North Carolina
In 2003 The Hunt Institute convened the North Carolina Legislators Retreat – a “meeting of the minds” that brought together North Carolina policymakers, state, and national resource experts, and education practitioners to have a candid dialogue about critical issues in public education, co-chaired by former Republican and Democratic governors of North Carolina Jim Holshouser and Jim Hunt.
In 2013, the Retreat was renamed the Holshouser Legislators Retreat in honor of the late Governor Holshouser for his overall commitment to education. The event’s purpose is to ensure bipartisan collaboration in the name of quality education for all students in North Carolina. Policymakers from both sides of the aisle are provided with carefully researched information in a space where they can delve into the specifics of education policy – outside of the walls of the legislature and away from the daily pressures of their positions, lobbyists, and media. Unlike any other convening in the nation, the Retreat has become a model for other states interested in the complexities of education policy.
View the Latest Retreat Issue Brief:
Virginia
The Hunt Institute began working with the Virginia legislature in 2015 during the first annual Virginia Education Summit. The Summit is a convening of the Virginia House Education and Senate Education and Health Committees. Similar to the Holshouser Legislators Retreat, the Summit brings policymakers from both sides of the aisle together to carefully research and discuss the most pressing issues facing the Commonwealth’s education system, as policymakers speak with state and national resource experts on those issues.
Through the sharing of best practices and provision of data on the Commonwealth’s education landscape, The Hunt Institute works to help policymakers set their legislative agendas for both the short- and long-term.
View the Latest Summit Materials:
Missouri
In January 2019, The Hunt Institute held the inaugural convening of Missouri legislators at the Missouri Legislators Retreat in Jefferson City, Missouri. Legislators from education- and workforce- related committees in both the House and Senate joined key state education leaders, national experts, and The Institute team to engage in conversations around the importance of high-quality early childhood education, strong school leadership, responsive teacher compensation systems, and innovative methods for preparing tomorrow’s workforce.
Building on the first Retreat’s success, the second was held just 10 months later in November 2019, focusing on prenatal to age three policy, rural schools, teacher recruitment, and Career and Technical Education (CTE). The third annual Retreat took place virtually in February 2021, and retreats took place in person in 2022 and 2023.
View the Latest Retreat Materials:
West Virginia
The West Virginia Public Education Collaborative, in partnership with The Hunt Institute, hosted its first West Virginia Legislators’ Forum on Education and the Economy in January 2017, in Morgantown, West Virginia. The two-day, bipartisan meeting brought national and local experts together to engage policymakers on the issues and best strategies that will help ensure successful student outcomes and a strong public education system. The experts addressed education and the economy, governance, effective funding models, and building support for excellent teachers and education leaders.
The second Forum was held in November 2019, with policymakers and stakeholders engaging with national and state resource experts on topics including strengthening the birth-to-five continuum, rethinking teacher preparation, exploring innovative school practices, and raising postsecondary education attainment rates.
View the Latest Retreat Materials:
North Dakota
The first annual North Dakota Legislators Retreat took place virtually in December 2020. Hosting 31 legislators from both chambers and parties, the Retreat discussed a number of topics important to North Dakota’s education system and brought in both state and national experts to discuss best solutions for North Dakota’s students. Topics covered included: supporting equity for birth – age five, student behavioral health and well-being, and recruiting and retaining rural teachers. In-person retreats have taken place in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
View the Latest Retreat Materials:
Illinois
In August 2021, The Hunt Institute held its inaugural convening of Illinois legislators at the Illinois Legislators Retreat in Chicago, Illinois. This Retreat specifically focused on diversifying the educator workforce throughout the state. Legislators from the entire legislature joined key state education leaders, national experts, and The Institute team to engage in conversations around the history of racial and ethnic diversity in Illinois’ schools, the impact of a diverse teacher workforce, teacher recruitment, preparation, and retention, and the influence of strong school leadership.
Since then, The Hunt Institute has held an Educator Diversity Summit as well as a second retreat in 2023.
View the Latest Retreat Materials:
Ohio
In September 2021, The Hunt Institute convened its first annual Ohio Legislators Retreat in Columbus, Ohio. The Retreat allowed legislators from education- and workforce- related committees in both the House and Senate to engage in conversations centering around equitable school funding, high-quality assessment and accountability, the state of early childhood education post COVID-19, and what college success looks like.
A second retreat was held in 2023, and an upcoming retreat will be held in 2024.
View the Latest Retreat Materials:
Oklahoma
In January 2022, The Hunt Institute held its first Oklahoma Legislators Retreat in Oklahoma City. Education and workforce-minded members from the OK House of Representatives and the Senate will attend for discussions spanning the education continuum.
A second retreat was held in 2023, and an upcoming retreat will be held in January 2024.
View the Latest Retreat Materials:
