StudentsFirst

StudentsFirst
Name	StudentsFirst
Type	Nonprofit advocacy
Founded	2010
Founder	Michelle Rhee
Location	United States
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.

StudentsFirst StudentsFirst was an American advocacy organization founded in 2010 that promoted policy changes related to K–12 public schools, personnel, finance, and accountability. Led by Michelle Rhee, the organization engaged in state-level lobbying, electoral spending, and policy research, interacting with actors such as National Education Association, American Federation of Teachers, Bill Gates, Jeb Bush, and Teach For America. Operative across multiple states, its activities intersected with debates involving No Child Left Behind Act, Race to the Top, Common Core State Standards Initiative, and various state legislatures.

History

StudentsFirst was launched in 2010 by Michelle Rhee, who had previously served as chancellor of the District of Columbia Public Schools. Early efforts involved hiring political operatives with backgrounds in campaigns such as Forward Florida and alliances with figures tied to David and Charles Koch-funded initiatives. The group expanded rapidly during the early 2010s, opening state offices in places like California, Florida, Ohio, Texas, and New York (state), and actively participating in policy fights connected to Arne Duncan’s tenure at the U.S. Department of Education. Over time, StudentsFirst absorbed or collaborated with regional organizations, engaged in ballot measure campaigns similar to those contested in California Proposition 32 (2010), and eventually merged operations into other advocacy networks in the mid-2010s amid changing funding landscapes and electoral outcomes.

Mission and Goals

The organization articulated goals emphasizing teacher effectiveness, school accountability, and parental choice, aligning with proposals often supported by proponents of charter school expansion and merit-based compensation. Its stated objectives included promoting laws to streamline teacher dismissal procedures, revise tenure statutes, reallocate school funding formulas, and expand alternative certification paths like Teach For America. StudentsFirst advocated policy models inspired by reform efforts in districts such as New Orleans Public Schools and Milwaukee Public Schools, and referenced research from entities like the Brookings Institution and RAND Corporation in support of its positions.

Programs and Initiatives

StudentsFirst ran state policy campaigns targeting legislation on teacher tenure, evaluation systems, school finance reform, and charter authorization processes. It produced policy playbooks and legislative model bills comparable to those circulated by groups such as Education Reform Now and Stand for Children. The organization endorsed candidate scorecards and ran independent expenditure campaigns in state legislative and gubernatorial races, paralleling activities by Democracy Alliance-funded groups and state political action committees. It also promoted initiatives like support for value-added assessment approaches, expansion of charter schools, and streamlined transferability of teacher certifications across states.

Funding and Governance

Funding for StudentsFirst came from a mix of individual donors, foundations, and political contributions; notable supporters and aligned philanthropists included figures and entities associated with Bill Gates, Eli Broad, and other education funders. Governance structures featured a board of directors and state directors with prior experience in electoral politics and policy advocacy, and the organization employed lobbyists who had worked with lawmakers in bodies such as the California State Assembly and the Florida Legislature. Financial transparency and the role of dark-money funding streams were subjects of public scrutiny, particularly in contexts similar to debates involving Super PACs and nonprofit political advocacy groups.

Controversies and Criticism

StudentsFirst attracted criticism from major education stakeholders including the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers, which contested its positions on tenure, collective bargaining, and school closures. Critics linked the group to broader reform movements associated with charter school advocates and philanthropic influence from actors like Bill Gates and Eli Broad, arguing that its policies favored privatization trends observed in cases like New Orleans Public Schools post-Katrina. The organization’s use of political expenditures and lobbying drew comparisons to controversies around campaign finance exemplified by disputes over Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission outcomes. Academic researchers from institutions such as Teachers College, Columbia University and commentators in publications tied to The New York Times and The Washington Post debated the effectiveness and equity implications of the policies StudentsFirst advanced.

Impact and Evaluation

StudentsFirst influenced legislative debates in multiple states, contributing to enactment or attempted passage of laws altering teacher tenure rules, evaluation frameworks, and charter school oversight—changes comparable to reforms seen under Race to the Top and state-level initiatives in Tennessee and Arizona (state). Evaluations of the organization’s long-term impact are mixed: proponents cite shifts in policy discourse toward teacher accountability and expanded school choice, referencing analyses from think tanks like Brookings Institution and Manhattan Institute, while opponents point to research from Economic Policy Institute and scholars at Harvard University and Stanford University questioning the efficacy of value-added metrics and market-oriented reforms. The organization’s legacy is often discussed in the broader narrative of 2010s American education reform and the interplay among policymakers, advocacy groups, philanthropists, and teachers’ unions.

Category:Education policy advocacy organizations in the United States