Governors’ 2024 Education Priorities: Early Childhood, Curriculum, School Choice, Mental Health
Governors' 2024 Education Priorities: Early Childhood, Curriculum, School Choice, Mental Health The 74
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DiMarco: Analysis of 38 State of the State addresses finds substantial investments in education, practical ways to strengthen learning.
According to a FutureEd analysis of 38 State of the State addresses, governors from both parties have focused on substantial investments in education and practical ways to strengthen learning, rather than divisive culture-war controversies. The analysis highlights the alignment of governors from both parties on key education issues, including increasing teacher pay, expanding access to higher education, and promoting college and career readiness. However, the analysis also reveals a lack of attention to the issue of chronic absenteeism, which has increased significantly due to the pandemic.
Child Care and Early Learning
Child care and early learning emerged as a bipartisan priority, with 17 governors proposing measures to enhance accessibility and affordability for working parents. Democratic governors in Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, New Jersey, and Michigan championed statewide universal pre-K programs, while Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly proposed a significant investment in the state’s early childhood system. Several governors also proposed new or expanded child care tax credits.
The Teaching Profession
Governors from both parties are seeking to strengthen the teaching profession by increasing compensation, addressing shortages, and expanding recruitment. While both Republicans and Democrats addressed the issue in their speeches, concrete proposals to raise teacher pay came primarily from Republicans in Southern and Western states. Democrats focused more on recruiting and retaining educators. Examples of proposed initiatives include across-the-board pay raises, incentive programs, and teacher loan-forgiveness programs.
School Choice
School choice initiatives, particularly those involving private school options, emerged as a partisan issue. While both Democrats and Republicans offered charter school and public school choice initiatives, Republicans advocated for vouchers and education savings accounts, while Democrats opposed such measures. Republican-led states like Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia proposed significant expansions of private school choice programs, while Democrats in Kansas and Arizona rejected public funding of private schooling.
Curriculum and Instruction
Governors signed literacy-reform legislation rooted in the science of reading, with nine states pledging similar initiatives this year. Other curricular initiatives included investments in math education, financial literacy instruction, computer science requirements, and toolkits on digital literacy and critical thinking.
Student Mental Health
Eleven governors addressed student mental health and youth behavioral concerns, supporting both school and community-based approaches. Initiatives included increased funding for school-based mental health services, addressing the impact of social media on children, and guidance on smartphone and social media use in schools.
Higher Education
Governors proposed steps to improve college access, including expanding dual enrollment programs, lowering the cost of associate degrees, and increasing scholarship opportunities. Some governors also proposed shifting to outcomes-based models for higher education funding. Investments in evolving job markets, such as medical schools and artificial intelligence research, were also highlighted.
Workforce Development
Fifteen governors proposed ways to provide alternative pathways after high school, emphasizing the importance of career readiness. Initiatives included investments in skill-based learning, postsecondary apprenticeships, and specialized high schools focused on career fields.
This report highlights the alignment of governors from both parties on key education issues and their commitment to practical solutions. However, it also emphasizes the need for greater attention to the issue of chronic absenteeism and the importance of addressing the diverse needs of students in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to education.
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SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis
Child Care and Early Learning
– SDG 4: Quality Education
– Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care, and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.
– Indicator 4.2.1: Proportion of children under 5 years of age who are developmentally on track in health, learning, and psychosocial well-being, by sex.
The Teaching Profession
– SDG 4: Quality Education
– Target 4.c: By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States.
– Indicator 4.c.1: Proportion of teachers in: (a) pre-primary; (b) primary; (c) lower secondary; and (d) upper secondary education who have received at least the minimum organized teacher training (e.g., pedagogical training) pre-service or in-service required for teaching at the relevant level in a given country.
School Choice
– SDG 4: Quality Education
– Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship, and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.
– Indicator 4.7.1: Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development (including climate change education) are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment.
Curriculum and Instruction
– SDG 4: Quality Education
– Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs, and entrepreneurship.
– Indicator 4.4.1: Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill.
Student Mental Health
– SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
– Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
– Indicator 3.4.2: Suicide mortality rate.
Higher Education
– SDG 4: Quality Education
– Target 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational, and tertiary education, including university.
– Indicator 4.3.1: Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, by sex.
Workforce Development
– SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
– Target 8.6: By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education, or training.
– Indicator 8.6.1: Proportion of youth (aged 15-24 years) not in education, employment, or training.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 4: Quality Education | Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care, and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education. | Indicator 4.2.1: Proportion of children under 5 years of age who are developmentally on track in health, learning, and psychosocial well-being, by sex. |
| SDG 4: Quality Education | Target 4.c: By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States. | Indicator 4.c.1: Proportion of teachers in: (a) pre-primary; (b) primary; (c) lower secondary; and (d) upper secondary education who have received at least the minimum organized teacher training (e.g., pedagogical training) pre-service or in-service required for teaching at the relevant level in a given country. |
| SDG 4: Quality Education | Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship, and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development. | Indicator 4.7.1: Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development (including climate change education) are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment. |
| SDG 4: Quality Education | Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs, and entrepreneurship. | Indicator 4.4.1: Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill. |
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being. | Indicator 3.4.2: Suicide mortality rate. |
| SDG 4: Quality Education | Target 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational, and tertiary education, including university. | Indicator 4.3.1: Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, by sex. |
