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.

Featured

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

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 ...
Read More

State of the States: Student and School Staff Health and Wellness

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 ...
Read More

State of the States: Academic Supports

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 ...
Read More

2021-2022 CHAIRMAN’S INITIATIVE

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. Governor Hutchinson’s Initiative will focus on how states can expand access to computer science opportunities, including discussions on how to ensure equitable access to computer science education.

Learn More

Meet Our Team

Seth Gerson
Program Director

Catherine Van Ness
Senior Policy Analyst

Katie Nichols
Policy Coordinator

K-12 Topics

Health and Safety

The need for child care for both young and school age children, who are learning from home during the day while adults work, has thus expanded to more families and ...
Read More

Child Care for School-Aged Children

(View/Download) Introduction Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and corresponding economic decline, the number of Americans experiencing food insecurity has skyrocketed in the United States. According to surveys administered by the ...
Read More

School Nutrition and Meals Programs During K-12 School Reopening

The National Governors Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices Education, Health and Homeland Security and Public Safety divisions held a webinar on School Safety and Prevention on September 17, 2018 ...
Read More

School Safety and Prevention Webinar

Student and Staff Well-Being

This webinar explores strategies for Governors to help school districts in addressing chronic absenteeism and reengaging students as they continue learning in pandemic-disrupted circumstances. The webinar offers lessons learned and ...
Read More

Strategies for Reengaging Students During and Beyond The COVID-19 Pandemic

As Arkansas prepares to welcome students and teachers back to school, their Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education (AWARE) program keeps student and educator well-being a top priority. By Catherine ...
Read More

Arkansas Department of Education Hosts Student & Educator Well-Being Forum

Arkansas, Indiana, Michigan, North Dakota, Oregon, Wisconsin to Advance Whole Child Vision for Students’ Comprehensive Development The National Governors Association (NGA) will collaborate with Arkansas, Indiana, Michigan, North Dakota, Oregon ...
Read More

National Governors Association to Work With 6 States to Meet Social and Emotional Needs of Students and Families

Academic Recovery / Summer Learning and Enrichment

A series of conversations with subject matter experts, state education leaders, and practitioners that reflect on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and elevate strategies and models for redesigning key ...
Read More

K-12 Education: Reflect And Redesign

Strategies for Reengaging Students During and Beyond The COVID-19 Pandemic

National Governors Association, Council of Chief State School Officers Note Summer Opportunities and Cite Examples of State Leadership As state and educational leaders grapple with the effects of the COVID-19 ...
Read More

State Leaders Outline Strategies for Accelerating Student Learning Amid Pandemic

Digital Literacy

This guide offers three key strategies and guiding questions for employers to contribute to Digital Equity Act planning and implementation, as well as strategies for state policymakers to support and ...
Read More

Leveraging the Digital Equity Act To Advance Digital Skills

Republican and Democratic Governors alike understand that K-12 computer science education is critical to American competitiveness and security. By Governor Asa Hutchinson and Governor Phil Murphy Intelligence officials are sounding ...
Read More

Advance STEM education in bipartisan innovation and competition legislation

Governors, First Spouses, industry partners and national experts met in Boston, Massachusetts, to discuss K-12 computer science education, the focus of the NGA Chairman’s Initiative. By Catherine Van Ness Photo: ...
Read More

Computer Science Education and The Workforce

Educator Workforce

On Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019, the Education Division hosted a webinar on school leadership, titled “State Highlight: Louisiana’s Efforts to Develop and Support School Leaders.” During this webinar the division ...
Read More

State Highlight: Louisiana’s Efforts to Develop and Support School Leaders

Hosted by the National Governors Association (NGA) and Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), this webinar highlighted how governors and state education chiefs in Delaware and Tennessee have worked ...
Read More

School Leadership Under ESSA: State Highlights

Many states have recently devoted significant attention to improving the quality of teaching and school leadership. Changes to teacher and principal evaluations as well as modifications to policy and regulation ...
Read More

How Maryland Policymakers Are Working Together to Improve School Principal Quality

Education Finance

The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) hosted a webinar that provided state examples and strategies to address funding formulas, leverage public taxpayer investments and increase effective ...
Read More

Financing an Equitable and High-Quality K-12 Education System

K-12, Postsecondary, Workforce Connections

Summary This topic paper details how dual and concurrent enrollment programs can help states overcome workforce readiness and postsecondary access and completion challenges and how governors can strengthen these programs ...
Read More

Education Topic Papers a Governor’s Dual Enrollment Framework for Success

$3.5 million in grants to National Governors Association, Education Commission of the States will incubate new pathways to opportunity for 32 million Americans left out of economic growth ...
Read More

Strada Education Network Invests in Development of State Policies for Adult Learners, Disconnected Youth

The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) held a learning lab exploring strategies states can use to expand and scale work-based learning opportunities for youth and young ...
Read More

Policy Academy on Scaling Work-Based Learning: Knowledge Exchange Learning Lab

NGA K-12 Education Library

Elevating Opportunities for Innovation: Education Leadership in Colorado and Ohio

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 ...
Read More

NGA 2022 Winter Meeting

The National Governors Association's 114th annual Winter Meeting was January 28-31, 2022 in Washington, D.C. Governors met to discuss best practices and bipartisan collaboration on leading policy issues including infrastructure, ...
Read More

American Rescue Plan State Funding Profiles

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 ...
Read More

State of the States 2022

Governors of states, territories and commonwealths are outlining their priorities for 2022 in state of the state or commonwealth addresses, as well as inaugural addresses for new and re-elected Governors ...
Read More

Strategies for Supporting Students with Unique Needs During & Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic

This series of webinars explores strategies for supporting students with unique needs as they recover from disrupted school years. Panelists offer lessons learned and promising practices, especially related to the ...
Read More

School Leadership Hot Topics

Governor Hutchinson Hosts National Computer Science Education Week Kick-Off

Arkansas Governor and NGA Chairman Asa Hutchinson hosted the official national launch event for #CSEdWeek 2021 in Little Rock, Arkansas. By Catherine Van Ness On Friday, November 3, 2021, NGA ...
Read More

National Governors Association Chairman’s Initiative Highlighted at CSEdCon

The national computer science education conference in Los Angeles, California brought together state leaders, local educators, and industry partners to discuss strategies to expand access and equity in computer science ...
Read More

2021 State of Computer Science Education Report

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson’s NGA Chairman’s Initiative aims to expand access to K-12 computer science education across the United States and territories. During this webinar, Dr. Katie Hendrickson of Code.org ...
Read More

Lessons Learned from Afterschool and Summer Learning and Enrichment in 2021

This webinar highlights lessons learned for afterschool and summer learning programs during the pandemic and Summer 2021. Panelists offer recommendations regarding accelerating learning, re-engaging students, and effective use of federal ...
Read More