By Bruno V. Manno, Summer 2021, for the Stanford Social Innovation Review,
Philanthropic support for the K-12 education reform movement is not immune to the institutional dysfunction and gridlock emblematic of American politics. This impasse disbanded the long-standing bipartisan K-12 reform coalition that advanced accountability in schools, which led to notable improvements in student achievement scores, especially for disadvantaged students.
The coalition’s demise has affected education philanthropy’s giving patterns. A 2019 Grantmakers for Education (GFE) member report shows that member investment in organizations advancing issues related to school accountability plummeted from 33 percent in 2015 to 5 percent in 2018. Arguably, donors who supported the accountability agenda reduced giving as the coalition dissolved.
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