Governors are sounding off on what the future of public higher education will look like. As workforce preparation becomes paramount, colleges and universities should expect more pressure to produce job-ready graduates.
FutureEd, a nonpartisan think tank based at Georgetown University, has reviewed at least 35 State-of-the-State addresses so far this year.
Redefining “free college” as a workforce tool
Several governors are reframing tuition assistance as a strategy to fortify talent pipelines.
Jared Polis (D-Colo.) said he would make the first two years of college free for some residents and launch a unified department for skills, training, apprenticeships and education.
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Janet Mills (D-Maine) intends to make her state’s model for free community college permanent, cementing two‑year institutions as the front line of workforce preparation.
Jim Pillen (R-Neb.) hopes to retain in-state talent by offering full scholarships and housing at the University of Nebraska for any student who scores a 33 or higher on the ACT.
High-need sectors drive state investment
At least five governors said they will expand financial investment in higher education to address high-demand needs in healthcare, construction, technology and other fields.
Brad Little (R-Idaho) wants to invest $1 million into graduate medical education to combat physician shortages. Michelle Grisham (D-N.M.) touted plans to build a new school of medicine at the University of New Mexico to double medical student enrollment.
Maura Healey (D-Mass.) said she would help create 100,000 apprenticeships over the next 10 years in the building trades. Leaders in Alaska, Hawaii and South Dakota also committed to increasing apprenticeship pathways.
Josh Green (D-Hawaii) also aims to build out public-private workforce pipelines across health care, energy and education.
Lastly, Patrick Morrisey (R-W. Va.) is interested in micro-credentialing and project-based STEM models, signaling momentum toward flexible learning pathways for emerging industries.
Solidify the K20 model
Alignment from K12 to higher education is becoming an expectation as dual enrollment, career and technical education and financial aid proliferate.
Polis from Colorado spoke about partnering with six other states to create a real-time dashboard to track student readiness. It’s a move that deepens the state’s data integration across dual enrollment, school transfers and other complex credential pathways.
Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro (D) plans to cut bureaucratic red tape around student transfers to expand CTE and graduation rates. The governors of Vermont, Rhode Island, Hawaii and West Virginia also plan to expand career and technical education.
Bob Ferguson (D-Wash.) highlighted his state’s recently convened FAFSA advisory board that’s spreading awareness about federal aid in high schools.
Red states commit to Trump’s policies
Two governors in conservative-majority states vied to carry out priorities supported by the Trump administration.
Pillen from Nebraska vowed to eliminate DEI initiatives, “pronoun culture” and Critical Race Theory from its higher education system, while emphasizing “hard research” and academic rigor. The state—alongside Florida, Idaho, Indiana and West Virginia—also aims to prevent transgender male athletes from competing in women’s sports.
If a state is not accounted for in FutureEd’s review, its governor is not delivering an address, or the speech is scheduled for later this year. The tracker will be updated as more speeches are delivered.
