In a recent virtual meeting of the National League of Cities’ Mayors’ Education Task Force, co-chairs Mayor Tim Kelly of Chattanooga, TN, and Mayor Corey Woods of Tempe, AZ, led a dynamic conversation on education priorities, workforce pathways, and the need for sustained federal support for children and families. The discussion brought together mayors from across the country and featured special guest Representative Kevin Kiley (R-CA-03), Chair of the U.S. House Committee on Education and Workforce’s Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education. This committee has jurisdiction over education issues from early learning through high school.
Congressional Perspective
Representative Kiley outlined his subcommittee’s recent focus areas, including:
- Artificial Intelligence in education: Highlighting both its potential to close achievement gaps and the need to safeguard academic integrity.
- Screen time and device policies: Exploring state-level approaches to limiting personal device use in classrooms to boost focus and learning.
- Early childhood education and literacy: Examining best practices in foundational skill development.
Representative Kiley stressed the value of local flexibility in federal funding and expressed strong support for career and technical education (CTE), citing promising local partnerships that connect students with high-demand job opportunities.
Local Innovations
Several mayors shared initiatives making a measurable impact in their communities:
- Mayors’ Reading Club (College Park, GA) – Led by Mayor Bianca Motley Broom through the Georgia Municipal Association, this statewide initiative engages over 100 mayors in championing literacy in their communities. Activities range from reading aloud in classrooms to hosting community story times and co-authoring children’s books about city operations, with creative incentives like “Mayor for a Day” for top young readers. Participating cities receive guidance, book lists and activity ideas to make reading a visible, celebrated part of community life, supporting early literacy while fostering civic engagement between mayors, children and their families.
- Chattanooga’s Workforce Pipeline – Mayor Kelly highlighted Chattanooga’s decade-long effort to bridge the gap between K-12 education and the labor market by expanding internships and apprenticeships, though he noted many small- and mid-sized employers lack the resources to run such programs and suggested a federal tax credit to encourage employer participation. Chattanooga 2.0’s Viable Pathways initiative provides students with clear, debt-free routes to high-wage careers, offering industry-aligned training developed in collaboration with local employers. Each pathway leads to starting jobs paying at least $50,000, reflecting regional living wage needs, and includes wraparound student support to help ensure successful transitions from education to employment.
- Promise Career Institute (Fulton County, GA) – In partnership with Fulton County Schools and Atlanta Technical College, this $40 million taxpayer-funded program prepares students for careers in logistics, cybersecurity, avionics, welding and more. Students graduate with both high school and technical college credentials, ready for immediate employment.
Key Concerns: School Quality, Funding and Student Support
Mayors expressed concern over:
- Challenges with charter schools, including inconsistent school quality, draining of resources from traditional public schools and infrastructure strain.
- Cuts to 21st Century Community Learning Center grants for afterschool programs, which have forced some cities to scale back or close sites.
- The chronic underfunding of special education and bilingual student support.
- A growing need for school-based mental health services and support.
- The importance of actively involving young people in education policy discussions.
Looking Ahead
The consensus was clear: whether through literacy initiatives, CTE pathways or expanded youth engagement, cities are leading the way, but federal partnership and sustainable funding remain essential to sustaining and scaling these efforts.
As Congress moves forward with the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations process, now is the time for local leaders to pay attention to how federal funding is being allocated towards educational priorities. You can keep track of the funding through NLC’s Federal Budget Tracker to inform your conversations with your congressional representatives.
For More Information
Founded in 2012, NLC’s Mayor’s Education Task Force (METF) brings mayors together with schools, community partners, and business leaders to create local solutions that improve outcomes for youth. The Task Force provides a candid, small-group setting for mayors to share challenges, exchange ideas, and strengthen city-school partnerships. For more information, contact educationandworkforcesuccess@nlc.org.
Explore the New K-12 Education Toolkit
Most mayors do not directly oversee their local school districts, but they still have an important role to play in helping students succeed. City leaders can make a difference through direct support, strategic partnerships and public advocacy. Explore the new K-12 education toolkit and learn how to support the schools in your community.
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