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The 2014 Gubernatorial State of the State Addresses and Higher Education
March 11, 2014
Most
governors annually promulgate state policy priorities in State of the
State addresses to a joint session of the legislature. Governors use
these speeches as a vehicle to highlight their administration’s
successes, outline state policy challenges and propose solutions to
advance their vision for the state.
AASCU
has analyzed 41 addresses that have been given this year since January
1st to examine the extent to which governors have integrated higher
education related themes into their state policy and programmatic
agendas. The remaining nine addresses either have not been given or will
not occur this year. Collectively, these speeches provide a portrait of
the governors’ plans and priorities for higher education in the states.
The following themes were most apparent in this year’s gubernatorial State of the State Addresses this year:
- Higher education continues to be an integral component of governors’ state economic plans.
Similar to the last several years, higher education continues to be
mentioned most frequently as instrumental in building state workforce
capacity and boosting economic growth. Throughout the country, governors
emphasized programs in science, technology, math and engineering (STEM)
and highlighted partnerships between colleges and business and
industry.
- College affordability remains a leading public policy concern.
Through tuition freezes and additional investments in state financial
aid programs and public college and university operating support,
governors are seeking to keep college within reach for low- and
middle-income students. In particular, governors introduced a number of
proposals to allow students to pursue educational opportunities at
community and technical colleges at minimal costs.
- Career and technical education has emerged as a top gubernatorial priority.
The shortage of workers in high-skill fields has prompted governors to
propose using state resources to encourage high school students and
working adults to explore career opportunities in high-need,
technically-oriented occupations. Governors proposed investing state
monies in grant aid programs to make educational opportunities
affordable in health care, manufacturing, and information
technology-related careers.
- Governors are calling for stronger alignment between K-12 and college/career readiness.
Governors continued to emphasize bridging the gap between K-12 and
postsecondary education and training, especially through dual enrollment
programs. State policymakers are seeking to eliminate redundancy and
save students’ time and money by providing credit for courses in both
high school and college programs.
Higher
education related topic areas from this year’s addresses are shown
below and ordered according to their prevalence in governors’ 2014 State
of the State speeches. A state-by-state accounting of higher
education-related gubernatorial public policy proposals stemming from
this year’s addresses is provided via the link below.
2014 State of the State Addresses and Higher Education
Compiled by Thomas L. Harnisch, assistant director of state relations and policy analysis, and Emily A. Parker, senior research and policy associate
- Economic and Workforce Development
(AL, AK, AZ, CA, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MD, MA,
MI, MO, NH, NM, NY, OH, OK, SD, TN, UT, VT, WA, WV, WI, WY)
- Career/Technical Education (AL, AK, DE, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, MD, MA, MI, OH, SD, TN, WV, WI)
- College Affordability/Tuition Policies (AZ, CO, FL, GA, IL, IA, KY, MD, MA, MO, NH, RI, TN, WA, WI)
- Dual Enrollment/Early College (AL, AK, CT, DE, IL, ME, MD, NM, OH, SD, TN, VT, WI)
- College/Career Readiness (AL, AK, AZ, CT, GA, KY, MD, MS, NH, NJ, OK, TN, UT)
- State Higher Education Funding (CO, CT, ID, IA, KS, LA, MA, NE, NH, TN, WA)
- State Financial Aid (AK, CT, DE, GA, HI, IL, IA, MO, PA, WA, WI)
- STEM Education (IA, MI, MO, NH, NY, UT, VT, WA, WV)
-
University-led Research and Innovation (AL, AZ, CA, DE, ID, IA, NM, WY)
- Community Colleges (ID, IL, IA, MA, MI, MO, OH, TN)
-
Public-Private Partnerships (DE, GA, ID, IN, LA, MI, NM)
-
Capital Construction/Facilities/Equipment (MO, NM, OH, RI, SD, TN)
- Medical Education (IL, IA, NM, SD, WI)
- Military/Veterans Education (IL, IA, OH, WV)
- State Educational Attainment Goals (ID, IL, TN, UT)
-
Performance-based funding (FL, MO, OH, TN)
- College Completion (CT, ID, OK, TN)
- Adult Learners (CT, IN, TN, WI)
- Remedial Education (AK, GA, SD, TN)
- Student Debt (IA, MO, NM, PA)
- Teacher Education (DE, MS, WV)
- College Transfer (KY, WV)
- Immigration (MD, WA)
- Consumer Information/College Choice (DE)
- College Savings (CT)
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