2026 Governor's State of the State speeches: on Education

Andy Beshear: I am unapologetically a 100% pro-public education governor

Our priority, always, must be the future. And our future is molded in our public schools. I am unapologetically a 100% pro-public education governor. Every budget I've proposed has invested in our school systems, starting with our educators. Once again, I'll be doing what's right: I'm proposing $159 million for mandatory raises for educators; and a proposal to increase take-home pay by nearly 7%. Source: 2026 State of the State Address to the Kentucky legislature Jan 7, 2026

Kay Ivey: Alabama is the most school choice friendly state

We are proud to support our families. That includes making Alabama the most school choice friendly state in the nation. Our education savings account program, the CHOOSE Act, is already supporting more than 23,000 students. That number will grow as more folks learn about the program, as student athletes feel more confident in the rules and when it becomes fully universal in year three. For the 27-28 Academic Year, I am proposing we increase funding for the CHOOSE Act to $250 million dollars. Source: 2026 State of the State Address to the Virginia legislature Jan 13, 2026

Kim Reynolds: Education Savings Accounts are now universally available

Today, Iowa families can choose the school that best fits their needs, whether that's the neighborhood public school, another district, a public charter school, or a private school through an Education Savings Account. And this year marks a milestone. For the first time in Iowa's history, Education Savings Accounts are universally available—meaning the same State Cost per Pupil follows every child, regardless of income or ZIP code. Source: 2026 State of the State Address to the Iowa legislature Jan 13, 2026

Gavin Newsom: Create debt-free pathways from school to high-paying jobs

Speaking of careers, I want to thank this legislature for helping fund our state's first master plan for career education. This three-year process, just recently completed, creates seamless, debt-free pathways from school to high-paying jobs, with or without college experience. We're integrating career training, strengthening regional partnerships, and building a new digital "career passport" so people can track their skills. Source: 2026 State of the State Address to California legislature Jan 8, 2026

Phil Scott: We need far fewer districts each serving far more students

First, we need far fewer districts each serving far more students. This change will eliminate duplicated effort and expenses for things like bussing, human resources, and purchasing, which are currently being done across 52 supervisory unions and 119 districts. Importantly, it will reduce the inequity I just talked about because there'll be more consistent leadership and accountability. It also gives leaders more levers to pull, and more students--which means more funding. Source: 2026 State of the State Address to the Vermont legislature Jan 7, 2026

Brian Kemp: Georgia a top state in public university affordability

Here in Georgia, tuition has increased by just five percent in that same period, and your partnership in eliminating the special institutional fee helped us lessen the impact of those increases on hardworking families and students. In fact, data from the National Center for Education Statistics shows that Georgia is one of the top states in the country for four-year public university affordability! Source: 2026 State of the State Address to the Georgia legislature Jan 15, 2026

Larry Rhoden: Proud to opt-in to national school choice opportunity

I was proud to opt-in to the Trump Administration's school choice opportunity through the One Big Beautiful Bill. This is not about public versus private schools. It's about unleashing innovation for every child, just as competition drives success in business and beyond. Over the next year, we will be working with leaders from private schools, public schools, and the homeschooling community, so that our state is ready to implement this program on January 1, 2027. Source: 2026 State of the State Address to South Dakota legislature Jan 13, 2026

Laura Kelly: Will step up and fund special education even when Feds won't

Once again, the federal government has dropped the ball on funding for special education. When you think about what parents take on when they have a child with a disability, you realize just how unconscionable that is. Now, Kansas has already stepped up and added over $120 million for special education. We'll keep calling on Washington to cover its fair share, but until it does, my budget will continue to increase this investment. We will never turn our backs on these children or their families. Source: 2026 State of the State Address to the Kansas legislature Jan 13, 2026

Mike Braun: Indiana now has UNIVERSAL SCHOOL CHOICE

After decades of trying to get it done, Indiana now has UNIVERSAL SCHOOL CHOICE. Every Hoosier parent will have the opportunity to choose the school that best fits their child's needs. Last year's budget had some hard decisions, but the first thing we did was fully fund K through 12 education. More money is making its way to teachers and classrooms and less to administrative buildings. Everything we did was based around one simple principle: Parents are in charge of their kids' education. Source: 2026 State of the State Address to the Indiana legislature Jan 14, 2026

Mike Kehoe: Students have brighter futures because families given choice

Our budget recommendation this year includes an additional 10 million dollars for the MO Scholars program for a total of 60 million dollars because this program is working, and Missouri families are counting on it. Students across our state have brighter futures because their families were given educational choice. They remind us that when we put students first, opportunity follows. Source: 2026 State of the State Address to the Missouri legislature Jan 13, 2026

Ron DeSantis: The number one state in the union for parental empowerment

Now, seven years ago, Florida's school choice options were capped, they were limited. Today, we have universal school choice and rank as the number one state in the union for parental empowerment and education freedom to better measure performance, we replace high stakes testing with more reliable and consistent progress monitoring. In fact, today I can announce that the high school graduation rate for the 2024-2025 school year was 92.2%. That is the highest graduation rate in Florida history. Source: 2026 State of the State Address to the Florida legislature Jan 13, 2026

