2016 Governor's State of the State speeches: on Education


Jay Inslee: Prioritize early childhood education

We've provided funding for every child to have all-day kindergarten. Every single child deserves a great education in our public schools. We've reduced class sizes in our kindergarten-through-third grade classrooms. And because we know a high-quality teacher is the single most important asset in every classroom, we provided funding for more teacher mentoring opportunities, especially for new teachers. And we were able to provide them with a cost-of-living adjustment -- the first since 2008.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Washington legislature

Jay Inslee: Increase teacher salary to help recruit and retain

To recruit and retain teachers, my plan would raise their beginning salary, from just under $36,000 to $40,000 per year. Then, to help make all teacher salaries more competitive, my plan also provides a minimum 1 percent raise to all other teachers. I propose we pay for it through elimination of some tax breaks whose benefits simply do not outweigh our obligations to our students, to our teachers and to our schools.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Washington legislature

Matt Bevin: Move to performance based funding for state universities

The funding provided to state universities out of the General Fund will begin to be distributed based upon performance criteria--often referred to as "outcomes based funding"-- that will be developed in collaboration with the leadership of state universities. It is this Administration's intention to fully phase in outcome-based funding over a three-year period starting in FY '18.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Kentucky legislature Jan 26, 2016

Phil Bryant: Remove barriers to charter schools

Imagine the freedom of a parent in a failing school to send an at-risk child to a superior school nearby but outside the district. Why should only the affluent enjoy the benefits of these fine schools? Your zip code or income level should not determine your opportunity to get a good education. Let us make this bold decision. We should also remove the barriers to charter schools and extend their range across district lines so children can pass through these imaginary walls to a better, brighter future.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Mississippi legislature Jan 26, 2016

Phil Bryant: Loosen regulations around associate degrees

We can make progress in higher education by working with the IHL and community college boards to craft an associate's degree credential for those students who complete the necessary number of scholastic hours at a four-year university. For example, if a student attended a university for two years and completed the required course work, but had to leave the university for a legitimate reason, they could receive an associate's degree related to their subject major.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Mississippi legislature Jan 26, 2016

Charlie Baker: Lift the cap on public charter schools

In Massachusetts, we're home to some of the highest performing public schools in the country, many of which are public charter schools serving low-income families in communities of color. In fact, they had higher scores than students from every K-8 school in Massachusetts. A state that places such high value on education should not place arbitrary limits on high-quality schools. I urge you to lift the cap on public charter schools.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Massachusetts legislature Jan 21, 2016

Jack Markell: Support IT education in schools

We're putting a special focus on our growing IT sector. Through our computer science pathway and other high level courses, we've increased the number of high school students studying computer programming from about 80 to 560 in just the last two years. Our goal is 1,000 students by September.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Delaware legislature Jan 21, 2016

Jack Markell: Make university scholarships less restrictive

Nearly 20,000 Delawareans have received full scholarships toward degrees at Delaware Tech, UD, and Delaware State. But we can do better. Some students who need these scholarships the most can't access them, despite meeting academic requirements, because current rules mandate that they attend school full-time and without interruption. I ask the General Assembly to make these scholarships more universal by expanding their benefits to part-time students and those who must take a break from their studies.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Delaware legislature Jan 21, 2016

Jack Markell: Increase teacher compensation

We have a responsibility to ensure that the best and brightest enter teaching, and get the support they need once they arrive in the classroom. That's why my budget will include funding to raise starting salaries to be more competitive with our neighbors. And we will pilot opportunities for educators to earn more for taking on leadership responsibilities, without leaving the classroom for administrative positions.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Delaware legislature Jan 21, 2016

Jerry Brown: Increase funding for schools and target tough students

With respect to education, the strong economic recovery and the passage of Proposition 30 has allowed us to increase spending on public schools and community colleges from a low of $47.3 billion in 2011, to $71.6 billion this budget year. That is a 51 percent increase in overall spending, with significant sums allocated under the Local Control Formula to provide for the unique challenges that face low-income students, English learners and those in foster care.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to California legislature Jan 21, 2016

