Education Commission of the States


The Education Commission of the States is a nonprofit that tracks educational policy. It is led by over 300 appointed commissioners from across the United States. ECS was founded as a result of the creation of the Compact for Education, an interstate compact approved by Congress and works with all 50 U.S. states, three territories and the District of Columbia.
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. Between 1965 and 1967, John W. Gardner, president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and former North Carolina Governor Terry Sanford took up the idea, drafted the proposed Compact, obtained the endorsement of all 50 states and got Congress' approval.
The organization opened its offices in Denver in 1967 and began administering the National Assessment of Educational Progress test until the Reagan administration in 1982 made the decision to privatize the test, which is now administered by the Educational Testing Service. That decision threatened the very existence of the commission, leading to the virtual closing of ECS's Information Clearinghouse, the laying off or early retirement of half of its 117-member staff and a 50% cut in the organization's budget.
Each member jurisdiction has seven seats on the commission, including the governor and six appointed members, usually including members of the state legislature and education officials, such as the state education commissioner or head of the state education agency.
WWW ecs.org𝕏 edcommission

Awards

The commission gives out three yearly awards. The James Bryant Conant award has been given since 1977 for "outstanding individual contributions to education". The commission also gives out the Frank Newman award to a state or territory, and a corporate award to a corporation or nonprofit organization.

Commission chairs

The commissioner chairman ship is held by the governor of a member jurisdiction. The term changed from one year to two years in 2002. It alternates between political parties.
As chairman from 2004-2006 and Governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee launched an effort to increase student participation in the arts. An analysis released in 2008 found that elementary school class time for arts had decreased by 35% on average.
TermGovernorStateFocus
OrganizingTerry SanfordNorth Carolina
1965–1966John H. ChafeeRhode Island
1966–1967Charles L. Terry Jr.Delaware
1967–1968Cal RamptonUtah
1968–1969Robert E. McNairSouth Carolina
1969–1970Tom McCallOregon
1970–1971Russell W. PetersonDelaware
1971–1972Robert W. ScottNorth Carolina
1972–1973Winfield DunnTennessee
1973–1974Reubin AskewFlorida
1974–1975John C. WestSouth Carolina
1975–1976Arch A. Moore Jr.West Virginia
1976–1977Jerry ApodacaNew Mexico
1977–1978Otis R. BowenIndiana
1978–1979Dixy Lee RayWashington
1979–1980William G. MillikenMichigan
1980–1981Bob GrahamFlorida
1981–1982Robert D. RayIowa
1982–1983James B. Hunt Jr.North Carolina
1983–1984Pierre S. du PontDelaware
1984–1985Charles S. RobbVirginiaBusiness and Education Reform
1985–1986Thomas KeanNew JerseyTeacher Renaissance: Improving Undergraduate Education
1986–1987Bill ClintonArkansasSpeaking of Leadership
1987–1988John AshcroftMissouriFamily Involvement in the Schools
1988–1989Rudy PerpichMinnesotaPartners in Learning: Linking College Mentors with At-Risk Schools
1989–1990Garrey E. CarruthersNew MexicoSharing Responsibility for Success
1990–1991Booth GardnerWashingtonAll Kids Can Learn
1991–1992John R. McKernan Jr.MaineKeeping the Promises of Reform
1992–1993Evan BayhIndianaEducation for a Revitalized Democracy
1993–1994Jim EdgarIllinoisBuilding Communities that Support Education Reform
1994–1995Roy RomerColoradoMaking Quality Count in Undergraduate Education
1995–1996Tommy ThompsonWisconsinConnecting Learning and Work
1996–1997Terry BranstadIowaHarnessing Technology for Teaching and Learning
1997–1998Zell MillerGeorgiaInvesting in Student Achievement
1998–1999Paul E. PattonKentuckyTransforming Postsecondary Education
1999–2000Jim GeringerWyomingIn Pursuit of Quality Teaching
2000–2001Jeanne ShaheenNew HampshireEarly Learning: Improving Results for Young Children
2001–2002Kenny GuinnNevadaLeading for Literacy
2002–2003Roy BarnesGeorgiaClosing the Achievement Gap
2003–2004Mark WarnerVirginiaHigh-Quality Teachers for Hard-to-Staff Schools
2004–2006Mike HuckabeeArkansasThe Arts: A Lifetime of Learning
2006–2008Kathleen SebeliusKansasGreat Teachers for Tomorrow
2008–2010Tim PawlentyMinnesota
2010–2012John HickenlooperColorado
2012–2014Brian SandovalNevada
2015–2017Steve BullockMontana
2017–2019Phil BryantMississippi
2019–2021Tom WolfPennsylvania
2021–2022Kim ReynoldsIowa
2022–2023Asa HutchinsonArkansasExpand K12 computer science education
2023–2025Laura KellyKansas-

Commission executive directors/presidents

TenureNameTitle
1967–1976Wendell H. PierceExecutive director
1976–1980Warren HillExecutive director
1980–1984Robert AndringaExecutive director
1985–1999Frank NewmanPresident
2000–2005Ted SandersPresident
2005–2006Piedad F. RobertsonPresident
2007–2012Roger SampsonPresident
2012–2024Jeremy AndersonPresident
2024–presentJose MunozPresident