Governors in five states — Colorado, Connecticut, Kentucky, Idaho, and North Dakota  —  took to the podium this week for their annual ‘state of the state.’ This is an opportunity to share their goals, priorities, and new initiatives for the upcoming year. There are 16 additional state addresses scheduled for January. 

Check back for more updates from the W/A team.

Colorado – Jared Polis (D) 

“We have a responsibility to guarantee every Colorado student has access to a quality education. This requires creating innovative pathways for students and schools to succeed; no excuses, no exceptions.”

Gov. Polis’ speech focused on the state’s dedication to creating effective systems across the education spectrum, from early childhood and K-12 to higher education and workforce readiness The governor also highlighted his work as the Chair of the National Governors Association, which focuses on ensuring learners develop the skills and talents necessary to be successful in today and tomorrow’s job market.

Gov. Polis celebrated the state’s commitment to early childhood education through the Universal Preschool Program, which saved its first class of families an average of $6,100 and boosted the state to 7th in the nation for preschool enrollment. Additionally, the governor highlighted the economic benefits of UPK, sharing that parents who enroll their kids in universal preschool earn 20% more on average than parents without access to universal preschool.

Gov. Polis also highlighted recent state efforts to improve the school finance formula to focus on “students rather than systems,” and better support schools that serve English Language Learners and economically disadvantaged students. 

Additionally, he emphasized the importance of supporting innovative educational experiences for students across the state to increase academic achievement. He expressed concerns about “education deserts,” where more than 90% of students are below grade level in reading and math, and called for more to be done to make high achievement the norm for district schools, innovative schools, and charter schools alike.

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Connecticut – Ned Lamont (D) 

“Our debt-free community college program makes access easier, but innovation is overdue. We must develop a balance between traditional classroom experience, and more dual enrollment, stackable credentials, and flexible, online classes.”

Gov. Lamont spoke to his state plan focusing on affordability, workforce development, and student mental health. He pledges budget increases in the K-12 funding formula, facilitating parental control over media access, and expanding apprenticeship and internship programs. Additionally, the governor called for slowing tuition increases at Connecticut’s higher education institutions.

Gov. Lamont highlighted the state’s investment in K-12 and higher education. He celebrated the state’s effort in supporting student wellbeing with increases in the number of counselors in schools, and robust attendance interventions. 

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Kentucky – Andy Beshear (D)

“With so many new job opportunities, we must make sure all of our children are getting the very best education. We all want a New Kentucky Home where our kids and grandkids never feel they have to leave, because every opportunity is right here.”

Gov. Beshear celebrated the many achievements for Kentuckians and the ways the state is leading the nation, including in increasing new jobs and bringing in private sector investment. 

For education, Gov. Beshear reiterated his desire to bring Universal Pre-K to all four year olds in Kentucky. He called for the state to put the voucher debate behind them, as the proposed amendment failed in every county. He also highlighted the strength of Kentucky’s career and technical education (CTE) programs and the opportunities to expand and further connect private employers to support those efforts. 

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Idaho – Brad Little (R)

“Adequately funding public schools is both our constitutional and our moral obligation, and we will not abandon that obligation.”

Gov. Little highlighted the significant increase – 80% – in state education funding since taking office and the robust, continuing support for charter schools in the state. 

The governor’s state plan includes investments of more than $150M in K-12 public schools to address gaps in rural school facilities, mental health, school safety, and literacy.

He referenced the importance of school choice options for families alongside accountability. He promised increased funding for choice programs and specifically for students with disabilities. 

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North Dakota – Kelly Armstrong (R)

“We spend a lot of time talking about North Dakota’s natural resources. But we must never forget that our most important resource is right now sitting at a desk in classrooms all across the state.”

Gov. Armstrong’s speech focused on the importance of career and technical education (CTE), supporting K-12 school choice, and the value of North Dakota’s higher education institutions.

Gov. Armstrong’s talking points on education focused on upcoming changes to higher education in North Dakota. He pledged legislative discussions that focus less on closing underperforming campuses and more on ensuring institutions can make workforce-specific improvements. He also called for a budget increase to Challenge Grants scholarships to $50M, driving $150M of investment in higher education over the next two years. 

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Our recap of past State of the State Addresses can be found here: 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021