Early college high school, apprenticeships, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education take center stage as governors continue to give state of the state addresses.

Today the Alliance for Excellent Education was recognized for its work to expand quality Linked Learning opportunities for students in California and across the nation at the Linked Learning Convention in Oakland, California. Linked Learning is a comprehensive educational approach that integrates rigorous academics, high-quality career and technical education, work-based learning, and student support to prepare all students, especially those who are traditionally underserved, to graduate from high school with the skills necessary to succeed in college and a career.

The Deeper Learning movement is thinking about how to involve more and more educators in the national, state, local, and dinner table conversations centered on teaching and learning, writes Monica Alatorre in Education Week’s Learning Deeply blog. She reminds everyone to be sure student voices are part of the conversation, and specifically asking “What do students think about education, and about how to best reach them, engage them, and motivate them?”

President-elect Donald Trump is not the only executive stepping in front of a podium this month. The beginning of a new year also means that the nation’s governors will be celebrating recent successes and outlining new programs and ideas in their annual state of the state addresses. Governors speaking early in 2017 have focused on education accomplishments, including raising high school graduation rates, and presented areas for improvement and transformation.

Even though just a few days remain before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, members of President Barack Obama’s team have continued to advance the education priorities of the current administration, including issuing regulations and state guidance on the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Amid that work, though, U.S. Secretary of Education John King, First Lady Michelle Obama, and even President Obama himself have taken time in their final remarks to reflect on the administration’s education accomplishments and outline the challenges that await the next administration.

Welcome to 2017! This week’s Digest includes a few stories of how deeper learning is working in and out the classroom.