EducationCounsel

Our team has produced this analysis of how the 2024 elections could impact federal education policy over the coming months and years.?The summary focuses on how the election of President-elect Donald Trump could impact the role and scope of the U.S. Department of Education and explores what a unified Republican government may mean for education, including key opportunities and risks for early childhood, K-12, higher education, R&D, and civil rights.?Additionally, this overview outlines several major actions that a second Trump Administration is likely to pursue in an effort to achieve its federal education policy goals, as well as provides key information on what to expect during the presidential transition and early days of a 119th Congress. As a note, this analysis was completed before the selection of Linda McMahon to serve as the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education (if confirmed by the Senate) and may be updated over time as circumstances develop. https://lnkd.in/gCBygFn4

?NEW PUBLICATION? "Taking a Balanced Approach: Six Proposals to Fairly and Effectively Reform Federal Graduate Financing Policy from Across the Ideological Spectrum" is a collection of six policy proposals from EducationCounsel and organizations across the ideological spectrum builds on our?2023 joint report?that identified a bipartisan framework for improving the graduate financing system in the United States. Each of these six new proposals reflects a different perspective on how to best address the identified areas in the 2023 report. While these proposals are not co-authored and no organization is endorsing another's approach, they are meant to illustrate the diversity of potential solutions. Together, these proposals demonstrate the range of strategies that can be employed to improve graduate financing, all rooted in the same foundational pillars. Each proposal attends to five critical pillars: (1) setting reasonable loan limits, (2) providing targeted grant aid to students and institutions, (3) ensuring sufficient value and return on investment for students and taxpayers, (4) enhancing the regulatory structure and consumer protections for private lending, and (5) improving data disclosure and transparency. Together, these pillars constitute a comprehensive approach to addressing the burden on students, particularly the disproportionate burden facing students of color, with a focus on ensuring access, affordability, and fairness for all students and the growing cost of the graduate loan programs for taxpayers. https://lnkd.in/eDVfmtUa

The U.S. Department of Education's new guide, Empowering Education Leaders: A Toolkit for Safe, Ethical, and Equitable AI Integration, helps education leaders navigate AI adoption while ensuring student protection, focusing on privacy, data security, civil rights, and digital equity. The toolkit provides critical guidance across ten key modules, addressing federal policies and educational challenges. Read the resource: https://tech.ed.gov/AI/ Highlighted in the guide are two of InnovateEDU's signature projects - the EDSAFE AI Alliance SAFE framework and National AI Literacy Day. Learn more about EDSAFE AI Alliance at www.edsafeai.org Congrats to the phenomenal team who lead this work

Back in my favorite facilitation training room working with the amazing EducationCounsel LLC, a mission-based education consulting firm that combines experience in policy, strategy, law, and advocacy to drive significant improvements in the U.S. education system to help all children thrive. Feeling inspired by these great professionals and their commitment to the facilitation craft. As many of them are former teachers, they did not resist reading children's books to practice vocal range, animation and energy. Thank you Dan Gordon

A Beacon of Hope: Bloomberg’s $600 Million Gift to Historically Black Medical Schools At the National Medical Association 2024 Annual Convention in New York City, Mike Bloomberg announced a $600 million donation from Bloomberg Philanthropies to support the nation's four historically Black medical schools. This gift will bolster the endowments of Charles Drew University of Medicine & Science, Howard University College of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, and Morehouse School of Medicine. Additionally, it provides seed funding for the new Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine in New Orleans. Historically Black medical schools are essential for diversifying the medical field, graduating nearly half of all Black doctors in the U.S. "There is really no way to overstate how important they are to equality in medicine," said Bloomberg. This donation will help prepare more Black doctors, reducing health inequities and accelerating wealth accumulation for Black families. The funds will allocate $175 million each to Howard University College of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, and Morehouse School of Medicine, with $75 million to Charles Drew University of Medicine & Science. The Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine will receive $5 million. This funding will more than double the endowments of three schools, enhancing their financial stability and capacity to manage tuition, research, and operations costs. Black patients have better outcomes with Black physicians, but Black doctors are underrepresented in the U.S. The $600 million gift is part of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Greenwood Initiative, which aims to address systemic underinvestment in Black institutions and communities. "We have much more to do to ensure equal access to quality health care for everyone," said Bloomberg. "[T]his gift will empower new generations of Black doctors to create a healthier and more equitable future for our country." Leaders from the recipient institutions expressed gratitude and optimism. Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, President of Morehouse School of Medicine, emphasized that the gift will significantly enhance their support for students and diversify the healthcare workforce. David M. Carlisle, M.D., Ph.D., President of Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, highlighted the impact on their mission. This historic gift is a significant investment in healthcare's future and the effort to eliminate health disparities. By supporting Black medical professionals, Bloomberg Philanthropies contributes to a more equitable healthcare system. As the medical field prioritizes diversity and equity, this donation is a beacon of hope. The long-term benefits will impact institutions, communities, and patients served by future Black doctors. The path to health equity is long, but support like this makes the journey more promising. Please help share: David Thomas, Brenda Allen, James L. Moore III, M. C. Brown II, Dietra Trent, Ph.D.,

There’s an urgent need for robust policy frameworks that guide the ethical integration of AI technologies into K-12 education systems. Vote for EDSAFE AI Alliance's #SXSWEDU panel with Tafshier Kim Cosby (National Parents Union), Jerry Almendarez (Santa Ana Unified School District), and EDSAFE AI Alliance. Sign in and cast your vote today!?https://lnkd.in/eXHn_nvx

Across our work, we see the desire for greater investments in education R&D & we see increasing commitment at all levels of the education system to making smart use of data, R&D, and continuous improvement to inform decisions that are good for students and families. Check out this call to action from two state ed leaders ?? #LearningSystems

Tune in today to Why We Matter for our latest episode featuring Bethany Little of EducationCounsel. This exciting new episode discusses the role of policy in our work. Listen wherever you find your podcasts! https://lnkd.in/guq9VujE

Our team is thrilled to have led this important work along withEdCounsel and the Alliance for Learning Innovation (ALI) who is leading a national coalition of organizations to advance education R&D policy and practice. Today in Washington DC leaders from the education R&D movement gather to highlight this work, advocate for policy and resources to expand the federal investment in education R&D. We've made a lot of progress in a year - growing the IES budget, expanding the type of research programs, and animating an uncommon alliance but education R&D investment is a fraction of what other sectors are investing. Read the new briefs and join us to change this in three important areas - state and local infrastructure, inclusive innovation, and HBCUs. https://lnkd.in/e5dWnRJa

I was back on the Hill yesterday to participate in a congressional briefing with Alliance for Learning Innovation (ALI) about funding R&D in education. Currently less than 1% of the federal education budget goes to research and development around effective learning practices (for comparison about 15% of the military budget goes to R&D each year). But it’s not just about giving more money to fund traditional research practices. We need new types of research as well. We need a research agenda that starts with the needs of educators and ends with learning improvements in schools not a publication in a research journal.?In other words we need to not forget the “D” side of “R&D” as we think about the future of education research.