FGCU’s College of Education now a national hub for education law
- Laurie Dionne Babcock
- College of Education
- Contributors: James Greco, Photos
5 – minute read
Florida Gulf Coast University’s College of Education has become the institutional home of the Education Law Association — a nonprofit, member-driven organization devoted to the study and application of law in education — and its peer-reviewed publication, The Journal of Education Finance and Law.
The move places the college at the center of national conversations about legal issues shaping schools, universities and communities. Hosting the association and journal positions FGCU as a hub for dialogue, research and policy expertise at the intersection of learning and law. Faculty, students, policymakers and practitioners will collaborate to analyze emerging challenges and propose solutions that improve education systems nationwide.
The partnership will also benefit school districts, teachers and other community organizations in FGCU’s five-county service area.
“The Education Law Association provides professional development to PreK-20 educators and lawyers who engage in education law practice” through conferences, webinars and publications, said Jennifer Sughrue, a professor and interim chair of the college’s Department of Leadership, Counseling and Human Development.
Meet the editors
Two FGCU professors are at the helm of the journal, shaping the next wave of published scholarship in education law and finance.
Sughrue serves as treasurer of the Education Law Association. She earned her doctorate in educational leadership from Virginia Tech and has published numerous articles, book chapters and presentations in the field. She has long been active in the association, holding leadership positions and contributing to its mission of connecting legal and finance research with instructional and administrative practice.
“Having a peer-reviewed journal published by the ELA with the assistance of the College of Education shines a bright light on the strategic importance of education law and finance in providing a quality education to all students,” she said.
F. King Alexander is a professor of educational leadership and policy in the same department. His extensive higher education leadership experience includes having served as president and chancellor of four universities. He earned his doctorate in higher education policy and leadership at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master’s from the University of Oxford. Before joining as co-editor, he served as higher education editorial board director for the Journal of Education Finance beginning in 2020. His scholarship includes several books and articles on education policy and finance, and he has contributed to numerous media sources, including the London Times, Financial Times and Inside Higher Education.
“My 21 years of university leadership in four different states has taught me that education politics is the ‘wild card’ because it varies state by state and has many competing public and private forces at the federal level,” which makes it a challenging but worthwhile academic discipline, said Alexander.
Generally, about 45% of every state’s budget is devoted to education, and budgeting is a product of finance and law, he said. So the laws governing funding drive public education systems.
About the association and journal
The Education Law Association provides members with information and resources on current issues in education law, including the rights and responsibilities of students, families, educators and institutions. It fosters interest in the field, supports teaching and research, and serves as a clearinghouse for publications and scholarship.
As part of the transition to FGCU, the association’s long-running journal — which began in 1974 as the Journal of Education Finance — has expanded its scope and been renamed. The Journal of Education Finance and Law will continue to be published by the University of Illinois Press and distributed via Johns Hopkins’ Project Muse.
The journal will dedicate at least one issue each year to special topics, on issues such as education funding uncertainty, international student policies, curriculum- and book-banning debates and the fast-changing legal landscape affecting schools.
“The list goes on,” said Sughrue. “We will never run out of issues to research and publish.”
Opportunities for schools, students and faculty
With the association and journal based at FGCU, graduate and doctoral students in the College of Education will have opportunities to engage with national-level scholarship and professional development. Faculty across disciplines will benefit from increased access to cutting-edge research and broader professional networks.
These efforts stand to support FGCU’s regional impact by sharing knowledge beneficial to Southwest Florida schools and school districts. Understanding education finance and law is necessary to ensure that education funding supports all children and students, according to Alexander.
“Ongoing research in both areas is necessary to ensure that we have the most productive and efficient education practices,” he said.
FGCU graduate students will also gain hands-on experience in academic publishing through direct involvement in producing and publishing in the journal. Students will also compile legal and policy resources to create issue briefs for schools, universities and community partners, providing professional development and real-world impact.
Fostering collaboration and community impact
The association’s mission to advance education law through research, education and collaboration aligns closely with FGCU’s 2024-2029 Strategic Plan.
“This partnership represents an exciting chapter for ELA,” said Elisabeth Krimbill, the association’s president. “FGCU’s College of Education has a strong reputation for innovation, accessibility and community engagement. Together, we will enhance research, scholarship and professional practice in education law at the national and regional levels.”
“This collaboration reflects FGCU’s mission as a community-focused, comprehensive institution driving positive change,” said Diana Cheshire, dean of the College of Education. “Hosting ELA strengthens our capacity to prepare educators and leaders who understand the legal and policy contexts of education while providing our students with unique experiential learning opportunities.”
By fostering collaboration among scholars, practitioners and students, FGCU aims to influence policy and practice in ways that enhance education at every level.
“The very heart of ELA is translating law and policy into practice,” said Sughrue.