StudentsFirst organizes its policy agenda into three categories: "elevate teaching," "empower parents," and "govern well."[4]
Under what it calls "elevate teaching," StudentsFirst has sought to eliminate the "last in, first out"—or LIFO -- seniority system for laying off public school teachers,[1] based on the premise that such a system promotes a sense of "adult entitlement" among teachers.[5] The organization also supports teacher evaluation systems based on improvement in student test scores,[1] and does not believe such assessment systems cause teachers to alter the test scores.[6]
"Empower parents" refers broadly to policies that allow for increased choice in where a student attends school, such as increasing accessibility to charter schools and providing opt-out options for students whose local public school is deemed "low-performing." StudentsFirst supports parent trigger laws, such as the California law that served as the plot for the movie Won't Back Down.
"Govern well" refers to policies in regards to school spending and resource allocation.[7]
In January 2013, StudentsFirst published a "policy report card" evaluating each of the 50 states' public educations laws and rules against its own policy agenda.[8] The survey suggested states publicly finance charter schools, institute test-linked "performance pay packages" for teachers, repeal laws capping class sizes, and end teacher tenure. No state received an "A" and only two states, Florida and Louisiana, received "B"s.
Political activity
According to the Los Angeles Times, StudentsFirst "spent nearly $2 million" in the 2012 general election cycle "to support 105 candidates across the country,"[9] 90 of whom were Republicans.[10]
The organization has received seed money from the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, a backer of educational reform in school districts.[6] As of May 2011, it had 21 staff members, and planned to engage in lobbying, the drafting of legislation and the backing of candidates for elected office.[6]
In October 2011, StudentsFirst launched an initiative to defend Michigan Republican Paul Scott against a recall effort,[20] dedicating nearly $70,000 to the initiative.[21] Scott's opponent in the upcoming race, Bobbie Walton, said StudentsFirst's involvement in the local election was "evidence of a national push to discredit teachers unions."[22][neutrality is disputed] On November 8, 2011 Scott was recalled.[23]
Appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2010, Rhee announced a goal of raising $1 billion and garnering one million members. In actuality, the organization reported it have raised $7.8 million in its first fiscal year and $28.5 million in its second.[26]
