EducationCounsel

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.

State and Local R&D Infrastructures: Driving Innovation and Success in Education The Alliance for Learning Innovation (ALI), EducationCounsel, and InnovateEDU just released a Task Force Brief: STATE AND LOCAL EDUCATION R&D INFRASTRUCTURE The Importance of State and Local Education R&D Infrastructure: In health care, federal R&D Infrastructure (including #NIH and #FDA), is complemented by a robust ecosystem of research hospitals and state and local public health infrastructures that contribute data and insights. Investing in education research and development at state and local levels is crucial because most funding and decision-making happen there, making innovation more effective and closer to the educators, students, and communities it serves. A systematic approach to learning in education requires strong structures, cultures, and capacities to continuously improve and make better use of public resources for student success. Headline Task Force Insights: Focus on improving outcomes and supporting educators while building R&D capacity in SEAs, LEAs, and schools, and ensuring timely, responsive products of R&D. Design with diverse needs in mind and build a broad coalition to support these efforts. Summary of Task Force Recommendations: Prioritize knowledge mobilization and engagement to increase the impact of education R&D. Invest in high-quality collaborative education R&D efforts centered at the state and local levels. Leverage fellowships to add R&D capacity. Develop and sustain internal state and local R&D capacity, particularly through targeted funding. Deploy existing R&D infrastructure more toward strengthening state and local R&D capacity. Modernize state longitudinal data systems and strengthen related policies and capacity. Require that R&D project budgets include a more functional allocation of the funding for indirect costs with SEA or LEA partners. Make federal waiver processes more accessible to support innovation Find the Report here: https://lnkd.in/eCjkwxBC Thank you: Bethany Little, Erin Mote, Dan Gordon, Rachel Anderson, Data Quality Campaign, Gregg Behr, The Grable Foundation, Remake Learning, Heather Boughton, Results for America, Melvin J. Brown, Ed.D., Carrie Conaway, Paolo DeMaria, National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE), Rachel Dinkes, PhD, Knowledge Alliance, Paul DiPerna, EdChoice, Anna Kimsey Edwards, Whiteboard Advisors, Julia Fallon, SETDA, Ajit Gopalakrishnan, Tasha Hensley, The Learning Agency, Barbara Jenkins, Chiefs for Change, Rebekah K., Noelle Ng, AASA, The School Superintendents Association Mary Catherine Reljac, Andrew Rice, Kimberly Smith, Digital Promise Ash Vasudeva, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Carey Wright, #KimWright, #NNERPP

Building an Inclusive Education R&D Ecosystem: Actionable Steps Fostering inclusive infrastructures has emerged as a critical challenge and a strategic imperative in the rapidly evolving landscape of education research and development (R&D). The Alliance for Learning Innovation (ALI), EducationCounsel, and InnovateEDU just released a Task Force Brief: Making the education R&D ecosystem more inclusive. We hosted a Research and Science Policy Forum / Honorary President Edmund Gordon series session at #AERA to explore the nuances of creating R&D ecosystems that acknowledge and actively embrace variation in culture, perspective, and context. Today’s brief provides insights into practical approaches for facilitating more equitable participation in R&D activities and ensuring that research outputs are relevant and accessible to a broad spectrum of stakeholders through knowledge mobilization and engagement. Inclusive education R&D should prioritize diverse perspectives, authentically engage stakeholders, and empower practitioners and communities to lead R&D efforts. This approach promises to bridge the gap between research and practice, fostering greater buy-in, enabling more effective knowledge mobilization, and enhancing the societal relevance and impact of research. Participatory approaches to education R&D promise to foster stakeholder ownership and commitment, benefit from diverse perspectives, and yield more just and equitable solutions. Recommendations include:  Prioritize knowledge mobilization and engagement to increase the impact of education R&D. Invest in high-quality collaborative education R&D efforts centered at the state and local levels. Leverage fellowships to add R&D capacity. Provide R&D funding directly to practitioners and communities. Embrace authentic R&D partnerships. Design more inclusive Requests for Applications (RFAs). Fund HBCUs, MSIs, and TCUs. Diversify peer reviewers. Make the invisible visible. Developing, fortifying, and maintaining a more inclusive R&D environment in education requires ongoing dedication. Please re-post and react to help spread the word: Jessica Heppen, James L. Moore III, James L. Moore III, Na'ilah Nasir, Matthew Soldner, Elizabeth Albro, PhD, Shaun Harper, Deborah Loewenberg Ball, Joyce Elaine King, Barbara Schneider, kris Gutierrez, Carol Lee, Marvin Smith, Laura Hamilton, Augustus Mays, Winsome Waite, PhD, Pamela Cantor MD, Jeremy Roschelle, Susan Lyons, Chris L., Gabriela Lopez, Auditi Chakravarty, Christina Cipriano, Temple Lovelace, Jennifer Randall, Sara Schapiro, Aneesha Badrinarayan, Scott Marion, Lindsay Jones, Charles Barone, Erin Mote, Bethany Little, Kelly Fitzsimmons, Denise Forte, Katrina Stevens, Katie Boody Adorno, Bridget Cherry,