Jerry Brown: Reduce centralized control of local education

I am proud of how California has led the country in the way it is returning control to local school districts. For the last two decades, there has been a national movement to micromanage teachers from afar, through increasingly minute and prescriptive state and federal regulations. California successfully fought that movement and has now changed its overly intrusive, test-heavy state control to a true system of local accountability.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to California legislature Jan 21, 2016

Jay Nixon: Affordable tuition is highest priority

In 2009, too many kids couldn't afford college--and those who did get a degree were saddled with too much debt. But today, more kids are going to college, getting their degrees--all while taking on far less debt than the national average. We're talking thousands of dollars less. This year, we will strengthen Missouri's position as a leader in college affordability and quality. First, my budget includes an additional $56 million in performance funding. And with this historic investment, our public colleges and universities will once again freeze tuition for Missouri undergraduates.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Missouri legislature Jan 20, 2016

Jay Nixon: Fund public schools, don't develop voucher schemes

Even during the worst of the recession, we never backed away from our commitment to support our public schools. There were some who doubted whether our students and schools were up to the challenge, who said the new state standards were too tough, too ambitious. I disagreed. I knew that if we raised our expectations, our students would rise to meet them. No gimmicks or voucher schemes--just great teachers, the right tools, strong communities, and a shared commitment to excellence.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Missouri legislature Jan 20, 2016

Nikki Haley: Incentivize teachers to work in rural districts

We will aggressively start recruiting teachers to rural districts and, just as aggressively, incentivizing them to stay there. If a student agrees to teach in a challenged district for eight years, we will cover the full cost of their education at a state university. For recent graduates who agree to the same commitment, we will repay their student loans. For career educators who want to grow professionally and teach in these challenged districts, we will cover the cost of their graduate coursework.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to South Carolina legislature Jan 20, 2016

Nikki Haley: Higher education system is flush with cash

I am not opposed to using South Carolina's bonding capacity to serve the most critical needs of our state. There are times it makes sense. But it is why I opposed last year any effort to bond out hundreds of millions of dollars to fill a wish list for our already bloated higher education system. And no one can drive the campuses of Clemson and others, see the brand new facilities and tell me that they represent our greatest need. That is not true of elementary, middle, and high schools.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to South Carolina legislature Jan 20, 2016

Scott Walker: Continue with tuition freezes

And speaking of students, we helped make college more affordable at our University of Wisconsin campuses as we froze tuition--for the first time ever--four years in a row. During the ten years before our freeze, the average annual increase in tuition within the University of Wisconsin System was over 8 percent. That was a 118 percent increase over a decade. Compared to the previous trend, our tuition freeze saves the average student more than $6,000 over four years.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Wisconsin legislature Jan 19, 2016

Scott Walker: Multiple strategies to increase accessibility of college

  1. We will allow for the full deduction of student loan interest on state income taxes.
  2. We will increase grants for technical colleges.
  3. We'll expand the emergency grants program for students at technical colleges and 2-year UW Colleges.
  4. We'll increase internships within the UW System to help prepare students for future careers.
  5. We look to expand transparency by sending information to students each year about their current & projected student loan debt levels and education costs.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Wisconsin legislature Jan 19, 2016

Susana Martinez: Prioritize reading in early education

Our reform agenda is clear. First, every child needs to read at an early age, so they can learn every year thereafter. Under my plan, to give our kids the best start possible, we'll expand pre-K--which has tripled so far on my watch--and build $5 million worth of new pre-K classrooms throughout the State. And we'll add $10 million in new reading interventions, specifically for students in chronically struggling schools.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to New Mexico legislature Jan 19, 2016

Susana Martinez: Change higher education system to boost graduation rates

Our kids are taking too much time, taking too many credits, spending too much money, and ultimately not graduating. Consequently, entry into the workforce is delayed, student debt is high, and we have too few college graduates. That's why universities are adopting tuition incentives for any student who graduates in four years and working to limit all degree programs to 120 credit hours; We're improving how credits transfer among institutions and providing better counselling.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to New Mexico legislature Jan 19, 2016

John Hickenlooper: Earn-and-learn programs to reduce attainment gap

We're working so aggressively, on all sides of the Golden Triangle, to close the Attainment Gap. Our Business and Experiential Learning Commission is building on our concurrent enrollment programs and developing a new model for college and career readiness. It gives students the opportunity to earn college credit, and get professional experience, while simultaneously achieving their high school diplomas.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Colorado legislature Jan 14, 2016

