Postsecondary Education

Postsecondary education is more important to states than ever before. Within the next decade, nearly two-thirds of the jobs in the U.S. will require some form of college credential. To meet that demand, states must lead efforts to graduate more students from high-quality certificate and degree programs with the resources available.

The NGA Center’s Postsecondary team supports the development and implementation of strategies that activate state policy levers and leverage state resources for educational attainment and career development after high school. This includes short-term/industry credentials, apprenticeship pathways, degree completion efforts, skills-based training, and modernizing state data systems to meet the needs of evolving industry sectors. The team works to create and execute state-focused, high-quality technical assistance and peer learning opportunities to support Governors’ offices in maximizing the impact and effectiveness of their current postsecondary systems while exploring opportunities for innovation.

Meet the team

  • Amanda Winters, Program Director
  • Portia Pratt, Senior Policy Analyst
  • Abigail Rhim, Policy Analyst
  • Eric Aboodi, Policy Coordinator

NGA Resources

Skills-Driven State Community of Practice

Skills-Driven State Community of Practice

The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center), in partnership with Jobs for the Future (JFF), has launched a project to help Governors’ offices and other senior state ...
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Next Generation of the Healthcare Workforce Project

Next Generation of the Healthcare Workforce Project

The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices is working with States in a new learning collaborative on strategies to grow and retain the next generation of the healthcare workforce ...
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Pre-Apprenticeship Action Lab

Pre-Apprenticeship Action Lab

National Governors Association, in partnership with Education Strategy Group, and thanks to support from the Siemens Foundation, hosted its fourth in a series of Action Labs as part of its ...
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Governors Leading on Supporting Student Loan Borrowers

Governors Leading on Supporting Student Loan Borrowers

Governors will continue to provide borrowers in their states with resources and guardrails that promote successful repayment and leverage student debt policy interventions to bolster their state workforce. For the ...
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States Collaborate to Combat Health Worker Shortage

States Collaborate to Combat Health Worker Shortage

14 states join National Governors Association (NGA) program focused on strategies to grow and retain the next generation of the health care workforce. WASHINGTON – California, Colorado, Missouri and Wyoming ...
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Postsecondary Education In 2022 State Of The State Addresses

Postsecondary Education In 2022 State Of The State Addresses

Funding, student support, apprenticeships and diverse career pathways were the most common focuses, but other issues including mental health, broadband and the aim to provide equal educational opportunity were emphasized ...
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FAFSA Completion Action Lab

FAFSA Completion Action Lab

This Action Lab focuses on strategies for increasing completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to expand access to postsecondary education. It includes an overview of several ...
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The Key Role of Community Colleges in Scaling Apprenticeship Programs Statewide

The Key Role of Community Colleges in Scaling Apprenticeship Programs Statewide

This webinar highlights outcomes of the ECCA initiative and the key role that community colleges play, in partnership with Governors, to scale apprenticeship programs statewide. Community colleges are essential partners ...
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Ability to Benefit Action Lab

Ability to Benefit Action Lab

Ability to Benefit can help students without a high school diploma or equivalency qualify for federal financial aid for postsecondary career pathways programs. This virtual action lab, held in partnership ...
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SNAP E&T Action Lab

SNAP E&T Action Lab

This Action Lab focused on leveraging Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) to expand access to and support student success in education and training programs that lead ...
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Western Governors University and the National Governors Association Announce Strategic Partnership

Western Governors University and the National Governors Association Announce Strategic Partnership

Partnership Will Deliver Best Practices to States to Improve Attainment in Higher Education, Skills and Work Western Governors University (WGU) and the National Governors Association (NGA) announced today a strategic ...
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Putting Policy Into Practice: State Actions For The Postsecondary Success Of Student Parents

Putting Policy Into Practice: State Actions For The Postsecondary Success Of Student Parents

Long before COVID-19, student parents needed a unique set of support systems to aid their efforts in pursuing postsecondary education—issues like food insecurity, housing instability, a lack of childcare, and ...
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