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

  • Portia Pratt, Senior Policy Analyst
  • Grace Burns, Policy Coordinator

NGA Resources

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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EDUCATE FOR OPPORTUNITY

EDUCATE FOR OPPORTUNITY

The NGA Center partnered with Strada Education Network from 2019 through 2021 to focus on supporting state efforts that connect and align their postsecondary institutions to state workforce needs. The ...
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Broadband Access for Success in Postsecondary Education

Broadband Access for Success in Postsecondary Education

Postsecondary institutions have a critical role in expanding affordable broadband access and closing the digital divide. by Rachel Hirsch and Jake Varn The gap between those with and those without ...
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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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State Strategies to Re-Engage Students with Some College and No Degree

State Strategies to Re-Engage Students with Some College and No Degree

This brief focuses on actions states and/or state higher education systems can take to help students with some college, but no degree, reenroll and persist in completing a postsecondary credential ...
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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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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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