With decades of experience working with state education agencies (SEAs) nationwide, WestEd is familiar with the roles and responsibilities of state leaders. We support chief state school officers and their cabinets through multiyear, customized leadership development that is grounded in leadership theory. Throughout our work, we identify opportunities for aligned, coherent systems integration, and we codevelop plans and performance management routines to improve outcomes.
How We Help
State education agency leaders operate within constantly evolving systems and political climates that require them to be nimble, focused, data-driven, and innovative while also leading and managing complex programs with limited staff.
As developers and providers of this service, we draw on our experience as former SEA executive leaders who understand the challenges and needs of Chief State School Officers and Deputies. Our team can help SEAs assess and analyze current systems in order to
- successfully serve their local education interest holders,
- effectively implement and monitor federal programs,
- be responsive to state and federal policy shifts,
- develop leadership skills across their agencies, and
- successfully navigate an ever-changing education landscape.
Through our collaborative support, state education leaders enhance existing organizational structures to build a highly functional and integrated agency benefiting the entire state education ecosystem. We offer a comprehensive array of training, capacity-building technical assistance, and other services designed to meet the needs of clients at the individual state level through regional approaches or nationwide meetings. We provide services and supports at the universal, targeted, and intensive levels based on research and evidence, identified needs and goals, and state context.
Service Delivery
- Online, onsite, and hybrid
Who Will Benefit
- State education agency chief state school officer (Superintendent, Commissioner)
- State education agency deputy chiefs
- State education agency leadership teams (i.e., associate superintendents, branch deputies, deputy associate superintendents, program directors—this will vary by state agency)
“[WestEd] gave us strategies that were really tangible … what I like to call ‘grab and go’ … and then [supported us in] being able to turn around and use those in our day-to-day practices.”
— State Education Agency Leader
Featured Experts
Sarah Barzee
Kate Wright
Connecting Research With Practice
Throughout WestEd, our staff regularly conduct leadership research and evaluation studies for state departments of education to identify crucial data for decision-making.
We draw upon this research and principles of effective adult learning to build your knowledge, skill, and capacity across core leadership functions. Working collaboratively, we align our tailored support to your specific, identified needs and guide your implementation of new knowledge in practice.
Through our work we tailor recommendations for each state related to many operating and decision-making domains, including accountability, accounting, federal programming, funding, administration, strategic planning, and evidence-based support for schools and districts.
More Related to this Service
Insights & Impact
Resources
Browse our high-quality publications and resources designed to inform and engage professionals in a variety of fields including K–12 education, early childhood, and health and justice.
