Overview

Education

• Education Finance. With support from the Gates Foundation, NCSL connects state legislators with the best and most recent research and ideas addressing how states can most effectively deploy scarce state resources.
• Educator Effectiveness. NCSL tracks state educator effectiveness initiatives and connects legislators to the latest research and reform efforts.
• College and Career Readiness. NCSL tracks state college and career readiness initiatives including the Common Core State Standards Initiative and dropout prevention and recovery efforts.
• Maintaining Access and Affordability in Tough Economic Times. Supported by the Lumina Foundation, this effort is taking a critical look at the way states design funding and policy for higher education.
• Improving College Completion. With support from the Lumina Foundation, NCSL works with state legislators to improve college completion and productivity.
• Expanded Learning Opportunities. Funded by the Mott Foundation, learn about innovative state models of after-school, summer learning and other expanded learning programs. In-depth technical assistance for your state around time and learning is available, including school calendar policies. Support is also provided to statewide afterschool networks, which can be a resource to policymakers.
• School Leadership. Supported by the Wallace Foundation, NCSL works to increase the number and quality of school leaders nationwide along with a network of researchers, policymakers and practitioners.
• Education Technology / Digital Learning. Supported by the MacArthur Foundation, this effort is designed to provide information, examples, and perspectives on the changing world of digital learning and implications for state policy.
• The Federal Role in Education. Learn about state and federal activity related to NCLB, and other federal initiatives.
• Legislative Education Bill Tracking Database. This database contains summaries of more than 1,000 legislative actions on education from 2002 through the present. Searches can be performed by issues area, keyword, bill number or year.
• NCSL Standing Committee on Education.  The committee studies federal and state education issues, and provides a forum for discussion about education policy between legislators and legislative staff.
• Legislative Education Staff Network (LESN). A joint effort between NCSL and Education Commission of the States (ECS), the LESN provides ongoing professional development opportunities for legislative staff and a forum for sharing information.

For more information, contact: Barbara Houlik, NCSL Staff.