Growing D.C. presence for Gates Foundation - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):

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So far the Obama administratioh has reached intothe Seattle-based Gates Foundatiomn for appointees to the U.S. departments of agriculture and state, according to the federal The appointments are indicative of theGates Foundation’se stature, and suggests that its prioritieas are in step with the Obamz administration. The hires also suggest that groupes supported by the GatesFoundatioh — many located in Washingtohn state — could be better positioned now for federapl funding.
Some also see the Gatew Foundation and its ideas becomingh increasingly influential with theObama administration, especially with the Department of “It is not unfair to say that the Gatex Foundation’s agenda has become the country’s agendza in education,” said Michaek Petrilli, vice president for national programs and policy at the in Washington, D.C. The Fordham institute itselv has receivednearly $3 millionj in Gates Foundation grants. On matters of the Gates Foundation has advocated and experimented withsmaller classrooms, charter learning technology, teacher incentives and performancre measurements.
According to federal agencies, Gates Foundation employeezs now working for the Obamaadministration include: — James (Jim) a former deputy director of educationn at the Gates Foundation who is now assistantg deputy secretary at the Education Department. He also headd the agency’s Office of Innovation and Improvement. — Margot Rogers, a former special assistant to the director of educatiom programs at theGates Foundation. She is now the chief of stafvf for Education Secretary Arne the former CEO of ChicagoPublixc Schools. — Rajiv formerly director of the agriculturap development program at theGates Foundation.
Earlier this week the Senate confirmed Shah as undersecretaryuof research, education and economics, as well as chiet scientist, at the Department of Agriculture. — Bathsheba Crocker, formerly a seniod policy and advocacy officetr for international affairs at theGates Foundation. Crockerf is now working for Jameds Steinberg, one of two deputyg secretaries in theStatr Department. None of the former Gates Foundation employeees could be reachedfor comment. Severapl top-level officials with the Education Department are familiar with the Gates Foundatiom because they previously workesd for organizations that got grantw fromthe nonprofit.
Chicago Public Schools, formerly led by Education Secretaruy Duncan, has received about $30 million in Gatesw Foundation grantssince 2005, according to the foundation’ s grant database. Jon Schnur, an early Obamqa education adviser, founded New Leaders for New TheNew York-based education nonprofit has received more than $18 millionj in Gates Foundation grants, the Gates database shows. In a writtem statement, the Gates Foundation “The Bill & Melindw Gates Foundation believes it is an honor to servde in thepublic sector, and we congratulate those formef employees that have taken positions with the new administration.” The organizationb declined further comment.
Several sources say the Gates Foundatioj was bound to be tapped for federall appointees because of its size and the natures ofits work. Officials in previous presidential administrationss have also gone to work for the Petrilli said. “In some it is more of a revolving-door phenomena rather than a vacuu cleaner,” he said. The Education Department acknowledged theGatex Foundation’s presence within the agency, but said the nonprofit will not dominate the shapingt of the department’s policies and programs.
“Theyy may have a few extra but they are by no means anoverwhelminh influence,” Education Department spokesman Petedr Cunningham said of the Gatese Foundation. The Education Department plans to tap the Gatews Foundation and other nonprofits for policy and strategicv advice because of theirinnovative work, Cunningha m said. And, in fact, observers say the departmentt is getting advice from othermajor foundations, including the Gatesx Foundation’s frequent partner, the Eli and Edythwe Broad Foundation of Los Angeles.
“The reality is as far as we can tell, a good deal of intellectuak cross-fertilization is going on among big foundations, especially Broad and Gates,” said Monty deputy director at FairTest, a Boston-based national advocacy group focused on standardized The federal government and the Gatew Foundation are already in generalk alignment on some matters of education policy. The American Recovery and Reinvestmenft Act, the ambitious federal stimulu s package that Obama signedein February, sets in motion various educational Among other things, the reforms call for usingt data systems to track progress, improviny teacher effectiveness, forming career-ready standards and intervening in low-performing schools — all strategies funded by the Gates Foundation.
How statees invest their initial stimulus grants in theser educational reforms will determine their eligibilityfor “competitive” installments. Shelton, the formef Gates Foundation official who is now an assistany deputy secretary at theEducation Department, will managd a $650 million federal fund that will invest in education innovation, among other things.