K-12 Education

Governors are leading efforts across the country to ensure that students in their states graduate prepared to succeed in postsecondary, the workforce, and life. The NGA K-12 Education Team supports Governors in these efforts by regularly bringing together Governors’ education policy advisors to connect with and learn from each other and national and state experts in the field; providing ongoing responsive and proactive technical assistance; and through the development of resources and reports that spotlight promising practices and actionable strategies on timely topics, including addressing students’ academic needs and well-being and strengthening the educator workforce.

Latest


Major Initiatives 

Governors’ Education Policy Advisor Convenings

The NGA K-12 Education Team plans to host a national convening of Governors’ education policy advisors in September 2024 to support gubernatorial efforts on key K-12 policies and priorities, including academic growth, student well-being and educator recruitment and retention.  The convening will also provide Governors’ education policy advisors with an opportunity to connect with their peers from across the country.  See recaps of similar meetings in May 2023 and October 2023.


Technical Assistance Resources

In addition to ongoing responsive support, the NGA K-12 Education Team is currently supporting a bipartisan mix of eight Governors’ offices (four Republican, four Democratic) through two technical assistance projects:

  • The first is assisting three Governors’ offices in addressing students’ academic needs (e.g., math, literacy, tutoring, chronic absenteeism, and summer learning and enrichment). 
  • The second is assisting five Governors’ offices in supporting student and school staff mental health and well-being.  This project builds off a 18-month, six-state Student and Staff Well-Being Technical Assistance Project completed in June 2022.

Timely and Ongoing Resources

NGA’s K-12 Education Team regularly produces informative briefings, podcasts, and webinars featuring subject matter experts in the field, Governors’ staff and state education leaders.  The team’s webinar series spotlights State Strategies for Addressing K-12 Student Needs from state budgets to parent, family, and community engagement and supporting students with unique needs.  The State Snapshots for Strengthening the Educator Workforce podcast series covers a range of topics related to teacher and principal recruitment and retention.

State Strategies For Addressing K-12 Student Needs

A series of conversations with subject matter experts, state education leaders, and practitioners to explore gubernatorial strategies for addressing students’ academic needs and well-being, hosted by the NGA’s Center for Best Practices K-12 Education Team.


State Snapshots For Strengthening The Educator Workforce

A series of conversations with nationally recognized experts in the education field on strategies and promising practices for strengthening educator recruitment and retention, including for advancing school leadership policies and priorities at the gubernatorial and state level, hosted by the NGA’s Center for Best Practices K-12 Education Team. For additional information, research, and resources on principals and school leaders, please visit the Wallace Foundation Knowledge Center.


Meet The Team


K-12 Topics

Student and Staff Well-Being

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Academic Supports

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Educator Workforce

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NGA K-12 Education Library

Governors’ Role Critical in Every Student Succeeds Act

WASHINGTON—The National Governors Association (NGA) today released a statement following the release of the revised state plan template under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA): “Governors’ review of ESSA state ...

Early Education Takes Center Stage At Governors’ Opening Session

WASHINGTON—At the opening session of the National Governors Association (NGA) Winter Meeting, governors discussed early childhood education and its importance in building a strong foundation for economic success in the ...

Governors Comment On Congressional Review of Education Regulations

WASHINGTON—The National Governors Association (NGA) today released the following statement on Congressional Review Act disapproval resolutions blocking final regulations on Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) accountability and teacher preparation programs ...

Promising Practices in Boosting School Leadership Capacity: Principal Academies

The role of the public school principal has expanded dramatically in recent decades. The expanded role means they are now significant multipliers of effective teaching and have a real opportunity ...

Governors Comment on Education Law Accountability Rule

WASHINGTON—The National Governors Association today released the following the U.S. Department of Education’s release of the final accountability rule under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA): “Today's final rule on ...

Ed Week: Here’s How the Education World Thinks the Feds Should Regulate Under ESSA

NGA's stance on implementing the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was mentioned in Education Week's Politics K-12 blog. The post says: "National Governors Association: The department should use a light touch in regulating ...