On June 22, some visitors to our website experienced an unauthorized CAPTCHA prompt due to a temporary security issue. The issue has been resolved, and we continue to investigate the incident. If you encountered the unauthorized CAPTCHA and were prompted to download software, run a command, or take additional actions on your device, we recommend contacting your organization's IT support team or a trusted technology professional for guidance.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact us at extsecops@ecs.org.

Ed Note

Our blog features education research and policy trends, promising practices from states and partners, and anecdotes from our work with state leaders across the country.

hello world!

K-12 Workforce

Aug. 21, 2025

Understanding Teacher Retention Data Through Teacher Mobility

Across the U.S., research on teacher attrition carries varying definitions, approaches and results. In South Carolina, the education research consortium SC TEACHER is investigating state-specific data and localized nuances for […]

K-12

Aug. 19, 2025

The Role of High-Impact Tutoring for States and School Districts

Without federal emergency education funds, states likely will play a larger role in supporting high-impact tutoring in schools. State leaders may wonder why and how they can continue supporting student […]

High School K-12

Aug. 14, 2025

How States Can Maximize Their EdTech Vendor Relationships

Five years on from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, school districts are inundated with digital applications and tools — thousands of them. The average number of edtech products used […]

High School K-12

Aug. 6, 2025

How States Can Invest in Entrepreneurship Education

In today’s fast-changing economy, young people need more than academic achievement to thrive. They need the skills, mindset and agency to navigate complex career landscapes and emerging technologies. As states […]

Early Education (P-3)High School K-12

July 24, 2025

A Framework for State Leaders to Advance Summer Learning

2021 was a turning point for summer learning in this country. Catalyzed by pandemic-related interrupted instruction, a broad movement to return to in-person learning and $1.2 billion in ESSER funds […]

Early Education (P-3)High School K-12

July 23, 2025

Solving the Math Policy Equation: Four Takeaways From Our Inaugural Math Policy Meeting

At this year’s National Forum on Education Policy, math was among the topic highlights. Student outcomes in math remain below pre-pandemic levels, and the most recent Nation’s Report Card […]

High School K-12

June 24, 2025

AI Pilot Programs in K-12 Settings

As of March 2025, 28 states have published or adopted artificial intelligence (AI) guidance for K-12 education. As a majority of states have now set the groundwork for issuing guidance, […]

K-12 Workforce

June 17, 2025

How States Are Responding to the Rise of AI in Education

When ChatGPT debuted in 2022, no states had policies related to generative artificial intelligence (genAI). Fast forward to April 2025, and at least 28 states have published guidance on AI […]

Early Education (P-3)

June 3, 2025

Leveraging Data to Improve Early Childhood Outcomes

State leaders face complex decisions about how to allocate resources, improve program delivery, and ensure children receive the support they need to thrive. This has always been the case, but […]

Postsecondary Workforce

May 22, 2025

Education and Workforce Benefits of Enhanced Wage Records

Which policies and investments are most likely to advance individuals’ economic opportunities while strengthening state economies? Some states have begun adopting a critical tool for understanding this key relationship: […]

May 19, 2025

Why Salt Lake City Is the Place to Be This July

The coming years present opportunities for education policy as state leadership on education policy becomes more central than ever to student outcomes. Written 60 years ago, Education Commission of the […]

Postsecondary Workforce

May 1, 2025

Linking Postsecondary and Workforce Outcomes Data Nationally

Postsecondary education access has expanded across the nation, but many states still struggle to understand how credentials and degrees translate to meaningful employment outcomes. Nationally, only half of bachelor’s […]