Patricia Levesque is the Chief Executive Officer for ExcelinEd.
Here at ExcelinEd, we believe that education policy changes lives. Students live in an evolving world that is doing so at an ever-increasing rate. Given the shifting nature of challenges and opportunities, policymakers have the current moment to prioritize the issues that are vital to the success of their students and their states.
States are expanding opportunity for students by enacting policies that focus on improving math outcomes, which are tied to economic success; strengthening literacy both before and beyond third grade; building better college and career pathways aligned with workforce partners and limiting digital distractions in school. When students achieve success in one state, other states follow suit.
Last year, a slate of policies passed in legislative sessions addressed critical needs and challenges so that students can confidently move into their futures. There are many new trends, as well as new iterations of existing policies, that serve to further strengthen outcomes.
In 2025, ExcelinEd undertook efforts to promote adolescent literacy, to ensure that older students struggling to read aren’t overlooked. As postsecondary opportunities shift for today’s students, we have worked to promote better college and career pathways. To ensure schools focus on robust academic measures, we took steps to enhance school accountability.
As we move into and through 2026, these efforts have fundamentally reshaped the educational landscape across dozens of states. This year’s policy trends will be defined by an ongoing tension: the continued emergence of dangerous distractions alongside a reinforced commitment to time-tested, evidence-based strategies. Collectively, they form the foundation on which state lawmakers will build in the coming year.
Below is a breakdown of the key trends that should be front and center for any state policymaker dedicated to meaningful, student-focused reform.
When it comes to math proficiency, outcomes across the nation paint a bleak picture. Only 39% of fourth graders and 27% of eighth graders meet the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) standards in math. Despite this, the overwhelming majority of parents believe their children are on track when it comes to math. The data shows a clear disconnect between perception and reality.
To help states address this challenge, we released a new digital tool: Math Matters. It provides an overview of all 50 states with respect to 11 essential principles that define strong math policy. A review of the site, however, shows that few states have strong math policy in law, and the majority of states have not made significant progress on math policy.
There’s a lot of potential and support to improve math policy at the state level in 2026, and a handful of states already are leading the way. Alabama has demonstrated itself as a national leader in math policy with its Numeracy Act, which led the state to return to pre-pandemic proficiency levels. Alabama, Maryland and Indiana have already taken steps to reform math instruction. There is a key component of these reforms: early math screenings, requiring educators to identify students who are struggling and provide timely interventions. The math screener is more than just another assessment; it provides educators and parents with clear insight into how to guide students’ next steps.
Another emerging trend: states ensuring that all students who are ready will have guaranteed access to advanced math courses such as Algebra I by the eighth grade. The push for increased instructional time also will gain momentum, with more states following Alabama’s lead and requiring at least 60 minutes of math instruction daily. In 2026, we will continue to work with states to adopt math policies that will ensure improved outcomes for students.
While early literacy gains among states with comprehensive policy and strong implementation have been impressive in the most recent years, middle-grade reading outcomes remain stagnant. In response, 2026 will see states increasingly focus on creating comprehensive K-8 literacy systems, which will combine sustained early literacy implementation with adolescent supports.
Vital actions will include ensuring all learners benefit from extended supports in word recognition, language comprehension and development of background knowledge across content areas; expanding screening and intervention efforts for students in grades 4-8, ensuring struggling readers are identified early and provided with the resources they need. Virginia, Indiana and Alabama have made significant strides. Virginia has extended its literacy supports through grade 8, while Indiana and Alabama have focused on integrating Science of Reading-backed materials into the classroom. Mississippi has been a leader in early literacy and hopes to expand efforts into middle grades reading policy. By strengthening literacy support in the middle grades, states can provide students with a stronger foundation for success in high school and beyond.
You can learn more about what states have done to pass and implement literacy policy using our online digital tool, Literacy Matters.
A growing concern in the United States is the lack of clear direction after high school for students. Too often, students graduate from high school without a clear outlook on the opportunities available to them after graduation, whether in the workforce, military or higher education.
To address this issue, states are increasingly focusing on creating robust college and career pathways. One important development we expect to see in 2026 concerns higher education accountability. More states will likely pass legislation to conduct Return on Investment (ROI) analyses, which will require an evaluation of postsecondary programs based on graduate wage outcomes. For years, institutions of higher education were considered successful based on indicators such as their selectivity, the size of their endowments, and faculty-to-student ratios, among other measures. Today, however, a growing national movement seeks to hold colleges accountable for what happens after students graduate—or fail to graduate. This move can place states ahead of new federal guidelines that will remove access to federal financial aid funds if students earn less than a high school graduate after completing two or four years of college.
This powerful, but simple approach will give states a tool to look at what is happening and drive change that matters for students and their states’ economy. Arkansas and Texas have already implemented ROI-driven funding formulas, and other states are likely to follow suit.
Direct admission policies also are gaining traction, offering students proactive college admissions based on their high school GPA and coursework, rather than requiring them to fill out a full application. Georgia has seen a 26% percent increase in technical college applications and a 9% increase in enrollment because of this approach.
By improving decision-making around outcomes and better aligning high school education with postsecondary pathways, states can ensure students are better prepared for their futures, whether they enter college, the military or the workforce.
If you want to learn more about what’s going on in the states, this year we launched a revamped Pathways Matter digital tool with an expanded framework of policies and new digital tools, including an interactive map that currently includes 20 states where policymakers can see what policy is a priority to tackle next.
