By Lyndsey Layton | The Washington Post
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation bankrolled the effort to create and spread the Common Core State Standards across the country with astounding speed. While the idea of common academic K-12 standards came from governors and state education officials around the country, the work to turn it into reality was orchestrated by a tight-knit group of influential people, who circulated among the Gates Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education and non-profit education organizations. Here are some of those key players.
Bill Gates
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation — Co-chairman Bill Gates, the billionaire founder of Microsoft, is co-chairman of the world’s wealthiest charity, with a $40 billion endowment. With the help of the foundation's money and influence in education, the Common Core State Standards spread across the country with astounding speed. Photo courtesy of Paulo Henrique |
Melinda Gates
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation — Co-chairman Melinda Gates, Bill Gates's wife, is co-chairman of the Gates Foundation. Photo courtesy of Kjetil Ree |
Vicki Phillips
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation — Director of the U.S. education program
Vicki Phillips has been director of the U.S. education program at the Gates Foundation since 2007. She was secretary of education in Pennsylvania and ran the Portland Public Schools
Vicki Phillips has been director of the U.S. education program at the Gates Foundation since 2007. She was secretary of education in Pennsylvania and ran the Portland Public Schools
Gene Wilhoit
Student Achievement Partners — Partner
Gene Wilhoit, was executive director of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) from 2006 to 2012. He was Kentucky’s education commissioner from 2000 to 2006. CSSO has received about $28 million from the Gates Foundation since 2009 to help it advance the Common Core State Standards. In 2013, Wilhoit became a partner in Student Achievement Partners, replacing David Coleman.
Gene Wilhoit, was executive director of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) from 2006 to 2012. He was Kentucky’s education commissioner from 2000 to 2006. CSSO has received about $28 million from the Gates Foundation since 2009 to help it advance the Common Core State Standards. In 2013, Wilhoit became a partner in Student Achievement Partners, replacing David Coleman.
Michael Cohen
Achieve, Inc. — President
Michael Cohen is president of Achieve Inc., a non-profit created by the National Governors’ Association and the business community to push for higher common standards and better college preparation. Achieve, a major beneficiary of the Gates Foundation, oversaw the writing of the Common Core State Standards and then formed one of the two consortia of states that is now crafting standardized tests aligned to the Common Core.
Michael Cohen is president of Achieve Inc., a non-profit created by the National Governors’ Association and the business community to push for higher common standards and better college preparation. Achieve, a major beneficiary of the Gates Foundation, oversaw the writing of the Common Core State Standards and then formed one of the two consortia of states that is now crafting standardized tests aligned to the Common Core.
Judith Rizzo
Hunt Institute — Executive director
Judith Rizzo is executive director of the Hunt Institute, founded by former North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt, a major proponent of common academic standards. The Gates Foundation has heavily invested in the Hunt Institute, which in turn hired pollsters and strategists, including former Obama strategist Jim Margolis’ firm, to craft talking points and other communication to be used by proponents of the Common Core. The institute has convened regular conference calls among groups advocating for the standards, which were led early on by Stefanie Sanford of the Gates Foundation.
Judith Rizzo is executive director of the Hunt Institute, founded by former North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt, a major proponent of common academic standards. The Gates Foundation has heavily invested in the Hunt Institute, which in turn hired pollsters and strategists, including former Obama strategist Jim Margolis’ firm, to craft talking points and other communication to be used by proponents of the Common Core. The institute has convened regular conference calls among groups advocating for the standards, which were led early on by Stefanie Sanford of the Gates Foundation.
David Coleman
College Board — President
David Coleman worked at McKinsey, and with his fellow Rhodes scholar, Jason Zimba, founded Grow Network, a consulting firm that analyzed test data for school districts and states. While at Grow Network, Coleman did work for Vicki Phillips while she was education commissioner of Pennsylvania. The company also worked for the Chicago Public Schools while Arne Duncan was chief executive. After selling Grow Network to McGraw Hill, Coleman and Zimba founded Student Achievement Partners, a non-profit devoted to creating higher academic standards. Along with Sue Pimentel, also of Student Achievement Partners, was a lead writer of the Common Core standards in English language arts. In 2012, Coleman became the ninth president of the College Board, a non-profit that oversees the SAT college entrance exam. Student Achievement Partners has received $6.4 million from the Gates Foundation.
David Coleman worked at McKinsey, and with his fellow Rhodes scholar, Jason Zimba, founded Grow Network, a consulting firm that analyzed test data for school districts and states. While at Grow Network, Coleman did work for Vicki Phillips while she was education commissioner of Pennsylvania. The company also worked for the Chicago Public Schools while Arne Duncan was chief executive. After selling Grow Network to McGraw Hill, Coleman and Zimba founded Student Achievement Partners, a non-profit devoted to creating higher academic standards. Along with Sue Pimentel, also of Student Achievement Partners, was a lead writer of the Common Core standards in English language arts. In 2012, Coleman became the ninth president of the College Board, a non-profit that oversees the SAT college entrance exam. Student Achievement Partners has received $6.4 million from the Gates Foundation.
