Florida Gulf Coast University Takes Leading Role in Education Law With New Journal Partnership

Florida Gulf Coast University now stands at the center of national education law discussions. The school will host the Education Law Association and its main publication, The Journal of Education Finance and Law. 

From FGCU's College of Education, the association will study how laws shape our schools. Their long-running journal, first printed in 1974, now covers both money matters and legal issues in education.

"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," said Jennifer Sughrue, professor and interim chair of the Department of Leadership, Counseling and Human Development, per FGCU360.

The journal's new leadership team brings strong credentials. Jennifer Sughrue handles the group's money as treasurer. F. King Alexander joins as co-editor, bringing his know-how from running four different schools. Since 2020, he's guided the higher education section of the finance journal.

"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," Alexander said.

Hot topics fill the journal's pages. Writers tackle school funding problems, rules for students from other countries, and what schools should teach. While the University of Illinois Press still prints the work, Johns Hopkins shares it through Project Muse.

Diana Cheshire, who runs the College of Education, sees local benefits. "This collaboration reflects FGCU's mission as a community-focused, comprehensive institution driving positive change," Cheshire said.

This fits right into FGCU's strategic plans through 2029.