The integration of technology into education has become a double-edged sword. While digital tools can often enhance learning and help teachers be more efficient with their time, they also raise concerns about safety, privacy and ethical issues. In 2026, states will work to address these challenges with a range of policies aimed at ensuring that technology enhances, rather than detracts from, the learning environment.
One trend that will continue to gain momentum is the adoption of phone-free policies in schools. A total of 32 states and Washington, D.C. require districts to limit cell phone use in some way, and 22 of these states implemented a phone free bell-to-bell policy (from the start of the day to the end of the day). Early results from districts with bell-to-bell phone policies have shown improvement in student outcomes and social interaction. And the time for action is ripe, as 73% percent of Americans favor K-12 phone-free policies once they know more about the policy’s benefits.
Beyond distracted learning, the growing use of AI companion bots that are designed to mimic human and romantic relationships is raising new concerns for states. 72% of teenagers have used AI companions, and half use them regularly, despite documented cases of these platforms encouraging self-harm, making sexually inappropriate comments or providing instructions to harm others. These risks are pushing states to consider guardrails that restrict access for minors and hold AI companies legally accountable for protecting users from harm.
Accountability systems in education were a hot topic again in 2025, as some states pushed for higher expectations, and others watered them down. We know that low expectations lead to low outcomes; states must continue to push for high expectations and strong accountability systems. It also has major implications for our country’s future, such as meeting workforce demands, bolstering long–term economic growth and improving social stability. We know that all students can learn. Setting rigorous expectations, and holding the system accountable for kids meeting them, puts us all on the path for a brighter future.
The trend in 2026 for academic accountability will likely be mixed, with some states moving to strengthen accountability standards while others debate existing measures. States such as Mississippi and Louisiana, for example, have implemented rigorous A-F grading systems for their schools, which is an approach that most voters declared is the easiest and most trustworthy measure of school performance.
There is clear public demand for transparent and rigorous accountability measures that are essential for facilitating improvement in schools. Although some states may opt for no accountability, or a watered-down system, it is likely the overall trend in 2026 will be toward strengthening, rather than weakening, accountability measures.
Education funding remains a perennial concern on the minds of school leaders, parents and the general public.
In 2026, many states will have to grapple with challenges created by declining enrollment and the expiration of federal COVID relief funds. The solutions to budgetary pressure will be mixed. It is our hope that states take a forward-thinking approach to funding concerns through strategic state investments.
Funds should be redirected from declining student populations toward targeted initiatives that hold the highest potential to improve student outcomes. This entails everything from investing in reading and math coaches, high-quality instructional materials (HQIM), creating better college and career pathways and career scholarship accounts.
More states should look to purposeful spending that ensures resources are directed to where they will have the most benefit. This year, a slate of policies passed in legislative sessions will address critical needs and challenges so that students can confidently move into their futures.
Moving into 2026, several states will continue advancing efforts to provide charter school students with more equitable access to both operating and facilities funding. These efforts build on actions in states like Indiana, Florida and Idaho that have expanded facilities-sharing policies and strengthened state revolving loan programs—models likely to be replicated elsewhere.
Universal Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) have also passed in a dozen states, which means 2026 will be the year states seek to modernize ESA payments, lift financial caps and strengthen fraud prevention measures. Some states may also explore policies that remove barriers to the growth of innovative schooling options that meet parent demand.
Additionally in the choice space, we will likely see an increase in specialized charters, such as healthcare-focused schools, and the rise of microschool collaboratives, all of which show promise for allowing students access to programs with clear connection to their personal needs and goals.
Teacher shortages and varied teacher preparation program quality remain challenges for many states. In response, policymakers will seek to explore ways to raise the bar for Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs). In 2026, states will likely achieve this by requiring EPPs to integrate Science of Reading and math coursework, high-quality instructional materials and clinical experience. States will also look to increase transparency and accountability of EPPs through public report cards that highlight the outcomes of programs, such as their graduates’ impacts on student learning and retention in high needs areas.
Teacher effectiveness is the most important school factor in student learning. By ensuring EPPs are fully preparing teachers with the skills and knowledge to succeed, more educators will be ready to help students learn from day one. Louisiana, Colorado and Iowa are already leading the way in these efforts. Colorado introduced conditional approval to identify EPPs that do not fully meet state standards and provide targeted support for improvement. Iowa uses surveys from program graduates and hiring schools to evaluate how well new teachers are prepared and where programs need to improve.
States will also continue to focus on policies that retain great teachers. The success of Texas’ Teacher Incentive Allotment and North Carolina’s strategic staffing models have shown promising results in teacher retention and student outcomes alike. We will see these policies influencing other states to adopt similar approaches.
The choices state leaders make today will shape how well our education systems serve students in the future. As schools face new challenges and opportunities, policymakers should embrace forward-looking decisions.
By advancing policies that improve math proficiency, enhance accountability, strengthen the educator workforce, connect education to college and careers, reduce classroom distractions, expand opportunity and align funding with outcomes, states can build systems that better support students and families.
As the 2026 legislative sessions get underway, policymakers and partners are encouraged to work with ExcelinEd’s team of experts to explore how these emerging policy priorities can be tailored to their state’s needs. Together, we can create learning environments that give every student the opportunity to succeed.
