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 recovery and well-being and strengthening educator recruitment and retention.

Latest

Discussing Youth Mental Health at the 2023 Jed Policy Summit

Discussing Youth Mental Health at the 2023 Jed Policy Summit

NGA’s Jess Kirchner and Jillian Meinhardt highlighted the importance of youth mental health at The Jed Foundation’s 2023 Jed Policy Summit. Thank you to The Jed Foundation for inviting Jess ...
Lessons From the World’s High-Performing Education Systems

Lessons From the World’s High-Performing Education Systems

A Conversation With Andreas Schleicher of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. In this NGA webinar conversation, Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills and Special Advisor on Education ...
2023 Governors’ Education Policy Advisors Institute: K-12 Education Highlights

2023 Governors’ Education Policy Advisors Institute: K-12 Education Highlights

NGA convened Governors’ education policy advisors in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to share gubernatorial education strategies with each other and learn from national and state experts through panel conversations and small group ...
The National Governors Association and Education Commission of the States Host K-12 Education Summit 

The National Governors Association and Education Commission of the States Host K-12 Education Summit 

Governors’ education policy advisors convened in Phoenix, Arizona to share gubernatorial strategies in top K-12 education priority areas. Advisors learned from each other and national experts during group panels and ...

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

  • Seth Gerson, Program Director
  • Jillian Meinhardt, Policy Analyst
  • Ekaan Ahmad, Policy Coordinator

K-12 Topics

Student and Staff Well-Being

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

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

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) ...
Governors’ Education Policy Advisors Institute 2022

Governors’ Education Policy Advisors Institute 2022

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 ...
Improving Mental Health Services and Increasing Supportive Services in Schools

Improving Mental Health Services and Increasing Supportive Services in Schools


Academic Supports

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 ...
Lessons Learned from Afterschool and Summer Learning and Enrichment in 2021

Lessons Learned from Afterschool and Summer Learning and Enrichment in 2021

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

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 ...
State Leaders Outline Strategies for Accelerating Student Learning Amid Pandemic

State Leaders Outline Strategies for Accelerating Student Learning Amid Pandemic


Educator Workforce

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 ...
Governors Welcome Action to Address Teacher Shortages

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 ...
Community Renewal Task Force Meeting on the Educator Workforce

Community Renewal Task Force Meeting on the Educator Workforce

In this webinar, Dr. Paul Manna of William and Mary shares findings from his new report, How Can State Policy Support Local School Districts as They Develop Comprehensive and Aligned ...
State Policy Levers to Support Principal Pipelines

State Policy Levers to Support Principal Pipelines


NGA K-12 Education Library

Governors Welcome Action to Address Teacher Shortages

Governors Welcome Action to Address Teacher Shortages

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 ...
Improving Mental Health Services and Increasing Supportive Services in Schools

Improving Mental Health Services and Increasing Supportive Services in Schools

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 ...
K-12 Computer Science Education – NGA 2022 Summer Meeting

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 ...
NGA 2022 Summer Meeting

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 ...
Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

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 ...
Governors, Private Sector, Education Leaders Advance Computer Science Education

Governors, Private Sector, Education Leaders Advance Computer Science Education

BOSTON –National Governors Association (NGA) Chairman Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson convened a meeting with Governors from five other states, private sector representatives, teachers and other experts to discuss bipartisan action ...
State of the States: Student and School Staff Health and Wellness

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 ...
State of the States: Academic Supports

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 ...
Webinar:  Education Trends in 2022 State of the State Addresses

Webinar: Education Trends in 2022 State of the State Addresses

NGA partnered with Education Commission of the States (ECS) to produce a report summarizing Governors’ top education priorities as outlined during State of the State addresses. This webinar provides context ...
Governors Convening on Computer Science Education

Governors Convening on Computer Science Education

Governors, state education leaders and national experts met in Bentonville, Arkansas to discuss the NGA Chairman’s Initiative on K-12 computer science education. By Catherine Van Ness On March 17, 2022, ...