The NJPSA Government Relations team traveled to Washington, D.C. last week to attend the 2026 National Forum on Education Policy, joining education leaders and policymakers from across the country to discuss the future of public education.
Hosted by the Education Commission of the States, the National Forum brings together governors, legislators, commissioners, state board of education members, state education agency leaders, and other policy experts from across the nation. Throughout the conference, the NJPSA Government Relations team had the opportunity to meet with many of these leaders, exchanging ideas and learning about innovative approaches to educational policy, governance, educator workforce development, student achievement, and school leadership.
Collectively, the New Jersey delegation participated in discussions focused on the opportunities and challenges facing K-12 education and the critical role that state policy plays in supporting students, educators, and school communities including funding, facilities, mental health, mathematics, AI and more.
This year’s Forum took place during a particularly memorable moment in our nation’s history, as America is celebrating her 250th birthday. For NJPSA, participation in the National Forum reinforces our commitment to ensuring that New Jersey’s school leaders have a strong voice in national education policy discussions. The relationships strengthened and the ideas shared throughout the week will help inform our advocacy efforts as we continue working with state and national lawmakers and stakeholders to advance policies that support high-quality public education for all of New Jersey’s over 1.3 million students.
We thank the Education Commission of the States for hosting another outstanding Forum and look forward to bringing the knowledge and perspectives gained in Washington back to New Jersey’s education community.