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

American Rescue Plan State Funding Profiles

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 ...
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State of the States 2022

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

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 ...
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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.

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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

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Student and Staff Well-Being

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Academic Recovery / Summer Learning and Enrichment

Summary Early literacy has been elevated by governors across the nation as an indicator of success in school and in life. The 2019 Governor’s Pocket Guide to Early Literacy underscores the ...
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Governor’s Pocket Guide to Early Literacy

Governor’s Pocket Guide to Early Literacy

On Jul. 9, 2018, the Education Division, in partnership with NGA's Health and Economic Opportunity Divisions, presented a webinar on Chronic Absenteeism. The session features national and state experts from ...
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Chronic Absenteeism Webinar

Digital Literacy

Affordable, reliable internet access has never been more essential to a student’s education. Governors recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the urgent need for distance learning and closing the digital ...
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Governors Prioritize Expanding Internet Access for K-12 Students

Governors Prioritize Expanding Internet Access for K-12 Students

Access to fast, reliable broadband is critical to households, businesses, and communities in the modern economy. The ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency has underscored the necessity of broadband access for ...
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Broadband

Broadband

This memo analyzes the need to expand access to and support around virtual learning methods as educational institutions move to online instruction. As schools, colleges, and universities across the country ...
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Supporting K12 and Postsecondary Virtual Learning Environments

Educator Workforce

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Education Finance

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K-12, Postsecondary, Workforce Connections

January 17-19, 2018 | Indianapolis, IN The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) hosted a policy academy meeting focused on assisting state workforce and education leaders to ...
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Work-Based Learning Policy Academy Cross-State Meeting

Work-Based Learning Policy Academy Cross-State Meeting

Summary States increasingly need a more highly skilled workforce to meet the requirements of businesses, keep up with a rapidly changing economy and accelerate growth that leads to economic opportunity ...
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States Continue Advancing Strategies to Scale Work-Based Learning

States Continue Advancing Strategies to Scale Work-Based Learning

WASHINGTON— The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) announced that six states— Alabama, Idaho, Illinois, Nevada, North Carolina and Rhode Island— have been selected to participate in a policy academy focused on scaling ...
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States Support Work-Based Learning to Expand Employment Opportunities

NGA K-12 Education Library

State Plans for Accelerating Student Learning: A Preliminary Analysis

State Plans for Accelerating Student Learning: A Preliminary Analysis

Governors and state chiefs are moving quickly to develop plans that include a range of new strategies, targeted interventions and grant programs designed to close achievement gaps and prepare all ...
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National Governors Association to Work With 6 States to Meet Social and Emotional Needs of Students and Families

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

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 ...
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State Education Trends

State Education Trends

A look at major education themes across State of the State addresses. Perhaps not surprisingly, almost all of the trends we identified this year connect back to COVID-19 in some ...
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NGA’s Community Renewal Co-Chairs and U.S. Education Secretary Discuss Reopening America’s Schools

NGA’s Community Renewal Co-Chairs and U.S. Education Secretary Discuss Reopening America’s Schools

Missouri Governor Mike Parson and Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan, co-chairs of the National Governors Association (NGA) Community Renewal Task Force, issued the following statement after meeting with U.S. Secretary ...
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Governors’ Education Priorities

Governors’ Education Priorities

In this year's State of the State addresses Governors unsurprisingly focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and its implications for students, teachers and education more broadly. by Jon Alfuth, Policy Analyst ...
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Strategies for Advancing Equity Through State Education Budgets During & Beyond COVID

Strategies for Advancing Equity Through State Education Budgets During & Beyond COVID

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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K-12 Education Issues

Education policy is a constitutional responsibility of states, and governors play a leading role in efforts to improve education. The challenges states face in K-12 education are complex, and governors ...
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Putting CARES Act Funds to Work: Investing in Education, Investing in Recovery

Putting CARES Act Funds to Work: Investing in Education, Investing in Recovery

Federal support is needed to ensure school safety, as well as protect public health, stimulate the economy, coordinate and support vaccine distribution, and help prevent tax increases. Our recovery is ...
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COVID-19 K-12 SCHOOL OPENING AND CLOSING POLICIES

COVID-19 K-12 SCHOOL OPENING AND CLOSING POLICIES

Summary of Established State Thresholds (View/Download) Introduction As the country continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring high-quality K-12 education while also minimizing the risk that students, teachers, and staff ...
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Child Care for School-Aged Children

Child Care for School-Aged Children

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 ...
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