The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation and Institute: Influence for Hire

Abstract

According to a recent publicly available filing with the Internal Revenue Service, the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation (or Institute) is “the nation’s leader in advancing educational excellence for every child through quality research, analysis, and commentary, as well as on-the-ground action and advocacy in Ohio.” To the untrained eye, the education reform establishment may appear to be separate organizations with different missions, points of view, and staffs. To the more patient observer, the same cast of characters cycles through the offices, web pages, and publications of a legally and financially related network of organizations. And, the Fordham principals can be found at the center of the web, deciding who (and who does not) gets to belong in the education reform establishment. “Influence” seems to be a recurring, overarching theme in the work of the Fordham organizations. Which prompts the question: for what purpose? Is the influence used to make the world a better place for all, or just for those wielding the influence? Is the influence a means to an end, or an end in itself?

Keywords: Thomas B. Fordham, Fordham Foundation, Fordham Institute, Education, School, Philanthropy, Checker Finn, Chester A. Finn, Jr., Michael Petrilli, Thelma Fordham Pruett, Third Rail Politics, Non Profit, 501c3, State Standards, Benchmarking, Common Core, CCSS, Koret Task Force, Dayton, Ohio, Charters

JEL Classification: I20, I21