National Governors Association Center For Best Practices

TO PROVIDE TAILORED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR CHALLENGED FACING THE STATES, IDENTIFY AND SHARE BEST PRACTICES, AND SERVE AS AN INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE ON GUBERNATORIAL INITIATIVES.

DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD, THE NGA CENTER FOR BEST PRACTICES CONTINUED TO SUPPORT GOVERNORS AND THEIR POLICY TEAMS ACROSS SEVERAL CRITICAL POLICY AREAS, INCLUDING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC RESPONSE, LEGAL POLICY, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW, AND K-12 EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE. ACROSS THE NGA CENTER, WE COMPLETED OVER FIVE HUNDRED RESEARCH AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE REQUESTS FROM GOVERNORS AND THEIR STAFF. AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS REPORTING PERIOD, WE CONTINUED TO SUPPORT GOVERNORS AS THEY RESPONDED TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THIS INCLUDED HOSTING BRIEFINGS AND PROVIDING RESEARCH AS IT RELATED TO ONGOING VACCINATION EFFORTS, DISTRIBUTION OF TREATMENTS, AND MONITORING OF THE EVOLVING VARIANT SITUATION IN THE LATE SUMMER AND FALL OF 2021. THIS WORK INCLUDED PREPARING FOR AND HOSTING WEEKLY BRIEFINGS WITH VARIOUS FEDERAL AGENCIES, THE WHITE HOUSE, AND GOVERNORS DURING THE FALL OF 2021. DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD, THE NGA CENTER ACCELERATED ITS WORK SUPPORTING GOVERNORS AS THEY IMPLEMENTED THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT, SIGNED INTO LAW IN THE FALL OF 2021. IN NOVEMBER 2021, THE NGA CENTER HOSTED A MULTI-DAY SUMMIT WITH OVER THREE HUNDRED STATE, FEDERAL, AND PRIVATE SECTOR OFFICIALS TO PREPARE GOVERNORS FOR THE NUMEROUS NEW PROGRAMS, FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, AND POLICIES CONTAINED WITHIN THAT LAW. THE NGA CENTER CONTINUED TO SUPPORT GOVERNORS IN IIJA IMPLEMENTATION THROUGHOUT THE FIRST HALF OF 2022, INCLUDING HOSTING ROUTINE VIRTUAL BRIEFINGS FOR GOVERNOR'S INFRASTRUCTURE COORDINATORS, TRANSPORTATION LEADERS, AND BROADBAND DIRECTORS. FINALLY, THE NGA CENTER HOSTED QUARTERLY CONVENINGS OF INFRASTRUCTURE COORDINATORS IN WASHINGTON, DC THROUGHOUT THE FIRST HALF OF 2022. THE NGA CENTER'S SUPPORT FOR GOVERNORS' LEGAL COUNSEL CONTINUED UNABATED DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD AS WELL. THE NGA CENTER HOSTED MONTHLY BRIEFING CALLS FOR LEGAL COUNSEL AND PREPARED MONTHLY LEGAL MEMORANDA RELATED TO THE BRIEFING TOPIC. IN ADDITION TO THESE CALLS, THE NGA CENTER RESPONDS TO A ROBUST STREAM OF RESEARCH AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE REQUESTS AND MAINTAINED A TRACKER OF THE GOVERNOR'S EMERGENCY AUTHORITIES AND GOVERNOR INVOLVED IN PANDEMIC LITIGATION DURING THIS PERIOD. FINALLY, THE NGA CENTER ALSO UNDERTOOK A ROBUST STUDY OF PUBLIC HEALTH-RELATED LEGAL AUTHORITIES AND HOW THEY MIGHT HAVE CHANGED IN RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC. THE NGA CENTER CONTINUED TO SUPPORT GOVERNORS AS THEY WORK TOWARDS ACHIEVING THEIR EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE GOALS AS WELL. THE NGA CENTER MAINTAINED A ROBUST NETWORK OF GOVERNORS' EDUCATION POLICY ADVISORS DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD AND WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THOSE ADVISORS TO ADDRESS ISSUES RELATED TO STUDENT AND STAFF WELLBEING, AS WELL AS CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH ACADEMIC ATTAINMENT AND RECOVERY (THE LATTER EXACERBATED BY THE RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC). THE NGA CENTER ALSO WORKED CLOSELY WITH GOVERNORS' WORKFORCE POLICY LEADERS AS THEY ADJUSTED TO THE POST-PANDEMIC WORKFORCE CHALLENGES FACING THIS COUNTRY. THIS SUPPORT INCLUDED HOSTING THE TWICE-ANNUAL WORKFORCE SYMPOSIUM, BRINGING TOGETHER GOVERNOR-APPOINTED WORKFORCE POLICY LEADERS, PRIVATE SECTOR EXPERTS, AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. FINALLY, DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD, THE NGA CENTER SUPPORTED THE INITIATIVE OF OUR THEN-CHAIR, GOV. HUTCHINSON OF ARKANSAS. THIS YEAR-LONG INITIATIVE FOCUSED ON EXPANDING ACCESS TO COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION IN K-12 SCHOOL SYSTEMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE NGA CENTER HOSTED THREE ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS, IN DENVER, BENTONVILLE, AND BOSTON FOCUSED ON THESE ISSUES, AS WELL AS CONVERSATIONS AT THE NGA WINTER AND SUMMER MEETING. THIS INITIATIVE CONCLUDED WITH A GOVERNOR COMPACT TO EXPAND K-12 COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION SIGNED BY FIFTY GOVERNORS.

DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD, THE NGA CENTER FOR BEST PRACTICES CONTINUED TO SUPPORT GOVERNORS AND THEIR POLICY TEAMS ACROSS SEVERAL CRITICAL POLICY AREAS, INCLUDING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC RESPONSE, LEGAL POLICY, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW, AND K-12 EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE. ACROSS THE NGA CENTER, WE COMPLETED OVER FIVE HUNDRED RESEARCH AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE REQUESTS FROM GOVERNORS AND THEIR STAFF. AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS REPORTING PERIOD, WE CONTINUED TO SUPPORT GOVERNORS AS THEY RESPONDED TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THIS INCLUDED HOSTING BRIEFINGS AND PROVIDING RESEARCH AS IT RELATED TO ONGOING VACCINATION EFFORTS, DISTRIBUTION OF TREATMENTS, AND MONITORING OF THE EVOLVING VARIANT SITUATION IN THE LATE SUMMER AND FALL OF 2021. THIS WORK INCLUDED PREPARING FOR AND HOSTING WEEKLY BRIEFINGS WITH VARIOUS FEDERAL AGENCIES, THE WHITE HOUSE, AND GOVERNORS DURING THE FALL OF 2021. DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD, THE NGA CENTER ACCELERATED ITS WORK SUPPORTING GOVERNORS AS THEY IMPLEMENTED THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT, SIGNED INTO LAW IN THE FALL OF 2021. IN NOVEMBER 2021, THE NGA CENTER HOSTED A MULTI-DAY SUMMIT WITH OVER THREE HUNDRED STATE, FEDERAL, AND PRIVATE SECTOR OFFICIALS TO PREPARE GOVERNORS FOR THE NUMEROUS NEW PROGRAMS, FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, AND POLICIES CONTAINED WITHIN THAT LAW. THE NGA CENTER CONTINUED TO SUPPORT GOVERNORS IN IIJA IMPLEMENTATION THROUGHOUT THE FIRST HALF OF 2022, INCLUDING HOSTING ROUTINE VIRTUAL BRIEFINGS FOR GOVERNOR'S INFRASTRUCTURE COORDINATORS, TRANSPORTATION LEADERS, AND BROADBAND DIRECTORS. FINALLY, THE NGA CENTER HOSTED QUARTERLY CONVENINGS OF INFRASTRUCTURE COORDINATORS IN WASHINGTON, DC THROUGHOUT THE FIRST HALF OF 2022. THE NGA CENTER'S SUPPORT FOR GOVERNORS' LEGAL COUNSEL CONTINUED UNABATED DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD AS WELL. THE NGA CENTER HOSTED MONTHLY BRIEFING CALLS FOR LEGAL COUNSEL AND PREPARED MONTHLY LEGAL MEMORANDA RELATED TO THE BRIEFING TOPIC. IN ADDITION TO THESE CALLS, THE NGA CENTER RESPONDS TO A ROBUST STREAM OF RESEARCH AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE REQUESTS AND MAINTAINED A TRACKER OF THE GOVERNOR'S EMERGENCY AUTHORITIES AND GOVERNOR INVOLVED IN PANDEMIC LITIGATION DURING THIS PERIOD. FINALLY, THE NGA CENTER ALSO UNDERTOOK A ROBUST STUDY OF PUBLIC HEALTH-RELATED LEGAL AUTHORITIES AND HOW THEY MIGHT HAVE CHANGED IN RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC. THE NGA CENTER CONTINUED TO SUPPORT GOVERNORS AS THEY WORK TOWARDS ACHIEVING THEIR EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE GOALS AS WELL. THE NGA CENTER MAINTAINED A ROBUST NETWORK OF GOVERNORS' EDUCATION POLICY ADVISORS DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD AND WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THOSE ADVISORS TO ADDRESS ISSUES RELATED TO STUDENT AND STAFF WELLBEING, AS WELL AS CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH ACADEMIC ATTAINMENT AND RECOVERY (THE LATTER EXACERBATED BY THE RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC). THE NGA CENTER ALSO WORKED CLOSELY WITH GOVERNORS' WORKFORCE POLICY LEADERS AS THEY ADJUSTED TO THE POST-PANDEMIC WORKFORCE CHALLENGES FACING THIS COUNTRY. THIS SUPPORT INCLUDED HOSTING THE TWICE-ANNUAL WORKFORCE SYMPOSIUM, BRINGING TOGETHER GOVERNOR-APPOINTED WORKFORCE POLICY LEADERS, PRIVATE SECTOR EXPERTS, AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. FINALLY, DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD, THE NGA CENTER SUPPORTED THE INITIATIVE OF OUR THEN-CHAIR, GOV. HUTCHINSON OF ARKANSAS. THIS YEAR-LONG INITIATIVE FOCUSED ON EXPANDING ACCESS TO COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION IN K-12 SCHOOL SYSTEMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE NGA CENTER HOSTED THREE ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS, IN DENVER, BENTONVILLE, AND BOSTON FOCUSED ON THESE ISSUES, AS WELL AS CONVERSATIONS AT THE NGA WINTER AND SUMMER MEETING. THIS INITIATIVE CONCLUDED WITH A GOVERNOR COMPACT TO EXPAND K-12 COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION SIGNED BY FIFTY GOVERNORS.