As state legislative sessions begin, K-12 education continues to be a top agenda item across the country. A review of thousands of bills for upcoming sessions point to several clear priorities—and some emerging issues—that will shape discussions in education committee meetings. 

Key Themes

  • Content Oversight: There is continued discussion around gender and identity and restrictions to instruction (Alabama), reinforcing anti-discrimination protections (Delaware), or opting-in of mental health screenings (Illinois).
  • School Safety and Student Well-being: Several states (notably Georgia and Iowa) are pursuing funding and resources to promote school safety whether through counselor ratios, security staffing, or other mental health support.
  • CTE and Workforce Pathways: The volume of bills related to career and workforce development continues to rise this session, reflecting bipartisan interest (Iowa and Massachusetts). Notably, California is also considering a CTE graduation requirement.
  • Student Privacy and Technology: Concern over student privacy and implications for technology and social media is being raised across the country. We’re seeing more omnibus student data privacy bills than in prior years (New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania), plus Oklahoma adds to the  wave of proposals to limit or ban classroom cellphone use, following the  five states that already have bans in place.
  • Funding and Teacher Pay: Legislators are considering raising minimum pay for teachers in Ohio and a potential revision to the state funding formula for special education in Minnesota.
  • School Choice: Proposals include expanding or refining education savings accounts, charter authorization, or open enrollment (Illinois). This continues momentum from last year’s wave of ESA legislation in states like Iowa and Arizona. New Jersey’s proposal takes a unique approach in offering vouchers to parents that “object to learning materials or activity…”
  • Other notable areas include testing and accountability reforms and universal school meals.

Stay tuned: We’re tracking how state K-12 priorities evolve as bills move through committees and governors weigh in. Please reach out to our Research Team with any questions.

This article is sourced from Whiteboard Notes, our weekly newsletter of the latest education policy and industry news read by thousands of education leaders, investors, grantmakers, and entrepreneurs. Subscribe here.