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.

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

April 15, 2026

How Have Issues Evolved in State of the State Addresses Since 2020?

Over the past five years, governors have been pretty consistent when it comes to education issues featured in their state of the state addresses. However, they have completely shifted on what they prioritize within those issues. From COVID-19 pandemic recovery to career and technical education, states […]

Postsecondary Workforce

April 7, 2026

Do States Have the Data Capacity to Implement Workforce Pell?

“When a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight," Samuel Johnson said of a condemned acquaintance, "it concentrates the mind wonderfully." State leaders staring down an impending and critical July deadline for implementing Workforce […]

K-12

April 2, 2026

What Declining Student Enrollment Means for Schools — and What States Are Doing About It

After decades of steady growth, school enrollments have shifted drastically. K-12 school enrollment has declined by 2.3%, or 1.18 million students, in the U.S. over the past five years, and […]

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

March 18, 2026

What Do Governors’ State of the State Addresses Signal and Why Do They Matter?

Each year, governors across the country step to the podium to deliver their State of the State addresses. These speeches offer far more than a summary of the past year. They provide an […]

Postsecondary Workforce

March 10, 2026

Exploring State Postsecondary Policy Priorities of 2026

Recent state postsecondary policymaking has been shaped by a mix of affordability concerns, uneven enrollment recovery and persistent labor market demand in high-demand fields. As states work to fortify talent pipelines, policymakers are […]

Postsecondary Workforce

Feb. 24, 2026

Governing Workforce Pell Grants at the State Level

Last summer, the H.B. 1 was passed by the U.S. Congress. This legislation allows students to apply Pell Grants to short-term training programs beginning July 1, 2026, which could open […]

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

Feb. 4, 2026

Why Strengthening Education-to-Workforce Data Systems Matters for States

State leaders need to answer increasingly complex questions about how policy decisions across early care and education, K–12, postsecondary and workforce systems connect to long-term economic mobility. Answering those questions requires coherent, aligned data systems […]

High School K-12

Jan. 29, 2026

How Are Universal School Choice Programs Designed Across States?

With promises of greater parental freedom to choose schools and autonomy over the use of education funds, universal school choice programs have expanded in recent years. Over the past year, […]

K-12 Workforce

A group of teachers sit around a table during a professional learning workshop.

Jan. 27, 2026

Improving Professional Learning Systems for Today’s Educators

This guest post comes from Ji Soo Song, director of projects and initiatives at SETDA, Coleen Putaansuu, Title II, Part A Lead program supervisor at the Washington Office of […]

K-12

Dec. 15, 2025

Two Very Different States, One Shared Strategy: Community Schools Are Helping Students Succeed in California and Kentucky

At first glance, California and Kentucky might seem worlds apart. One is among the nation’s most populous states, anchored by some of the largest urban centers in the country. The […]

K-12 Workforce

Dec. 10, 2025

Retaining Great Teachers Through Induction and Mentoring

Across all 50 states, shortages and turnover continue to challenge the teacher workforce. Our 50-State Comparison on Teacher Recruitment and Retention highlights how states are tackling these issues by creating […]

K-12 Workforce

Dec. 2, 2025

Paid Clinical Service for Novice Teachers

Recent studies estimate that about one in eight teaching positions nationally are either filled by teachers not fully certified for the specific role or unfilled. As states continue to grapple with a specific and persistent teacher shortage, strategies […]