Our Mission
To advance bold, evidence-based education policies that:
- Strengthen accountability and improve outcomes for all students.
- Translate research into action at the federal, state, and local levels.
- Ensure our education system fulfills its promise of opportunity, equity, and excellence for every child.
Our Vision
A future where every child in America—no matter their zip code, income, or identity—has access to an abundance of educational opportunities that prepare them to flourish and to contribute to a thriving democracy.
Our Values
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CourageWe are unafraid to challenge the status quo, even when it’s politically difficult, because students deserve excellence now. We pursue bold change and stay grounded in our conviction that delivering results for students and families is the North Star guiding our work.
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ExcellenceWe pursue excellence in everything we do—from the ideas we advance to the impact we deliver. We hold ourselves and our partners to the highest standards of rigor, integrity, and execution. Excellence is not perfectionism but the relentless pursuit of better—through learning, feedback, and accountability. Every action reflects our commitment to quality, purpose, and measurable results.
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Equity of OpportunityWe work to close opportunity gaps and ensure every child—regardless of race, income, zip code, or ability—has access to excellent schools and the resources they need to succeed.
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Family EmpowermentFamilies deserve the power and opportunity to choose the learning environments that help their children thrive. True agency means empowering families through equitable access, meaningful options, and systems that honor family choice as a cornerstone of public education.
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Civic ResponsibilityWe believe it’s our moral obligation to ensure every child receives an excellent education—one that prepares them to be engaged citizens grounded in democratic values. Our responsibility extends beyond policy; it’s about delivering outcomes that honor families’ trust, strengthen communities, and uphold education as a public good and the cornerstone of a just, inclusive democracy.
Who We Are
Education Reform Now (ERN) is a nonpartisan, non-profit research and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all students, regardless of background, have access to a high-quality education that unlocks their full potential. We focus on bold, evidence-based policies that drive real change for real results. Working at the federal, state, and local levels, we translate research into action and push for meaningful implementation to improve outcomes for millions of students nationwide.
Our mission is grounded in the belief that public education is not a system to be preserved but a promise to be fulfilled; and that families deserve agency, options, and the resources to help their children learn, grow, and thrive.
Since 2008
Jorge Elorza
Meet Our CEO
Jorge Elorza is Chief Executive Officer of Democrats for Education Reform. He served two terms as mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, where he undertook bold actions to advance a social and racial justice agenda. This included taking the unprecedented step to engage the state Department of Education to turn around the city’s chronically underperforming school system, creating the city’s Eat, Play, Learn Initiative to expand out-of-school enrichment, and launching a nationally recognized African American Ambassador Group to bring Black leaders into the center of policymaking. Notably, he invested $400 million into repairing school buildings, and supported the expansion of high-quality public charter schools.
Born and raised in Providence, Mayor Elorza is a graduate of Classical High school, the University of Rhode Island, and Harvard Law School. Prior to being elected mayor, he was a legal aid attorney, he served as a Providence Housing Court Judge, and he co-founded the Latino Policy Institute while he served as a professor at Roger Williams University School of Law. Jorge lives with his wife, Stephanie, and his son, Omar, in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Providence.