Jason Zimba
Student Achievement Partners — Founding partner
Jason Zimba is a physicist and mathematician who met David Coleman when both were at Oxford University as Rhodes scholars. Later, he founded Grow Network and Student Achievement Partners with Coleman. He was a lead writer of the Common Core standards in math.
Jason Zimba is a physicist and mathematician who met David Coleman when both were at Oxford University as Rhodes scholars. Later, he founded Grow Network and Student Achievement Partners with Coleman. He was a lead writer of the Common Core standards in math.
Susan Pimentel
Student Achievement Partners — Founding partner
Susan Pimentel was a consultant to the American Diploma Project, a project of Achieve Inc., which was heavily funded by the Gates Foundation. She became a co-founder of Student Achievement Partners, along with David Coleman and Jason Zimba. She and Coleman were the lead writers for the Common Core standards in English language arts.
Susan Pimentel was a consultant to the American Diploma Project, a project of Achieve Inc., which was heavily funded by the Gates Foundation. She became a co-founder of Student Achievement Partners, along with David Coleman and Jason Zimba. She and Coleman were the lead writers for the Common Core standards in English language arts.
Arne Duncan
U.S. Department of Education — Secretary
Arne Duncan received Gates Foundation funding while he was chief executive officer of the Chicago Public Schools, where he got to know Margot Rogers, the program officer for Chicago from the Gates Foundation. He was appointed U.S. Education Secretary under President Obama in 2009.
Arne Duncan received Gates Foundation funding while he was chief executive officer of the Chicago Public Schools, where he got to know Margot Rogers, the program officer for Chicago from the Gates Foundation. He was appointed U.S. Education Secretary under President Obama in 2009.
Margot Rogers
Parthenon Group — Vice Chairman and Senior Advisor
Margot Rogers was a special assistant to Vicki Phillips at the Gates Foundation and moved to the U.S. Department of Education in 2009 to become Arne Duncan's chief of staff. She left the department in 2010 to work at Parthenon Group, a consulting firm that helped Tennessee and other states with their applications for Race to the Top, efforts that has been funded by grants from the Gates Foundation.
Margot Rogers was a special assistant to Vicki Phillips at the Gates Foundation and moved to the U.S. Department of Education in 2009 to become Arne Duncan's chief of staff. She left the department in 2010 to work at Parthenon Group, a consulting firm that helped Tennessee and other states with their applications for Race to the Top, efforts that has been funded by grants from the Gates Foundation.
James Shelton
U.S. Department of Education — Deputy Secretary
James Shelton was a program director for the education division of the Gates Foundation and moved to the U.S. Department of Education in 2009, where he is now the deputy secretary under Arne Duncan. Prior to working at the Gates Foundation, Shelton was a partner at the New Schools Venture Fund, a venture philanthropy group that invests in charter schools and educational technology. New Schools Venture Fund receives heavy support for the Gates Foundation.
James Shelton was a program director for the education division of the Gates Foundation and moved to the U.S. Department of Education in 2009, where he is now the deputy secretary under Arne Duncan. Prior to working at the Gates Foundation, Shelton was a partner at the New Schools Venture Fund, a venture philanthropy group that invests in charter schools and educational technology. New Schools Venture Fund receives heavy support for the Gates Foundation.
Joanne Weiss
Weiss Associates — Independent Consultant
Joanne Weiss was a partner and chief operating officer at New Schools Venture Fund, which is heavily supported by the Gates Foundation. She moved to the U.S. Department of Education in 2009 to oversee the Race to the Top competition. She later became chief of staff to Arne Duncan before leaving the department in 2013 to run her own consulting firm.
Joanne Weiss was a partner and chief operating officer at New Schools Venture Fund, which is heavily supported by the Gates Foundation. She moved to the U.S. Department of Education in 2009 to oversee the Race to the Top competition. She later became chief of staff to Arne Duncan before leaving the department in 2013 to run her own consulting firm.
Matt Gandal
Education Strategy Group — President
Matt Gandal was the executive vice president at Achieve, Inc., where he led the American Diploma Project, which was largely funded by grants from the Gates Foundation. Achieve was involved in writing the Common Core standards. In 2011, Gandal went to work for Arne Duncan at the U.S. Department of Education, where he oversaw implementation of Race to the Top. He left the department in 2012 to work as a consultant; among his clients have been foundations, including Gates, which want to coordinate their financial support for the Common Core.
Matt Gandal was the executive vice president at Achieve, Inc., where he led the American Diploma Project, which was largely funded by grants from the Gates Foundation. Achieve was involved in writing the Common Core standards. In 2011, Gandal went to work for Arne Duncan at the U.S. Department of Education, where he oversaw implementation of Race to the Top. He left the department in 2012 to work as a consultant; among his clients have been foundations, including Gates, which want to coordinate their financial support for the Common Core.