John Hickenlooper: Some standardized testing is necessary

Last session, you came together and passed bipartisan legislation to reduce testing by 30 hours, so we can accurately measure our kids' progress toward meeting standards without overwhelming them or their teachers. But there are pivotal moments in our kids' academic careers when we need to know exactly where they stand on the learning curve, so we can adjust course if needed before it's too late. That's why we're standing firm on 9th grade assessments.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Colorado legislature Jan 14, 2016

Andrew Cuomo: Parent participation essential for schools to function

Last year we implemented reforms in our education system because parents were losing faith; roughly 20% of our students opted out of exams and in some districts it was high as 90%. Simply put, the education system fails without parental trust. Our goal was to restore that trust and so we reduced testing, increased parental participation and empowered local districts and we said we would correct the State Education Department's Common Core curriculum implementation mistakes and testing regimen.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to New York legislature Jan 13, 2016

Andrew Cuomo: Turn failing schools into charter schools

Let's transform every failing school in the state of New York into a community school. Our charter schools are public schools and serve some of our neediest students--more than 100,000 of them all across the state. Charters are an important option for parents in communities with failing schools and provide education laboratories. On average, charters are half the cost of public schools. They are an important component of our system and we continue to encourage their development in this budget.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to New York legislature Jan 13, 2016

Andrew Cuomo: $200 tax break for teachers

We are working to attract and keep the best public school teachers, many of whom work very hard under very difficult circumstances. Many teachers even go into their own pocket to pay for food and supplies for the students in their classroom. What a beautiful sign of dedication. But they shouldn't have to bear that cost. They deserve our encouragement, support and gratitude. I propose a $200 tax credit to reimburse teachers for their expenses.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to New York legislature Jan 13, 2016

Earl Ray Tomblin: Create rewards program to educational innovation

While there are reasons why traditional charter schools are not the best option for our students, we can find common ground by rewarding schools for innovation and creativity while raising student achievement. I'm introducing legislation to establish a new program--Innovation in Education. This will reallocate nearly $2.5 million in existing education funding to help schools develop new methods to increase our students' interest in science, technology, engineering, math and entrepreneurship.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to West Virginia legislature Jan 13, 2016

Nathan Deal: Grants for technical skills training will help employment

We need to address the skills gap that our employers are encountering. With your support over the past three years, we have identified eleven areas where a student will receive a 100% tuition HOPE Grant to obtain that training. These Strategic Industries Workforce Development Grants cover 140 programs, and I am recommending that we add industrial maintenance this year to that important list. I am proposing to devote $17.1 million in 2017 for all of these programs.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Georgia legislature Jan 13, 2016

Nathan Deal: Facilitate young adults learning about computer science

In order to further modernize our K-12 education system, I asked the State Board of Education and the University System of Georgia to allow certain high school computer science courses to count as core courses in high school and for purposes of college admission. Both entities have agreed, and there are currently nine computer science courses that count towards requirement. This will give us more early learners in a field that is and will continue to be in high demand by employers.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Georgia legislature Jan 13, 2016

Nathan Deal: Public schools have discretion in how to spend funds

Over the past five years we have prioritized public education and we will do so again by appropriating an additional $300 million for K-12 education. We will distribute this money to your local school system under the existing QBE formula, but it is our intention that a 3% pay raise will be passed along to teachers. If that does not happen, it will make it more difficult next year for the state to grant local systems more flexibility in the expenditure of state education dollars.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Georgia legislature Jan 13, 2016

Nathan Deal: Schools should use testing sparingly but effectively

The federal government has given states greater latitude regarding testing of students and I call on our State Department of Education and local school systems to evaluate their testing requirements. If a test is not necessary to advance and tailor instruction, it should be eliminated. Tests that are duplicative and do not enhance educational achievement should be abolished. For example, we did away with the mandated graduation exam--enabling thousands of students to graduate.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Georgia legislature Jan 13, 2016

Brian Bosma: Next Generation Scholarship: $7,500 for teachers' tuition

This year let's find ways to make teaching more attractive and do our part to encourage more Hoosiers to pursue careers in education. That is why I am so enthusiastic about Speaker Bosma's Next Generation Scholarship that would cover up to $7,500 per year in tuition for students who are in the top 20 percent of their class and commit to teaching in Indiana for at least five years.
Source: Gov. Mike Pence 2016 State of the State speech Jan 12, 2016

