StudentsFirst off to a great start
Last Monday, when we first announced StudentsFirst, we were little more than a small team of volunteers working toward a common vision: a better education system that prioritizes students’ needs before those of special interests. In just one week, we’ve become a national movement.
It’s only the beginning, of course, but our initial support gives us good reason to be optimistic. Here’s a quick look at how far we’ve already come:
- Over 100,000 people signed up and pledged their support for the movement within the first two days.
- Over 16,000 teachers have joined parents, students, and others to help transform the education systems in their communities.
- Citizens have started over 650 independent groups to support our mission for education reform, ranging from California for Education Reform to StudentsFirst of Mid Missouri.
- Across the country, large numbers of both Democrats and Republicans have pledged their support for StudentsFirst — making it clear that quality education is not about partisan politics.
- Over 11,000 people have donated to our movement, and together have raised over $700,000.
Not bad for one week! To everyone who’s helped us so far: Thank you. And to the reformers already in this movement: We acknowledge your hard work and hope to collaborate.
But we’ve still got a long way to go. To transform our schools, district by district, and improve the quality of education throughout the country, we’ll need more people to band together and lead groups in their communities. To ensure that we have the financial strength to compete with long-vested interests, we’ll need money. And to win battles over education policy in the courts, legislative offices, and on the ballots, we’ll need the support of millions of people like you. Tell your friends about StudentsFirst.
