FIU Public Policy and Administration’s Post

Listen to Wil Del Pilar, Senior Vice President of The Education Trust (EdTrust), on how the State Opportunity Index and its data can help shape policies and practices that benefit institutions, employers, and ultimately students. ➡ Learn more about the #StateOpportunityIndex: https://hubs.la/Q02rc7wl0

🚨 Transparency Matters: Chicago Teachers Union Under Fire 🚨 The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) is being sued by its own members for failing to produce financial audits for the past four years. According to the union's bylaws, they are supposed to present an audited financial report annually. Yet, the last report only covered the first half of 2019. As someone who believes in accountability and transparency, I find this deeply concerning. When a union is entrusted with the hard-earned money of more than 25,000 educators, it has an obligation to show where those funds are going—no excuses. It's not just about bylaws; it's about integrity and the trust of those who depend on the union to protect their interests. CTU’s decision to remain silent for four years on their financial status not only undermines their members but raises serious questions: What is being hidden? Why is transparency being stonewalled? The lawsuit is a necessary step toward restoring trust and ensuring that the leadership fulfills its commitments. Accountability shouldn’t be optional—especially when it comes to representing thousands of educators who deserve to know how their contributions are being managed. This situation also casts a shadow over Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration, especially with the recent resignations from the Chicago Board of Education. Is this a sign of deeper systemic issues within our education system’s leadership? Trust is earned through transparency, not secrecy. It’s time for the CTU to step up, release the audits, and prioritize the interests of its members over internal politics. #ChicagoTeachersUnion #Transparency #Accountability #EducationMatters #Leadership

The UTS Finance Department welcomes Renee Adams from the University of Oxford who has been invited to present a #research #seminar on Wednesday 28th August from 12 noon (Australian Eastern Standard Time). This will be a face-to-face seminar. The seminar will be held in room CB08.08.03, Level 8, Building 8, 14-28 Ultimo Rd, Ultimo, Sydney (Campus map: https://lnkd.in/gj43i5-Z). To attend in person please RSVP to Cassie Sloane (Cassie.Sloane@uts.edu.au). Renee will be presenting her paper "Directors Discussing Diversity" written with co-authors: Thomas Mosk, Queen Mary University of London Eleanor Murray, University of Oxford Ken Okamura, University of Oxford The authors examine whether costs of #advocacy affect the likelihood a board member speaks about #diversity. The authors parse 5,298 board meeting minutes of 146 UK National Health Service hospital trusts between 2014 and 2021 to identify when individual trust #directors speak about diversity. Female and ethnic minority directors are more likely to discuss diversity. But their willingness to speak is almost entirely driven by their role. Advocacy may increase when there is greater societal and regulatory pressure for diversity. The results highlight that relying on lived experience may not be sufficient to achieve organizational #inclusiveness goals. #finance #ethnicminorities

So something is happening at least …. Following the promises or at least ,ambition, of the SEND Green Paper and the Timpson Review, we have been waiting in the wings for what is planned in order to address the ‘SEND Crisis’. Well on 9th and 13th January there has been some meetings and the first report has been published … see link at the end of my very quick summary. Firstly, great the agenda is on the table, we are falling further and further into a potential crisis so some action is better than nothing. It is reassuring that the first report identifies actions to be addressed in the next 6 and 12 months, which is fairly quick, even if it’s only to secure the picture and prepare the appropriate posture to leap forwards into actions we might see having an impact. To begin with the recognition that the SEND sytem is ‘inconsistent’ and that this leads to less than adequate decision making, evidenced by the c.90% of tribunals LA’s lose as one metric, is a positive admission and the focus to improve this in the next 12 months is admirable. The system however, is only following the guidance as set out by the Code of Practice, and so far there is little being said about reviewing and updating this document, that many working in SEND would argue has never really been fit for purpose. It is also good that the 140% increase in EHCP’s is highlighted and along with a recognition that Health jointly produced the code of practice but is failing to meet identification timescales or support early enough to ensure EHCP’s are not the ‘golden ticket’, a position forced into the mindset of parent carers due to it being their only course of action ! The report suggests that this skills and workforce deficit should be planned out in the next 6 months. It’s going to take a bit longer than that and, dare I say may also support the revamping of the Code to once and for all make it clear where absolute responsibilities and duties lie … for too long the E-hc plan has been too heavily weighted on the capital E. Possibly the most interesting part of this report is the nod to the Governments focus on more inclusive mainstream schools. I am fully behind this idium and strategy. This report, however, rightly questions where the structure for this will exist, when the guidance and exemplars will be produced and crucially how will this be funded ? Ofsted may play a role and their new ‘report card’ with absolutely no judgements on them (??) which may provide some incentives for schools, but quality inclusion starts with teaching for all and can only be completed with funding and capacity. This area has a 6 months deadline ! I know at Creative Education Trust we are focussed on all these areas and are working to be a solution engine, let’s hope this report leads to actions we can feel… be good to have a new Code of Practice, written by practitioners though … fingers crossed. https://lnkd.in/eMGGd8An

