Employment projections show that the majority of job growth will occur in occupations that require a postsecondary vocational certificate or academic degree. Yet despite the need for skills upgrading and postsecondary credentials in a globalized economy, low-income adults are generally underrepresented in community colleges and other higher education programs within states.

*This is an archived past project.

*This is an archived past project.

Governors are increasingly incorporating arts and cultural exchanges into their economic development approaches. Many states have invested in the arts as a strategy to attract the "creative class" and reverse “brain drain.”

In September 2009, the NGA Center hosted Building Brighter Futures for Our Children: A National Summit for State Policymakers. This event convened representatives of governors' offices and state departments of health, human services, education, and early childhood to identify effective policy strategies that will improve health, school readiness, and developmental outcomes for young children.

*This is an archived past project.

The U.S. relies on coal to provide more than 50 percent of the country’s electricity needs, and this percentage is projected to increase by 2030. However, current and future environmental constraints make it likely that coal-fired electricity must emit fewer CO2 emissions to remain viable. Carbon capture and geologic sequestration/storage (CCS) offers one potential option for continuing the use of coal, while addressing emissions concerns.

A variety of factors impact children's health, including family income, household education, and neighborhood conditions. The NGA Center's work focuses on using the right levers to lead to well coordinated policies among agencies that impact children's health.

*This is an archived past project.

Many clean energy efforts face high upfront capital costs that serve as barriers to reaping longer term energy savings and environmental and economic development benefits. In the past, efforts to address these barriers have come through rebate and grant programs.

The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a state-led effort coordinated by the NGA Center and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). More information can be found at www.corestandards.org.

To address the challenges and threats presented by the growth of cyber and electronic crimes, the NGA Center and the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) have worked together since 2006 to provide state policymakers with solutions and tools to strategically address and prevent cybercrime through education that promotes evidence-based practices and research and technical assistance that facilitates implementation of improved policies.

National health reform may influence some aspects of the delivery of care, but the current system is likely to remain mostly untouched.  Without system improvements in efficiency, effectiveness and value, the sustainability of other reforms are jeopardized. 

*This is an archived past project.

The NGA Center’s disease management work examines how such programs can impact public health insurance programs like state employee benefits and Medicaid.

The United States is facing a dropout crisis with far reaching consequences. More than a fifth of the U.S. population ages 18-24 have neither a high school diploma nor a GED. Students from low-income families drop out at six times the rate of those from high-income families.

The Early Childhood Data Collaborative (ECDC) supports state policymakers' development and use of coordinated state early care and education data systems to improve the quality of ECE programs and the workforce, increase access to high-quality ECE programs, and ultimately improve child outcomes.

The economic recession has dealt a severe blow to state budgets throughout the country. To sustain and strengthen the momentum of state early childhood initiatives that shift the odds in favor of young children at-risk for poor health and developmental outcomes, governors will require support in developing innovative policy strategies and implementing data-driven policy decisions that maximize the investment of limited resources.

*This is an archived past project.

The NGA Center has identified the provision of quality choices in education as a crucial issue for states as they move forward in meeting higher expectations for student achievement and graduation rates for all students.