69ý

States

Republican and Democratic Governors Both Are Touting This K-12 Priority

Career prep heads up the list of education themes
By Evie Blad — March 20, 2024 6 min read
Heidi Griebel and Josie Wahl participate in carpentry class at Career and Technical Education Academy in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Jan. 7, 2019.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

Clear K-12 themes dominated governors’ state of the state addresses this year, with one issue dominating priorities across party lines: workforce readiness.

That’s the finding of analysts from the Education Commission of the States, a research group, who worked with the National Governors Association for a report issued March 14. (Some governors only give the speeches biennially, in the years their state legislatures convene.)

Thirty-seven of those speeches called for a focus on career and technical education and workforce development, an issue that has won the support of everyone from conservative state lawmakers to Democratic President Joe Biden, who mentioned career preparation in his State of the Union address.

“If you’re in the 10th or 11th grade and you’re excited about being a welder or a plumber, we should celebrate that,” said Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, in his Feb. 6 speech. “And we should treat that career path with the same level of respect as someone who chooses to go to college.”

The five other most common priorities identified in the analysis are: ensuring schools have adequate funding, supporting the teacher workforce, expanding early education, boosting academic achievement, and promoting student health and well-being.

Here’s a rundown of the top six issues governors identified.

1. Workforce development and career and technical education

Mentioned by governors of 36 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands

Forget headline-grabbing education topics like critical race theory and private school choice programs: Almost all of the governors mentioned workforce preparation issues in their speeches.

Governors mentioned state initiatives that help boost dual-enrollment participation among high school students and allow students to start apprenticeships and earn technical certificates in high-demand trade fields, like construction, before they graduate.

See Also

69ý in the auto technology class work on a vehicle at the Regional Occupational Center.
69ý work on a vehicle in an auto technology class at the Regional Occupational Center in Bakersfield, Calif.
Morgan Lieberman for Education Week

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a Republican, praised her state’s Jobs for America’s Graduates program, which teaches high school students “employability skills,” like problem-solving, and supports them in creating a post-secondary college or career plan.

“When students graduate, we want them to have every opportunity open for them. Some of them will jump right into a career—and that’s great!” Noem said in her Jan. 9 address, adding that students should also have support to go to technical schools or join the military.

In 2023, 47 states enacted 115 policies affecting career and technical education and career readiness, including legislation, executive orders, and budget provisions, according to a February .

2. School funding

Mentioned by governors of 32 states

Frequent mentions of K-12 school funding come as districts face a perfect storm of financial challenges: the September spending deadline for an unprecedented surge of federal COVID-19 relief aid, declining student enrollment (enrollment fuels many states’ funding formulas), and challenges that strain resources, like academic recovery and student mental health.

Governors praised higher levels of state funding for K-12 education and funding for programs that target specific student populations, like students at risk of dropping out.

See Also

Conceptual image in blue: puzzle-shaped 100 American dollar banknote and red-colored question mark symbol.
Liz Yap from Education Week via iStock/Getty
Budget & Finance 4 Financial Headaches 69ý May Not Be Able to Avoid This Year
Mark Lieberman, February 6, 2024
6 min read

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, a Democrat, praised his state’s Learner Engagement and Attendance Program, which aims to tackle high rates of chronic absenteeism through evidence-based home visits.

“We will continue to fund the LEAP program as we get more and more of our kids who got disconnected from school during the pandemic back in the classroom,” Lamont said. “And thankfully our chronic absence rate is dropping.”

The mentions of K-12 funding come as many district leaders around the country prepare for shifts in state policy that may pose financial challenges: the end of temporary “hold harmless” policies that froze penalties for declining enrollment during the pandemic, changes in local tax collections that may lead to less revenue, and new unfunded mandates imposed by state lawmakers.

3. Teacher workforce issues and pay

Mentioned by governors of 27 states

More than half of governors mentioned calls to raise teacher pay or otherwise build the pipeline of educators in their state.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, proposed special pay incentives for special education teachers, which are frequently among the most hard-to-fill positions. Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, called on legislators to fund recruitment bonuses of up to $15,000 to attract teachers to the remote state.

See Also

Jacqueline Chaney ask her 2nd graders a question during class at New Town Elementary School in Owings Mills, Md., on Oct. 25, 2023.
Jacqueline Chaney ask her 2nd graders a question during class at New Town Elementary School in Owings Mills, Md., on Oct. 25, 2023.
Jaclyn Borowski/Education Week

“Investing in our classroom teachers isn’t just the right thing to do,” Dunleavy said in his Jan. 30 address. “It’ll also strengthen our ability to recruit and retain them in a highly competitive world.”

Dunleavy March 14 because it did not include those bonuses and another priority of his: allowing the state board of education to bypass local school districts and directly approve charter schools, Alaska Public Media reported.

Many governors also praised new laws that raised minimum teacher salaries. But some district leaders have complained that those shifts can tax local resources if they aren’t matched with increased funding from their states.

