Controversial school reform crusader Michelle Rhee has decided to weigh in on the future of L.A.’s public schools, announcing a $250,000 donation at a Wednesday event on the USC campus in support of three candidates in this year’s Los Angeles Board of Education elections, two of whom are opposed by the local teachers union.

According to the L.A. Times, the donation from StudentsFirst, an education reform advocacy group founded by the former District of Columbia schools chancellor, will help fund an independent campaign backing current board President Monica Garcia in addition to Kate Anderson and Antonio Sanchez. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a financial supporter of StudentsFirst, announced a $1 million donation to the campaign for the same candidates last week.

Rhee’s group, per the mission statement on its website, seeks “transformative reform” in public education by promoting policies designed to quantitatively measure teacher performance and reward or penalize them accordingly as well as expanding school choice for parents. Rhee’s unabashed public advocacy for these positions has often put her at odds with educator groups.

Current L.A. Unified School District Superintendent John Deasy, who Rhee believes should continue on the job, is currently developing a teacher evaluation system that is 30 percent determined by student standardized test scores. Deasy has also reduced the influence of seniority in determining priority for layoffs.

Read more of Neon Tommy’s coverage of the Los Angeles Unified School District here.

Reach Executive Producer Matt Pressberg here.