The Independent Analysis Unit (IAU) is the Board’s in-house team that ensures elected Board members get the full picture and objective analysis. IAU analysts dig into policies, budgets, and new initiatives before the Board votes, flagging risks and surfacing tradeoffs to help ensure every decision stands up to public scrutiny and serves the community’s needs.The IAU also brings issues and opportunities to the Board that might otherwise be ignored.

IAU analyses have led to smarter budget decisions, stronger teacher recruitment, better discipline policy, and more transparency on student outcomes. The IAU is how the Board exercises real oversight and long-term vision—protecting taxpayer dollars and making sure LAUSD learns from the past to put students and communities first.

The mission of the IAU is to: provide the L.A. Unified Board of Education with timely, independent information and analysis to support informed policymaking, fiscal oversight and public trust.

The purpose, scope of work, and operating policies of the Independent Analysis Unit (IAU) are defined in the Charter approved on November 14, 2017.

Andrew Thomas, Director (Email)

PhD in Urban Education, UCLA
BA in Urban Studies, Columbia University
Research Areas: State, District and School Site Budgeting, Program Evaluation, Education Technology, After School Programs 

Megan Besecker, Lead Analyst (Email)

           MPP, University of Southern California
           B.S. in Neuroscience, University of Miami
           Research Areas: STEM Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Teacher and School Effectiveness, Program
           Evaluation