Bill Lee: We gave families school choice because parents know best

We gave families school choice with the Education Freedom Scholarship program, because parents know best. Clearly, Tennesseans like freedom. Last year, we received more than 40,000 applications, and this year, 54,000 applications for 20,000 spots. That means, right now, 34,000 students are still waiting for a shot at Education Freedom. We owe it to them. Down the road in Antioch, 77% of students enrolled at Lighthouse Christian School are there because they received a scholarship from the State. Source: 2026 State of the State Address to the Tennessee legislature Feb 2, 2026

Gretchen Whitmer: This year, let's fund free, full-day PreK for All

That early learning continues in preK, where kids learn their ABCs and use language to play and make friends. The data tells us that students who attend preK are far more likely to read and do math at or above grade level. I'm thrilled that Michigan families have repeatedly broken records for preK enrollment. It's working. So, let's keep going. This year, let's fund free, full-day PreK for All to set every child up for success. Source: 2026 State of the State Address to the Michigan legislature Feb 25, 2026

Henry McMaster: Competition in the marketplace is the key to excellence

Two years ago, we created the Education Scholarship Trust Fund, which provides scholarships to eligible low-income parents. This allows them to choose the type K-12 education environment and instruction that best suits their child's unique needs. Parents love these scholarships, and demand continues to rise. We should continue to expand eligibility by increasing the number of funded scholarships each year. Healthy competition in the education marketplace is the key to excellence. Source: 2026 State of the State Address: South Carolina legislature Jan 28, 2026

Janet Mills: We made two years of Community College free

We made two years of Community College free. More than 23,000 students have taken advantage of our free Community College program to date, with many more scheduled to achieve a degree or certificate over the next two years. Nearly two thousand of those students have transferred to the University of Maine or another four-year college. Free community college graduates have gone on to work in Maine. Source: 2026 State of the State Address to the Maine legislature Jan 27, 2026

Jeff Landry: The 10 Commandments are not a bad way to live your life

Your passage of "Allowing Teachers to Teach" has eliminated burdensome bureaucracy, removed cell phones from the classroom, and has re-focused our educational mission on academics, re-affirming education not indoctrination. You have staked the flag of morality by recognizing that the 10 Commandments are not a bad way to live your life. And Students who don't read them, will likely have to read the criminal code. I would like to thank our AG and her staff for the great work in defending our law. Source: 2026 State of the State Address to the Louisiana legislature Mar 9, 2026

Jim Pillen: First governor to opt into Federal Scholarship Tax Credit

I was the first Governor in the country to sign an Executive Order indicating Nebraska's intent to opt into the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit--a move that could bring millions of federal dollars into our state to support all kids in our schools--public, private, and homeschool. It's a gamechanger. Source: 2026 State of the State Address to the Nebraska legislature Jan 15, 2026

Kevin Stitt: Let the money follow the student, put parents in charge

Finally, we passed the most impactful education reform in our history, The Parental Choice Tax Credit! To finish the work on this achievement, it's time to make the program available to every Oklahoma family who wants it. Let's eliminate the cap. Let the money follow the student. Put parents in charge. Encourage competition and excellence. Source: 2026 State of the State Address to the Oklahoma legislature Feb 2, 2026

Spencer Cox: We need a bell-to-bell phone ban in schools across Utah

We cannot preserve agency, virtue, and happiness if we outsource the moral formation of our children to algorithms designed for addiction. This is about protecting the next generation's capacity to focus, to relate, to read, to think, and to choose a meaningful life. It's about giving them their childhood back. That's why we need a bell-to-bell phone ban in schools across Utah. Let's give the school day--the full school day--back to kids to learn, connect, and be kids again. Source: 2026 State of the State Address to the Utah legislature Jan 22, 2026

The above quotations are from 2026 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 Gavin Newson on Education. Click here for more quotes by Kay Ivey on Education.
*Gubernatorial candidates on Education:*
*Gubernatorial races in 2026:* AK: Mike Dunleavy(R,term-limited) AL: Kay Ivey(R,term-limited) AR: Sarah Huckabee Sanders(R,for re-election) AZ: Katie Hobbs(D,for re-election) CA: Gavin Newsom(D,term-limited) CO: Jared Polis(D,term-limited) CT: Ned Lamont(D,for re-election) FL: Ron DeSantis(R,term-limited) GA: Brian Kemp(R,term-limited) HI: Josh Green(D,for re-election) IA: Kim Reynolds(R,retiring) ID: Brad Little(R,for re-election) IL: J.B. Pritzker(D,for re-election) KS: Laura Kelly(D,term-limited) MA: Maura Healey(D,for re-election) MD: Wes Moore(D,for re-election) ME: Janet Mills(D,term-limited)	*2026 gubernatorial races continued...* MI: Gretchen Whitmer(D,term-limited) MN: Tim Walz(D,retiring) NE: Jim Pillen(R,for re-election) NH: Kelly Ayotte(R,for re-election) NM: Michelle Lujan-Grisham(D,term-limited) NV: Joe Lombardo(R) NY: Kathy Hochul(D,for re-election) OH: Mike DeWine(R,term-limited) OK: Kevin Stitt(R,term-limited) OR: Tina Kotek(D,for re-election) PA: Josh Shapiro(D,for re-election) RI: Dan McKee(D,for re-election) SC: Henry McMaster(R,term-limited) SD: Larry Rhoden(R,for re-election) TN: Bill Lee(R,term-limited) TX: Greg Abbott(R,for re-election) VT: Phil Scott(R,for re-election) WI: Tony Evers(D,retiring) WY: Mark Gordon(R,term-limited)
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Page last updated: Sep 26, 2026