Chris Christie: Program for at-risk youths to get them into college

In partnership with our community colleges, we launched the College Readiness Now Program to help at-risk students graduate from high school and to get prepared to attend college. 19 community colleges partnered with more than 60 high schools across the state, serving 900 high school students from disadvantaged backgrounds. 97% of the students completing the program in Atlantic and Cape May Counties enrolled in Atlantic Cape Community College as freshmen.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to New Jersey legislature Jan 12, 2016

Chris Christie: Further de-regulate charter schools

Charter schools have succeeded in spite of our regulatory environment--not because of it. Instead of giving charter schools the autonomy they need to deliver great education outcomes, we're regulating them using the same regulations that apply to traditional public schools. It's not good for innovation or for attracting more innovative charter school operators to our state. Today, I'm announcing that my administration will aggressively prioritize regulatory relief for these schools.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to New Jersey legislature Jan 12, 2016

Dennis Daugaard: Increase teacher salaries to retain and attract hires

SD will have only one new teacher for each position that comes open and the quality of education suffers when schools cannot be selective and have to hire from a very constricted pool of applicants. We need to increase the supply of new teachers entering the field, and we need more current teachers to stay in the field. These shortages are caused by demographic and economic factors, but we cannot fix this problem unless we increase salaries.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to South Dakota legislature Jan 12, 2016

Dennis Daugaard: Tuition freeze on college education

Students need to be able to attend college or tech school and finish in a reasonable time without an unreasonable debt. I propose to freeze tuition by using one-time funds to repay debt and continuing our state-subsidized dual credit program. Last school year, SD students saved more than $2.5 million by using this program--more than $1,000 per student in savings. Completing college credits while in high school also helps that student succeed in college, by reducing the time needed to graduate
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to South Dakota legislature Jan 12, 2016

Dennis Daugaard: Increase enrolment in technical institutes

The Build Dakota Scholarship is making postsecondary education an option for more young people by providing a full-ride scholarship for those who will work in a high-need technical field in SD. Overall enrollment at the technical institutes went up--and it went up by even more in these high-demand programs. Before we know it, the first Build Dakota scholars will be graduating and entering the workforce in SD.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to South Dakota legislature Jan 12, 2016

Mike Pence: Incentivize teaching as a career

This year let's find ways to make teaching more attractive and do our part to encourage more Hoosiers to pursue careers in education. That is why I am so enthusiastic about Speaker Bosma's Next Generation Scholarship that would cover up to $7,500 per year in tuition for students who are in the top 20 percent of their class and commit to teaching in Indiana for at least five years.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Indiana legislature Jan 12, 2016

Mike Pence: Testing regime needs to be improved

Accountability is important, but testing must be reliable and the results fairly applied. Let's take a step back from ISTEP and improve on the test we use to measure our kids and schools every year. Let's also take action to ensure that our teachers and schools are treated fairly with the results of the latest ISTEP test. I promise you we will make sure the 2015 test scores fairly reflect the performance of our schools and will not affect teacher bonuses or compensation.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Indiana legislature Jan 12, 2016

Sam Brownback: More education money should be going to instruction

Of the more than $4 billion the state puts into education funding, not nearly enough goes toward instruction. That's highly inefficient, if not immoral, denying Kansans from putting their education dollars were they want it.behind a good teacher. I call on the legislature to design a new education funding system that puts more of our money into instruction. That provides bonuses for exceptional teachers and recognizes their true value to our future and the souls of our students.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Kansas legislature Jan 12, 2016

Butch Otter: Need to increase access to college education

Along with insisting on transparency and robust local accountability, the foundation we're building will advance our goal of ensuring that 60 percent of Idaho citizens between the ages of 25 and 34 have a college degree or professional-technical certification by 2020.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Idaho legislature Jan 11, 2016

Butch Otter: Imperative that reading outcomes are improved

Let me impress upon you the urgent need to address the cornerstone of successful lifelong learning--reading proficiency. If we're serious about wanting long-term improvement in school outcomes, we must intensify our efforts to provide the kind of proven support that works for students who struggle to develop reading skills. My budget includes $10.7 million to pay for intervention support for students in kindergarten through third grade who are not yet proficient on the state reading indicator.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Idaho legislature Jan 11, 2016