4. Early education and child care

Mentioned by governors of 25 states

Governors praised their states’ expansions of full-day kindergarten and early education programs and called on their states to do more to address the high cost of child care.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, called on his state to pass universal prekindergarten for 4-year-olds.

See Also

President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol on March 7, 2024, in Washington.
President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol on March 7, 2024, in Washington.
Shawn Thew/Pool via AP
Federal Biden Calls for Teacher Pay Raises, Expanded Pre-K in State of the Union
Evie Blad, March 7, 2024
5 min read

“We are rightfully concerned about learning loss. So, we should address it where it begins,” he said in his Jan. 3 address. “In the last academic year, only 46 percent of kindergartners were considered kindergarten-ready.”

Biden made a similar pitch for expanding pre-kindergarten in his State of the Union. And his proposed 2025 budget called for early-childhood programs.

5. Student achievement and literacy

Mentioned by governors of 24 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands

Governors’ discussions of student achievement included praise of statewide tutoring initiatives and school-improvement efforts, and concerns about learning lost during pandemic-related interruptions.

Such concerns have been top of mind for policymakers and educators as districts carry out accelerated learning, summer remediation efforts, and after-school programs to help get students back on track.

See Also

Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education, speaks during a presentation of the proposed state spending plan during an announcement in Indianapolis on Jan. 4, 2023.
Indiana Secretary of Education Katie Jenner speaks about a proposed state spending plan on Jan. 4, 2023, in Indianapolis. Indiana tracks students' 3rd grade reading progress and the tools and supports districts are deploying.
Michael Conroy/AP

Governors’ remarks on achievement focused heavily on early literacy, including coaching to help reading teachers improve their instruction, funding for school-based literacy screenings, and state commissions to align school practices with “the science of reading.” Already, 37 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws to shift teaching in line with the evidence on how kids learn to read.

“Our teachers are being trained in the science of math and reading, and we are preparing them not only to teach the kids of today, but also of the future,” Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, a Republican, said in her Feb. 6 speech.

6. Student health and well-being

Mentioned by governors of 20 states

Governors’ focus on student health and well-being came after the U.S. Surgeon Generaldeclared a youth mental health crisis, and as school leaders express concern about student behavior and classroom engagement.

State leaders mentioned efforts to improve child nutrition, suicide prevention programs, and grants to train more school counselors.

See Also

Vector illustration of a counselor or psychologist holding a clipboard in one hand and an umbrella above in the other over an anxious woman who is tucking her head into her knees with a tangled line hovering above her head.
iStock/Getty
Student Well-Being A Mental Health Screening Saved 69ý’ Lives in This District
Caitlynn Peetz, February 23, 2024
4 min read

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, proposed a $1 billion mental health plan, including funds to create school-based programs.

“Focusing on our kids is critical because they’re our most precious resource and investing in mental health services for the young means they won’t be relegated to a lifetime of needing care later on,” Hochul said in her Jan. 9 address.

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
AI and Educational Leadership: Driving Innovation and Equity
Discover how to leverage AI to transform teaching, leadership, and administration. Network with experts and learn practical strategies.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
Investing in Success: Leading a Culture of Safety and Support
Content provided by 
Assessment K-12 Essentials Forum Making Competency-Based Learning a Reality
Join this free virtual event to hear from educators and experts working to implement competency-based education.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

States Oklahoma GOP Lawmakers Demand Investigation of Education Chief
They have concerns about Ryan Walters' stewardship of federal and state funds and his transparency on meetings and open-records requests.
4 min read
Ryan Walters speaks at a rally, Nov. 1, 2022, in Oklahoma City. Republican State Superintendent Walters ordered public schools Thursday, June 27, 2024, to incorporate the Bible into lessons for grades 5 through 12, the latest effort by conservatives to incorporate religion into classrooms.
Oklahoma state Superintendent Ryan Walters speaks at a rally on Nov. 1, 2022, in Oklahoma City. Walters is now facing scrutiny from GOP lawmakers, who seek an investigation into his stewardship of education funding and his agency's transparency.
Sue Ogrocki/AP
States Some School Workers Now Get Unemployment Over the Summer. Here's How It Works
Districts are scrambling as some states now allow non-instructional school employees to collect summer unemployment checks.
9 min read
Illustration of dollar being used to fill gap in bridge.
DigitalVision Vectors
States Why This State Will Take a Class Requirement Off the Ballot—And Why It Matters
Asking voters to decide on a curriculum issue could set a tricky precedent, experts say.
2 min read
Image of books, money, calculator, and graduation cap.
cnythzl/DigitalVision Vectors
States How States Are Testing the Church-State Divide in Public 69ý
A new order to teach the Bible in Oklahoma is the latest action to fuel debate over the presence of religion in schools.
7 min read
Image of a bible sitting on top of a school backpack.
Canva