National Center on Education & the Economy - NCEE

Our team has been on the road, recently in Estonia, studying how one of the world’s leading education systems is thinking differently about assessment, accountability, and the future of learning. We visited schools, talked with teachers and students, met with ministry leaders, researchers, and the Chamber of Commerce. During our time explored everything from AI in assessment to how systems support durable skills and develop student agency. Benchmarking trips like this are about listening, learning, and bringing back ideas that can spark thoughtful conversations and action in communities here at home. More reflections from Estonia, Hong Kong, Ireland, and Singapore coming soon.

No two systems are the same. That’s why NISL NEXT is strategic, responsive, and attuned to context—helping leaders tackle the problems that matter most, right where they are. Transformation always starts locally. We saw this in action with Mississippi superintendents, who brought candor and conviction to reimagining what leadership looks like for their state. See how NISL NEXT adapts to your context → ncee.org/nisl/

Lancaster’s investment in people is yielding real and lasting results with promising trends in student attendance, engagement, and achievement. At the heart of this transformation lies a core belief: leadership is not born, it is grown. Learn how @SDoLancaster turned a time-bound grant into a lasting system for leadership growth. bit.ly/4pekODO

PA loses ~7k teachers a year. Recruitment alone won't fix that. Our coalition members joined @OppCulture audio to talk about what redesigning the teaching profession actually looks like. 🎧: opportunityculture.org/2026/05/07/pa-… #PANeedsTeachers #TeacherShortagePA @TeachPlusPA @CtrEdEcon

What if career-connected learning weren’t treated as a program, but as a system design choice? Our newest brief in the Thinking Differently About… series draws on local and global examples to illuminate what intentional design can make possible. 🔗 bit.ly/4kvSoDd What would it take to move from isolated innovation to system-wide change in your context? Identify one barrier you could help remove and start that conversation this week.

Decades of research show that investing in education strengthens productivity and prepares societies for the future of work. As Chief Global Strategy & Research Officer Tracey Burns says in this conversation, “There is a hard business case behind these ideas.” Dig deeper. Watch the full Education for Human Flourishing webinar when it works for your schedule. ncee.org/webinar-human-…

Congratulations to Evren Wilder Elliott, MPA, on this well-deserved spotlight from @IndianaUniv. We're proud to have you on the NCEE team. 👏 bit.ly/3R7BgcB

Congratulations graduates! This year’s National Institute for School Leadership (#NISL) cohort brought together leaders from 16 districts and @KyDeptofEd staff for a year of learning, reflection, and systems thinking. We're celebrating with you. 🙌 bit.ly/49GsJU9

When districts build a Future-Ready Learner Profile, you: 📕 Learn from research and high-performing education systems 📘 Listen to educators, students, families, and community partners 📗 Name a small set of outcomes that truly matter The result is a profile that feels real, usable, and connected to classroom practice. Learn how we partner with education leadership to design systems that work. 👉 lnkd.in/g_ZsDuAU

Leaders across this California district had long recognized a troubling pattern of disengagement among middle school students. This is the story of how they set out to change it. bit.ly/4nncOja

Our Benchmarking team has been on the road collecting global best practices. The focus: education. When they sent us this photo from Estonia, we couldn't help but add this sourdough vending machine to the global best practices list. Do you blame us? The real research is here: bit.ly/3PlXQgr

“Leadership matters.” In Dr. Cain’s district, teachers were asked why they stay. The answer? Leadership. That response changed how he thinks about his role. NISL NEXT creates space for leaders to reflect on how they show up and how that shapes the culture of their schools and districts. Learn more about the experience → ncee.org/nisl/

“Our educators are the workforce behind the workforce, essentially, and they are the profession that makes all other professions possible.”—Nathan Driskell, NCEE chief policy officer New podcast episode 🎧: a conversation with leaders from Teach Plus Pennsylvania and NCEE exploring strategic staffing, educator retention, and why supporting teachers is essential to the future of learning and the economy. bit.ly/4fiOPQ7 PA Needs Teachers

Thank you to everyone who joined us in Boston! These incredible Expert Educators participating in the CareerX Accelerator, powered by @Britebound and NCEE, are working together to make career pathways more visible, navigable, and equitable. #TogetherInEd #EducationInnovation #CareerConnectedLearning #FutureOfWork #CareerPathways #EdTech

Our team was back in Mississippi, working alongside Hazlehurst City School District to move their Learner Profile from poster to practice. The shift centers on bringing the district's vision into the daily life of classrooms and learners. We're grateful to partner alongside #EdLeaders doing this meaningful work. 👏 #LearnerProfile #EducationLeadership #FutureReadyEducation @MissDeptEd

We looked at education systems around the world delivering strong results over time. Different contexts. Different approaches. But some clear through lines. Here’s a 60-second snapshot of what they share. ▶️ Watch the clip. 🔎 Read more on our site: bit.ly/3PlXQgr

Congratulations to the entire class of Mississippi Superintendents Institute of NISL NEXT for School & System Leaders. We witnessed leaders listening deeply, testing bold ideas, and strengthening their practice together. A sincere thanks to this incredible group who invested in their own growth while working to strengthen the larger system. #LeadershipMatters Mississippi Department of Education

What if career-connected learning weren’t treated as a program, but as a system design choice? Our newest brief in the Thinking Differently About… series draws on local and global examples to illuminate what intentional design can make possible. 🔗 bit.ly/4kvSoDd What would it take to move from isolated innovation to system-wide change in your context? Identify one barrier you could help remove and start that conversation this week.

Educators: we appreciate you. And we want to see systems designed to ensure you stay. As #TeacherAppreciationWeek comes to a close, the work continues. Here’s what we’ve learned from the places doing it well. ncee.org/strategic-staf…

Last week, our team had the opportunity to join education leaders in Latvia for a conversation about the future of higher education. Across the globe, leaders are navigating similar challenges: declining populations, changing workforce needs, and pressure on traditional models. NCEE's Tracey Burns spoke of the shift toward more flexible pathways, stronger connections between education and work, and learning that happens across institutions, communities, and digital spaces. We’re grateful to be part of the solution-seeking and to continue learning from partners around the world.