50 State Comparison K 12 Governance Education Commission Of The States

Leo Migdal

-Dec 3, 2025, 3:51 AM

50 state comparison k 12 governance education commission of the states

Education Commission of the States is the trusted source for comprehensive knowledge and unbiased resources on education policy issues ranging from early learning through postsecondary education. Subscribe to our publications and stay informed. Need more information? Contact one of our policy experts. State education governance is the practice of coordinating institutions, processes and norms to guide collective decision-making and action. Understanding how key governance roles are structured and relate to each other helps clarify complex systems for policymakers.

Every state has the same or similar policymaking roles; however, each of the roles operate differently in the context of each state’s governance model. This resource provides a national overview of the key policymaking roles in K-12 education policy, a summary of each role’s general powers and duties, and some information on how they relate to other policymaking... Education Commission of the States researched state level education governance roles to provide these three comprehensive resources. This tool from the Education Commission of the States provides a national overview of state education governance, clarifying how policymaking roles are structured and interact across K–12 systems. It outlines the constitutional and statutory authority of governors, legislatures, chief state school officers, executive-level secretaries, state boards of education, and local school boards. Users can explore 50-state comparisons, individual state profiles, and key data points such as constitutional provisions, funding language, and appointment authority.

The resource highlights variations across states—for example, how chief state school officers are selected, the formal authority of state boards, and the role of executive-level secretaries. By making complex governance systems more accessible, this tool can help policymakers, educators, and researchers better understand decision-making authority, identify similarities and differences across states, and consider implications for policy design, implementation, and reform. The United States has no single national education system. Instead, 50 distinct state systems operate with different priorities, funding mechanisms, and success measures. This arrangement stems from the U.S. Constitution, which grants states primary authority over public education.

The Education Commission of the States was formed in 1965 to help states navigate their responsibilities and serve as a strategic consortium for policymakers. Its creation responded to growing federal influence, strengthening state capacity to lead on education policy. For years, the No Child Left Behind Act imposed prescriptive federal mandates requiring states to meet nationally defined accountability standards. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in 2015 marked a shift, returning substantial authority to states. ESSA dismantled many rigid requirements and let state leaders design their own systems for measuring school performance, identifying struggling schools, and setting educational goals. This renewed state control amplified existing differences.

States now diverge on nearly every major policy aspect. They use vastly different funding models, creating wide resource disparities. They’ve built unique accountability systems reflecting specific values, measuring everything from college readiness to chronic absenteeism. States take widely varied approaches to academic standards, school choice, teacher workforce policies, and what is taught in the classroom. School finance methods determine resources available to students and reflect fundamental decisions about equity and local control. Investment in a child’s education varies dramatically by zip code.

Not seeing what you need? Use our request information form. To see a list of our reports by release date, please click here or for a list of 50-State Comparisons please click here. States often publish data dictionaries or manuals that showcase which data elements their systems collect. This resource links to every public education-to-workforce data dictionary, data manual, or related document our […] Age requirements for free and compulsory education help policymakers ensure that students receive the benefits of K-12 education and support a reduction in dropout rates.

Depending on the state, students are required to attend school for as few as nine years and up to 13 years. However, exemptions exist on both sides of the K-12 spectrum to support students with circumstances outside of compulsory attendance requirements. Public postsecondary institutions rely on state funding serving as one of the primary sources of funding for public two- and four-year institutions. States vary considerably in how they structure their […] Schools continue to face specific and persistent teacher shortages in certain subjects, such as upper-level math and special education, and in certain schools, including historically under-resourced schools and rural schools. […]

This 50-state comparison from the Education Commission of the States looks at how each state allocates K-12 and special education funding to school districts. The comparison includes a look at each state's primary funding models, base per-student funding amounts, student enrollment counts, and information about funding for special education, English language learners, economically disadvantaged students, gifted and talented... CitationFischer, A., & Duncombe, C. (2024). 50-State Comparison: K-12 Funding. Denver, CO: Education Commission of the States.

50 State Comparison K 12 Governance Education Commission Of The States

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