Join #CSAC on Oct. 30th as we discuss the importance of a blueprint for #CollegeAffordability in California and find out how you can be part of this work!

The true cost of care isn’t reflected in the early education budget. As a result, #CATeachers and providers face the challenge of delivering high-quality care with limited resources and support. We ask the California legislators to acknowledge these true costs and implement the Alternative Rate Methodology in the May revision. #CABudget #MayRevise #CALeg

How She Landed Her First Government Contract As A Beginner In this clip, Randie Ward shares how her persistence and federal contracting skills helped her land a $5M contract in higher education. By leveraging the same strategies used in government contracting—research, networking, and strategic teaming—she expanded her business across multiple sectors, including healthcare and higher education. Her story shows the power of building relationships and applying proven techniques to win big! #GovConEdu #GovernmentContracts #SuccessStory #BusinessGrowth #FederalContracting

With a new administration taking office, we could be on the brink of significant policy changes that could shake up the education landscape. The Higher Education Act (HEA) could undergo major changes that would significantly impact funding, compliance, accreditation standards, and more. From tightening DEI policies to reshaping financial aid, these shifts will reverberate across campuses and businesses alike. In this post, we break down what the HEA changes could mean for vendors and schools, including: ✅ How evolving regulatory landscapes and vendor approval processes will affect partnerships ✅ The need for actionable data to stay aligned with compliance updates ✅ Navigating funding cuts and maintaining equitable access amid changing policies ✅ Innovative strategies to support institutions through this transition Don't get caught off guard. Discover how to adapt your products, messaging, and collaborations to thrive in the new HEA era. Read the full post here: https://lnkd.in/g2FwdFdn #highereducation #education #educationpolicy #educationfunding #highered #university #college

There are five essential areas of board responsibility and accountability: 1; Upholding the institution’s mission; 2. Selecting, compensating, evaluating and firing the president; 3. Overseeing the fiscal health and integrity of the institution; 4. Overseeing the quality of programs, services and other institutional offerings; and 5. Ensuring the board’s own performance and conduct. The final one tends to be the one that boards most often are least prepared to carry out well."

Writing it for you... The debate over transparency in education continues with the shift in how academy investigation reports are published. I read an article today that highlights how Schools Week found out the Department for Education (DfE) in the UK now only publishes "outcomes" of investigations into academy scandals, rather than full, detailed reports. Over the years, the DfE has published comprehensive reports on academy investigations to ensure fairness and transparency about the handling of public money. A recent report on the Lilac Sky Schools Trust was notably brief - just three pages compared to the usual ten or more. This change has raised concerns. Only publishing outcomes could hide critical details about governance and financial management. Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown of the Public Accounts Committee has demanded clarity from the DfE, stressing that this new approach might not align with the committee's push for transparency. He has asked the DfE to explain how they balanced transparency with timeliness when they made this change. In a world where trust is vital, this is a step back. The government mentions that quick publications without detailed legal processes can help tackle financial irregularities swiftly. However, many believe full transparency is crucial to understanding and learning from past mistakes. What do you think? Is timely publication enough, or should the DfE stick to detailed full reports? Share your thoughts in the comments or get in touch directly. For more on offering impactful education solutions, visit rikama-education.com. #education #transparency #publicaccountscommittee