Each year, Polco is proud to celebrate local governments with the Best in Governance Awards — the nation's only awards program honoring communities for both resident experience and measurable outcomes. These awards shine a light on the jurisdictions that stand out as the most effective, innovative, and community-centered across the country, as measured through national data.
We're continuing our series recognizing the Top Performers across essential areas of community livability. Today, we're spotlighting the Education, Arts & Culture category.
Education, arts, and culture are cornerstones of a thriving community. From strong schools and lifelong learning to vibrant cultural events and festivals, these opportunities enrich daily life, inspire creativity, and strengthen civic pride. Communities that invest in education and cultural vitality not only support residents today — they build the foundation for long-term prosperity and resilience.
The Best in Governance Awards for Education, Arts & Culture draw on two complementary lenses: resident feedback from the National Community Survey (The NCS) and national indicators from Polco's Government Performance Action & Lab (GPAL) platform. Together, these measures provide a powerful picture of how communities are fostering learning, creativity, and opportunity — combining what residents experience every day with public data on educational and cultural outcomes.
Because Education, Arts & Culture is measured through both lenses, this year's honorees are recognized across three groups: Community Impact — Excellence highlights the top performers on measurable, public-data outcomes; Voice of the People — Excellence recognizes the communities with the highest resident ratings nationwide; and Voice of the People — Transformation celebrates those that achieved the biggest improvements in resident ratings over time.
The communities recognized as Top Performers represent the very best in fostering learning, creativity, and cultural vitality. The National Champions in each category will be announced in October.
Congratulations to all of this year's Top Performers. We're honored to showcase your leadership in building stronger, smarter, and more connected communities. Visit our awards page for more information about Polco's Best in Governance Awards.