Stand for Children

Stand for Children
Name	Stand for Children
Type	Nonprofit organization
Founded	1996
Founder	Jonah Edelman, Elyse Cherry, others
Headquarters	Portland, Oregon, United States
Areas served	United States
Focus	Education advocacy

Stand for Children is a U.S.-based advocacy organization focused on improving outcomes for students through policy, community organizing, and public campaigns. Founded in the mid-1990s, the group has engaged in state-level and national efforts involving school funding, teacher evaluation, early childhood initiatives, and voter mobilization. It operates through a combination of grassroots organizing, policy research, and electoral advocacy.

History

Stand for Children traces origins to a coalition formed after the 1996 election cycle that included activists, philanthropists, and education reformers such as Jonah Edelman and Elyse Cherry. Early initiatives connected with state-level movements in Oregon, Arizona, and Colorado, and the organization expanded during the 2000s into campaigns that intersected with efforts by groups like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Annenberg Foundation, and state education departments. During the 2010s the organization became active in policy debates alongside entities such as the National Education Association, AFT (American Federation of Teachers), and the U.S. Department of Education. Stand for Children has collaborated with advocacy networks including Every Student Succeeds Coalition-style coalitions, local school boards, and nonprofit partners like Teach For America-aligned initiatives. Key historical moments include involvement in ballot measure campaigns, litigation-related advocacy intersecting with state supreme courts, and participation in national convenings alongside figures from the Council of Chief State School Officers and the Education Commission of the States.

Mission and Programs

The organization’s mission emphasizes improving student outcomes by advancing policies on school funding, literacy, equity, and accountability. Programmatic efforts have included K–12 literacy campaigns, early childhood investments, and teacher effectiveness initiatives that overlap with policy frameworks promoted by the Every Student Succeeds Act and predecessors such as the No Child Left Behind Act. Stand for Children’s programs often partner with state education agencies, local school districts, advocacy groups like the Learning Policy Institute, and philanthropic intermediaries including the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Initiatives have addressed issues related to school facilities funding, graduation rate improvement, dropout prevention, and community engagement, sometimes coordinating with parent-led groups, civil rights organizations such as the NAACP, and juvenile justice reform advocates.

Organizational Structure and Leadership

The organization is structured with a national office and state-level affiliates, employing a mix of policy analysts, field organizers, and communications staff. Leadership historically included a chief executive officer and a board of directors with members drawn from the nonprofit, philanthropic, and corporate sectors, reflecting connections to institutions like the Ford Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, and regional civic leaders. State affiliate governance has involved local executive directors, volunteer boards, and partnerships with municipal school board members and state legislators. The organization has engaged seasoned education policy professionals who previously worked with entities such as the U.S. Department of Education, state education chiefs, and national think tanks like the Brookings Institution.

Funding and Financials

Stand for Children’s funding portfolio has combined philanthropic grants, individual donations, and political expenditures through affiliated political action entities. Major philanthropic backers over time have included foundations associated with high-profile donors linked to the Gates family, the Walton Family Foundation, and other national funders of education reform. Fundraising practices have involved major-donor strategies and grant agreements with intermediary funders; expenditures have covered field operations, policy research, and campaign advertising. Financial reporting has shown allocations to state campaigns, national staffing, and communications; oversight intersects with nonprofit reporting norms as seen among organizations in proximity to the Council on Foundations-connected philanthropic sector. The organization has also made use of affiliated 501(c)(4) or similar vehicles for advocacy spending, in a manner comparable to other advocacy groups active in state-level elections.

Advocacy and Political Activities

Stand for Children has engaged in electoral mobilization, ballot measure campaigns, and lobbying on state legislative priorities. Activities have included get-out-the-vote operations targeting parents and caregivers, campaign ad buys, and coalition-building with civil rights organizations, teachers’ unions, and school board advocacy groups. The group has supported initiatives to increase school funding, reform teacher evaluation systems, and expand early childhood access, aligning at times with policy agendas advanced by networks such as the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee or partnering with bipartisan allies, including municipal officials and state governors’ offices. Legal and policy advocacy has intersected with litigation brought before state courts and with rulemaking processes involving state departments of education.

Criticism and Controversies

Stand for Children has faced criticism from a range of stakeholders including teachers’ unions like the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers for policy stances on teacher evaluation and charter schools. Critics have raised concerns about the influence of large philanthropic donors, drawing parallels to debates surrounding the Gates Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation in public education reform. Opponents have also scrutinized the organization’s use of affiliated political vehicles, campaign expenditures, and relationships with education-reform think tanks such as the Thomas B. Fordham Institute or Education Trust. Controversies have arisen during high-profile ballot campaigns and state legislative fights, prompting public debate involving local school boards, parent coalitions, and civil rights advocates.

Category:Nonprofit organizations based in the United States