K-12 Education

Ensuring access to a quality education to help all students reach their full potential is a top priority for Governors across the country. NGA provides information, research synthesis, policy analysis, technical assistance and resources to Governors and their staff on education topics. At the center of the K-12 Education team’s work are three core principles: equity, alignment, and evidence. The team is currently focused on supporting Governors as they transition from pandemic-disrupted learning to reimagining their state’s education systems, including on efforts aimed at closing the digital divide; addressing students’ academic recovery and wellbeing; and strengthening educator development and support systems.

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Improving Student, Family And School Staff Well-Being

NGA is working with six states and national and state partners, as well as grant support, to develop and carry out action plans focused on one or more specific state policy priorities related to students’ comprehensive development during and beyond COVID-19.

School Leadership Hot Topics

On School Leadership Hot Topics, nationally recognized education experts share their knowledge and insights on strategies and promising practices for advancing school leadership policies and priorities at the gubernatorial and state level. For additional information and resources on principals and school leaders, please visit the Wallace Foundation Knowledge Center.

Latest

Strategies for Parent, Family, Student and Community Engagement with K-12 Schools

This webinar discusses strategies to improve parent, family, student and community engagement with K-12 schools. Panelists explain the research in this field, offer recommendations for state policy leaders and highlight ...
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Governors’ Education Policy Advisors Institute 2022

Governors’ advisors met in Greensboro, North Carolina to discuss current challenges and state solutions in K-12 education policy. By Seth Gerson & Catherine Van Ness The National Governors Association (NGA) ...
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K-12 Computer Science Education – NGA 2022 Summer Meeting

Outgoing NGA Chairman Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson opened the NGA Summer Meeting with an overview of his 2021-2022 Chairman’s Initiative to expand K-12 computer science education. After announcing the initiative last ...
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Computer Science Education

Jobs that require computer science skills and knowledge will only continue to grow during the 21st century. Especially as more remote working opportunities arise, state leaders want to ensure that graduates have the skills they need to find high-paying jobs without leaving the state. Governors are leading the charge to identify best practices in expanding access to computer science education in K-12 schools across the country.

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Meet Our Team

Seth Gerson
Program Director

Catherine Van Ness
Senior Policy Analyst

Katie Nichols
Policy Coordinator

K-12 Topics

Health and Safety

On Thursday, August 25th, the National Governors Association Bipartisan Working Group on School and Community Safety hosted the first of a three-part briefing series on the “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act ...
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Improving Mental Health Services and Increasing Supportive Services in Schools

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022 (P.L. 117-159), aims to combat gun violence, and includes provisions that will improve access to mental health care and help equip schools with ...
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Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

During their State of the State addresses in 2022, Governors highlighted the need for increased social, emotional, mental, and behavioral health supports for students and school staff. By Catherine Van ...
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State of the States: Student and School Staff Health and Wellness

Student and Staff Well-Being

Strategies for Parent, Family, Student and Community Engagement with K-12 Schools

Governors’ Education Policy Advisors Institute 2022

At the closing session of NGA’s Summer Meeting 2022, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy accepted the NGA Chair’s gavel from Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and underlined the importance of Governors’ ...
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Governor Murphy Introduces Chair’s Initiative: Strengthening Youth Mental Health Care

Academic Recovery / Summer Learning and Enrichment

Governors’ Education Policy Advisors Institute 2022

Governors discussed the impact of interrupted instruction on K-12 students and highlighted plans for additional academic supports, including afterschool and summer learning, during their State of the State addresses. By ...
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State of the States: Academic Supports

Conversations with education leaders in Colorado and Ohio co-hosted by the National Governors Association and Chiefs for Change. This two-part webinar series co-hosted by Chiefs for Change and the National ...
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Elevating Opportunities for Innovation: Education Leadership in Colorado and Ohio

Digital Literacy

The Digital Equity Act will deploy $2.75 billion in grants to states. Over five years, states will apply for and deploy funds to advance digital literacy and digital skill development, ...
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State Postsecondary Education’s Role in Digital Equity Planning

K-12 Computer Science Education – NGA 2022 Summer Meeting

The National Governors Association's 2022 Annual Summer Meeting was held was July 13-15, 2022, in Portland, Maine. Governors met to collaborate on bipartisan solutions to leading policy issues including computer ...
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NGA 2022 Summer Meeting

Educator Workforce

Governors’ Education Policy Advisors Institute 2022

Today, National Governors Association Chair New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Vice Chair Utah Governor Spencer Cox released the following statement regarding the administration’s efforts to address teacher shortages and ...
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Governors Welcome Action to Address Teacher Shortages

Community Renewal Task Force Co-Chair Missouri Governor Mike Parson, hosted a virtual session focused on the state of the educator workforce as states and territories prepare for the 2022-2023 school ...
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Community Renewal Task Force Meeting on the Educator Workforce

Education Finance

State-specific funding profiles that illustrate federal to state resource allocation to support children and students under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. After the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act ...
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American Rescue Plan State Funding Profiles

This webinar explores opportunities, challenges, and strategies for governors as they create and move forward state education budgets during and beyond COVID-19. Topics of the conversation include how governors can ...
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Strategies for Advancing Equity Through State Education Budgets During & Beyond COVID

On February 14, 2018, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices Education division and WestEd held a webinar focused on early care and education (ECE) finance. The webinar highlighted ...
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Financing an Equitable and High-Quality System: Investing in Early Learning

K-12, Postsecondary, Workforce Connections

Work-based learning provides students with authentic work experiences where they apply and develop employability and technical skills that support success in careers and postsecondary education. Work-based learning activities culminate in ...
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Work Based Learning

Background During this time of unprecedented educational and economic disruption, governors and state leaders can take steps to ensure equitable access to postsecondary education for graduating seniors. Each year, roughly ...
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K-12 to Postsecondary Transitions During COVID-19: Opportunities for Governors and States

Students enrolled in dual credit courses are relying upon multiple stakeholders to execute the transition from the classroom to virtual learning. Questions of where to find resources to continue their ...
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