top applications. The Foundation collaborated with advocacy groups like Stand For Children, Teach For America, Achieve, Inc., and Education Trust and engaged consultants from McKinsey & Company, Gartner, and Boston Consulting Group. It hosted forums featuring policymakers including Arne Duncan, Michelle Rhee, Bill Gates, and Tony Blair and coordinated policy briefings alongside state education chiefs such as Gerald Robinson and Mike Flanagan.

Mission and goals

The Foundation states objectives aligning with school choice proponents and standards-based reformers, promoting policies such as charter schools, virtual schools, voucher programs, and performance-based teacher evaluations modeled after initiatives in Florida, Indiana, and Arizona. It frames goals through partnerships with philanthropic actors like Walton Family Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, Laura and John Arnold Foundation, and Lumina Foundation. The Foundation's advocacy intersects with policy instruments including Every Student Succeeds Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and state adoption of Common Core State Standards Initiative-related frameworks, while engaging legal and policy experts from Hoover Institution, Manhattan Institute, and Cato Institute.

Leadership and organization

Leadership has included founders and executives drawn from political and policy circles, with boards featuring former governors, education secretaries, and corporate executives connected to Bush family networks, Koch Industries-associated donors, and philanthropic leaders like Rebekah Mercer-era allies. The Foundation's advisory councils have included former officials such as Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney allies, and education leaders aligned with NewSchools Venture Fund and EdisonLearning. Organizational structure comprises policy teams, state outreach staff, communications professionals, and event coordinators who liaise with state chiefs, legislative leaders, and advocacy coalitions including National Governors Association, Council of Chief State School Officers, and State Educational Technology Directors Association.

Policy initiatives and programs

Initiatives promoted best practice models including expanded charter schools, expanded school choice mechanisms, competency-based progression inspired by pilots in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, and digital learning platforms similar to those used by K12 Inc. and Connections Academy. The Foundation supported policy toolkits for state legislators on teacher evaluation reforms used in New York, Tennessee, and Ohio, advocated for data-driven instruction practices seen in Florida and Texas, and championed portability policies resembling Indiana's voucher program. Programs included conferences and summits attended by leaders such as Betsy DeVos, Arne Duncan, Randi Weingarten, Diane Ravitch, Sal Khan, and Eli Broad, and partnered with entities like Council for Chief State School Officers, National School Boards Association, and Education Week.

Funding and financial structure

Funding sources have included major philanthropies and corporate donors linked to education reform, such as Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Walton Family Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Lumos Foundation, and donors associated with Koch network. Financial support also came from education technology firms, charter management organizations like KIPP, Success Academy Charter Schools, and education service providers including Pearson PLC and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. The Foundation's nonprofit status placed it among peer organizations like Philippine Business for Education-style actors in governance networks, filing financial statements and Form 990 disclosures typical of 501(c)(3) organizations and engaging grantmaking intermediaries such as Tides Foundation and Arabella Advisors-linked funds.

Criticism and controversies

Critics from advocacy groups such as Diane Ravitch-aligned organizations, American Federation of Teachers, and National Education Association argued the Foundation promoted market-based reforms criticized by Randi Weingarten, Cornel West, and other public education advocates. Controversies included debates over ties to donors in the Koch network, influence on state policy during Race to the Top and Every Student Succeeds Act implementation, and conflicts flagged by investigative journalists from outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and ProPublica. Opponents cited concerns similar to disputes over charter school oversight in New Orleans and funding transparency issues raised in campaigns around voucher programs in Indiana and Ohio, while supporters pointed to reforms credited in Florida and elsewhere.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in the United States