Displaced authority in decentralized education governance: evidence from a local culture-based policy in Indonesia

The implementation of culture-based education policies at the local level often involves non-state actors as third parties, potentially shifting the authority of local governments . This article aims to analyze shifting authority in the implementation of Ponorogo Regent Regulation Number 35 of 2024 concerning Reyog Ponorogo Extracurricular Education in Elementary Education Units by highlighting how third-party involvement shapes the effectiveness, accountability, and timeliness of implementation. This research uses a qualitative case study in Ponorogo Regency through analysis of policy documents, in-depth interviews with policy actors, and observations of implementation practices . The findings reveal a mismatch between formal administrative responsibility and substantive implementation control: although the Education Office formally retained responsibility , operational authority gradually shifted to external actors legitimized through political and relational ties, a shift associated with implementation delays, fragmented coordination, and ambiguous accountability. This shift places the education bureaucracy in a passive position, while third parties exercise substantive control without adequate accountability mechanisms. This study concludes that third-party involvement in local education policy requires a clear governance design and a strengthened role for the state as the controller of implementation to ensure the policy maintains legitimacy, consistency, and sustainability.