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Education Commission of the States
| Education Commission of the States | |
 | |
| Basic facts | |
| Location: | Denver, Colo. |
| Type: | 501(c)(3) |
| Top official: | José Muñoz, President |
| Founder(s): | John W. Gardner and Terry Sanford |
| Year founded: | 1965 |
| Website: | Official website |
| Budget | |
| 2024: | $11,566,571 |
The Education Commission of the States is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that primarily operates as a public policy think tank. They frequently research and publish reports on education policy as it relates to state education. One focus of the commission is understanding broad educational trends—such as college readiness—across states.
As of July 2025, the Education Commission of the States' website says its mission is as follows:[1]
| “ | We provide personalized support and services to all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories to help education leaders gain the insight and experience needed to create effective education policy for their constituents. Our expertise spans across the spectrum from early care and education to workforce development.[2] | ” |
Background
The Education Commission of the States (ECS) was formed in 1965 by John W. Gardner—then-president of the Carnegie Corporation—and former North Carolina Governor Terry Sanford. [3] They drafted the Compact for Education, which was approved by representatives from all 50 states; the operating arm of the compact was ECS. [4]
Leadership
The following individuals are listed on the ECS website as officers:[5]
- José Muñoz, President
- Gov. Laura Kelly (D-Kan.), Chair
Work and activities
Legislative and policy work
The Education Commission of the States researches and publishes studies on educational policies at the state level. Each state also selects seven commissioners to serve as representatives to the organization.[6]
ECS publishes policy documents comparing education issues in all 50 states and has a service on its website tracking education policy across the country. For instance, the group released a report in 2025 on teacher recruitment and retention across the United States [7]. Researchers found that schools "continue to face specific and persistent teacher shortages in certain subjects," such as special education. Those problems were more persistent in certain types of schools, such as those in rural areas. [7]
The chair of the ECS alternates between a Democratic and Republican governor, with each chair serving a two-year term. Chairs will select a policy area to focus on during their tenure. The current chair as of 2025, Gov. Laura Kelly, D-Kan., announced an initiative to focus on "creating access to quality education opportunities for individuals in the justice system," leading to research and public events on that topic. [8]
Notable endorsements
This section displays endorsements this organization made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope. Know of one we missed? Click here to let us know.
Finances
The following is a breakdown of the Education Commission of the States' revenues and expenses for the 2020 to 2023 fiscal years, according to documents submitted to the Internal Revenue Service and compiled by ProPublica:
| Annual revenue and expenses for the ECS, 2020–2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tax Year | Total Revenue | Total Expenses |
| 2023[9] | $9,981,000 | $11,566,571 |
| 2022[9] | $12,963,804 | $11,828,231 |
| 2021[9] | $12,952,217 | $14,405,734 |
| 2020[9] | $15,031,953 | $17,307,945 |
See also
External links
Recent news
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Footnotes
- ↑ Education Commission of the States, "About Us," accessed July 21, 2025
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Mississippi Today , "What is the Education Commission of the States?" December 6, 2016
- ↑ Education Commission of the States , "The Compact For Education," accessed July 21, 2025
- ↑ , Education Commission of the States , "Our Team," accessed July 23, 2025
- ↑ Education Commission of the States, "The Commission," accessed July 23, 2025
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Education Commission of the States, "50-State Comparison: Teacher Recruitment and Retention," accessed July 21, 2025
- ↑ Education Commission of the States , "2023-25 Chair’s Initiative on Education Access for Justice-Impacted Individuals," accessed July 21, 2025
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 ProPublica, "Educational Commission of the States" accessed July 21, 2025
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