Butch Otter: Career ladders will attract and retain school staff

Overall, I'm calling for a 7.9-percent increase in public school funding, including more than $38 million to continue putting the teacher career ladder in place. And I'm asking for almost $1.8 million to move such non-instructional school staff as counselors, nurses and speech pathologists onto the career ladder. I believe implementing the career ladder--based on specific student success measures--is essential to attracting and retaining the best teachers for Idaho schools.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Idaho legislature Jan 11, 2016

Butch Otter: $5M for professional development for teachers

Success in teacher retention also means continuing investment in their professional development. So I'm asking for an investment of $5 million for professional development aimed specifically at mentoring new teachers. I support Superintendent Ybarra's request to fully restore pre-recession levels of operating funds to school districts. Our Task Force recommended a five-year plan for that process. But the timeline can be cut to three years by approving my recommendation for nearly $30 million.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Idaho legislature Jan 11, 2016

Butch Otter: Move to `mastery-based' learning from `seat time'

The Task Force recommends moving Idaho to a voluntary "mastery-based" education system. That's one in which teachers are encouraged to provide individualized learning focused on mastery of subject-matter content and concepts rather than classroom "seat time." My fiscal 2017 budget includes $1.1 million to support up to 20 school districts in developing model programs for others to follow throughout Idaho.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Idaho legislature Jan 11, 2016

Doug Ducey: Coordinate with banks to finance school expansion

In the years ahead, Arizona will be among the states investing the most new dollars in public education--without raising taxes. We are going to make it easier and more affordable for our best public schools to expand. My office has worked with the top credit rating agencies in the country to develop a structure that lets our public schools finance their expansion at lower cost. We also need to provide resources for aging schools to repair and rebuild their facilities for future students.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Arizona legislature Jan 11, 2016

Doug Ducey: Reward high achievement and low income schools

Next, we need to reward schools that are helping kids reach their full potential. All of us should be alarmed to hear that more than half of our high school graduates can't get into our own state universities. So--under our plan, schools that produce students who successfully complete AP-level, college-prep courses will be rewarded with more dollars. Schools in low-income areas--where educators and students face added challenges--will receive an even greater boost for helping kids beat the odds.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Arizona legislature Jan 11, 2016

Doug Ducey: Partner with third sector in education

The state isn't the only player in public education. Every day, philanthropic foundations in Arizona are investing in our schools. They are developing new school leaders, expanding educational opportunities for low-income children and funding the arts and sciences. I intend to partner with the heads of these foundations to provide an even greater opportunity and impact in our schools.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Arizona legislature Jan 11, 2016

Doug Ducey: Give foster kids a `fast pass' to best schools

As we continue to ease the burden, the fact remains: we ask a lot of foster parents--and we know there are thousands of families currently trying to get into our best public schools, where the lines are long. If we want to see more foster and adoptive families, let's give them an incentive--a "fast pass" to the front of the line of our best public schools. This will ensure vulnerable children an opportunity at a great education & bring more good people to take on the noble cause of fostering a child.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Arizona legislature Jan 11, 2016

Peter Shumlin: Publicly fund a college savings plan for each child

Despite having one of the highest graduation rates in the country, we continue to fall short getting more students the college education that is now a prerequisite to earning a decent wage. That's why I signed a bill last year to help families start saving for college from the day their children are born. My budget will ensure every child born in Vermont will receive a $250 contribution to get a savings plan started, and for low-income Vermonters we will double that to $500.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Vermont legislature Jan 7, 2016

Peter Shumlin: Provide free college courses for low income people

We need to make it easier for those who are working hard in low-paying jobs to get back to school. In partnership with CCV, Vermont State Colleges and UVM my budget will provide $2 million to launch Step Up, funding a semester of free courses and support services to help first generation and low income students get back to school.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Vermont legislature Jan 7, 2016

  • The above quotations are from 2016 Governor's State of the State speeches.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Education.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Chris Christie on Education.
  • Click here for more quotes by Terry McAuliffe on Education.
Candidates and political leaders on Education:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Dec 09, 2018