Education Commission of the States: A Comprehensive Overview

The Education Commission of the States (ECS) is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization that serves as a trusted resource for state education policymakers. ECS provides insights and support to education leaders, helping them create effective policies that promote student success across the educational spectrum, from early childhood education to workforce development.

History and Formation

ECS was founded in 1965 by John W. Gardner, then president of the Carnegie Corporation, and Terry Sanford, former governor of North Carolina. Gardner and Sanford drafted the Compact for Education, which was approved by representatives from all 50 states. ECS was established as the operating arm of the Compact. The idea of establishing a compact on education and creating an operational arm to follow up on its goals was originally proposed by James Bryant Conant, president of Harvard University. The organization opened its headquarters in Denver, Colorado, in 1967. Between 1965 and 1967, John W. Gardner and Terry Sanford drafted the Compact for Education.

Initially, ECS administered the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test until 1982, when the Reagan administration decided to privatize the test. The Educational Testing Service (ETS) now administers the NAEP.

Mission and Focus

ECS operates as a public policy think tank, researching and publishing reports on education policy as it relates to state education. ECS is dedicated to helping education leaders gain the insight and experience needed to create effective education policy for their constituents. The organization's expertise spans early care and education to workforce development. ECS provides support to legislatures and individual legislators in developing P-20 education and workforce development state laws and policies, both fiscal and programmatic, which support student success.

Key Functions and Activities

The Education Commission of the States undertakes various activities to support its mission, including:

Research and Publications: ECS researches and publishes studies on educational policies at the state level. These publications cover a wide range of topics, providing policymakers with valuable data and analysis to inform their decisions. For example, in 2025, ECS released a report on teacher recruitment and retention across the United States, which found that schools continue to face persistent teacher shortages in certain subjects, such as special education, particularly in rural areas.
State Information Requests: ECS responds to inquiries from state policymakers, providing information and resources on specific education topics. For example, ECS provided information on how states fund special education services and equitable funding approaches for these services in response to a state policymaker's request.
Convenings and Events: ECS organizes meetings and events that bring together state education leaders to share ideas, learn about best practices, and collaborate on policy solutions. The National Forum on Education Policy is one such event.
Legislative Education Staff Network (LESN): ECS facilitates the Legislative Education Staff Network (LESN), a coordinated network of professional and knowledgeable legislative staff from across the country who work on education policy. LESN strengthens the capabilities of legislative education staff to support legislatures and individual legislators in developing P-20 education and workforce development state laws and policies, both fiscal and programmatic, which support student success.
Awards and Recognition: The commission gives out three yearly awards. The James Bryant Conant award has been given since 1977 for "outstanding individual contributions to education".

Structure and Governance

The Education Commission of the States is governed by an Executive Committee, which provides strategic direction and oversight for the management, operations, and financial policies of the organization. The Executive Committee also hires and manages the President. Members of the Executive Committee serve two-year terms. One Commissioner from each state serves a two-year term on the Steering Committee, which maintains broad oversight of the organization and is the primary policy-setting body of Education Commission of the States. Prospective Steering Committee members, who must be current Commissioners, are approved by the Nominating Committee.

Key Leadership Positions

Chair: A governor who presides at all Education Commission of the States’ meetings and can select an education issue as their priority focus during their term. The Chair alternates between Democratic and Republican governors every two years.
Vice Chair: A state legislator whose duties are delegated by the chair and include serving as chair in the event of the chairs’ absence. The vice chair is of the opposite party of the chair.
Treasurer: The Treasurer has general responsibility for the funds of the Commission and for reviewing financial reports. This position is not limited to an education leader role group.
President: The President is hired by, reports to, and serves at the pleasure of the Executive Committee. The president of Education Commission of the States performs the duties of secretary and serves as a nonvoting officer. José Muñoz is the current President of the Education Commission of the States.

Current Officers (2025-2027)

Chair: Mark Gordon, Governor of Wyoming
Vice Chair: Bill Soules, Senator, New Mexico
Treasurer: Aaron Thompson, President of Council on Postsecondary Education, Kentucky
President: José Muñoz, President, Education Commission of the States

Executive Committee Members

The Executive Committee includes prominent figures in education and government:

Madeleine Bayard, Senior Vice President, Rodel Foundation, Delaware
Stephanie Bell, Member, State Board of Education, Alabama
Charlene Russell-Tucker, Commissioner of Education, Connecticut
Tony Sanders, State Superintendent, Illinois
Don Schaible, Senator, North Dakota
Sydnee Dickson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Utah
Peter Blake, Director of State Council of Higher Education, Virginia

Committees

Three standing committees advise the work of the Executive Committee:

Finance Committee: Advises the Executive Committee on the annual audit, budget, strategic financial policies, investment strategies and policies, and changes in accounting practices.
National Forum Planning Committee: Collaborates with Education Commission of the States staff on the overall design and desired outcomes of the National Forum on Education Policy.
Nominating Committee: Nominates Education Commission of the States’ officers, Steering Committee members, and recipients of annual awards and recognitions.

Recent Publications and Initiatives

ECS actively publishes resources and reports on various education-related topics. Recent examples include:

Universal Internet Connectivity as a Foundation for Student Opportunity (October 15, 2025): This publication examines the unprecedented investment in digital access spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, connecting students to the internet and expanding infrastructure.
How States Fund Public Colleges and Universities (October 7, 2025): This report compares how states allocate funding to public colleges and universities.
Special Education Funding | State Information Request (October 3, 2025): This resource provides information on how states fund special education services and equitable funding approaches.
Expanding Advanced Course Auto-Enrollment in Texas and Washington (October 1, 2025): This publication explores the benefits of advanced coursework in high school and its association with higher postsecondary enrollment.
Innovative Approaches to Statewide Assessments (September 30, 2025): This resource examines opportunities to advance summative assessments and create a more comprehensive picture of student achievement.
States With Universal Pre-K | State Information Request (September 8, 2025): This document addresses how states offer universal pre-K, rather than pre-K based on income eligibility.

Focus on Specific Policy Areas

The chair of the ECS alternates between a Democratic and Republican governor, with each chair selecting a policy area to focus on during their tenure. As of 2025, the chair, Gov. Laura Kelly of Kansas, announced an initiative to focus on "creating access to quality education opportunities for individuals in the justice system," leading to research and public events on that topic. In the past, as chairman from 2004-2006 and Governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee launched an effort to increase student participation in the arts.

Commissioners and State Liaisons

Commissioners serve as the state representatives for Education Commission of the states and provide leadership for the organization and their own states' education agendas. Commissioners play an active role in facilitating two-way communication between states and Education Commission of the States. Collectively, the organization and staff are an extension of a Commissioner's education policy team. Each state has a designated state liaison who serves as the primary contact point and connects Commissioners to Education Commission of the States resources and policy staff.

Awards and Recognition

The Education Commission of the States presents three annual awards:

The James Bryant Conant Award: Given since 1977 for "outstanding individual contributions to education".

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