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 nine Governors’ offices (four Republican, five Democratic) through the 2023-2024 Academic Supports and Student and School Staff Well-Being Project


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

  • Seth Gerson, Program Director
  • Ekaan Ahmad, Policy Coordinator

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 and Education Leaders Call for Funding and Flexibility to Ensure Student Safety in Fall

Governors and Education Leaders Call for Funding and Flexibility to Ensure Student Safety in Fall

In a letter to congressional leaders, the National Governors Association (NGA) and groups representing state K-12 education agencies, local school boards, universities, community colleges, educators and the special education community ...
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K-12 to Postsecondary Transitions During COVID-19: Opportunities for Governors and States

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 ...

Supporting K12 and Postsecondary Virtual Learning Environments

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 ...

Governors Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund Summary

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act includes the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund -- $3 billion in direct, flexible education funding for governors to provide to ...
Governor’s Pocket Guide to Early Literacy

Governor’s Pocket Guide to Early Literacy

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 ...
Governors Education Policy Advisors Institute 2019

Governors Education Policy Advisors Institute 2019

Sept. 25 – 27, 2019, Minneapolis, MN The National Governors Association (NGA) Solutions: The Center for Best Practices Education Division (NGA Education) hosted its annual Governors’ Education Policy Advisors Institute ...
A Bridge to Incubating Innovation:  Strengthening the Knowledge Exchange & Cross-Sector Collaboration Between Charter & District Schools

A Bridge to Incubating Innovation: Strengthening the Knowledge Exchange & Cross-Sector Collaboration Between Charter & District Schools

August 5-6, 2019 | Nashville, Tennessee Agenda | Participant List | Resources Day 1: Monday, August 5, 2019 Welcoming Remarks Introduction: Seth Gerson, Program Director, NGA Education, NGA Solutions: Center ...

Building Success: Strategies for Effectively Advancing Your Governor’s Education Priorities

This joint webinar with EducationCounsel was designed to provide new Governors Education Policy Advisors (GEPAs) with an overview of our team and give them the opportunity to hear from experienced ...
State Highlight: Louisiana’s Efforts to Develop and Support School Leaders

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

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 ...