ERN is even getting involved in local school board races, in this case in Buffalo:

A national education reform group based in New York City is pouring more than $50,000 into Buffalo's Board of Education elections this year.

Education Reform Now has identified three candidates it believes would support its agenda, which includes increasing the number of charter schools and linking teacher compensation to performance.

The group's financial support appears likely to eclipse the money spent by the other two key players in the race, the Buffalo Teachers Federation and the Buffalo Niagara Partnership. Each of those groups estimated they would be spending about $10,000 this year, although final tallies will not be publicly disclosed for several weeks.

Joe Williams, the executive director of Education Reform Now, said the nonprofit has been involved with a number of legislative issues at the state level, including efforts to lift the cap on charter schools.

The group has sent out slick, full-color postcards to support three candidates…

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