LinkedInFacebookShare

State Education Agency Leadership and Systems Support

Supporting state education agencies to create learning organizations that intentionally invest in developing and supporting their leaders and build systems and structures that are integrated, efficient, cohesive, responsive, and effective.

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) 
State employees working together to solve problems

“[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

Sarah Barzee brings 40 years of experience in education and serves as a senior director of State Education Services at WestEd. In her former role as Director of the Region 2 Comprehensive Center, Barzee led a team providing intensive capacity-building technical assistance to SEAs in Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island. In addition, for the past 2 years she has provided support to the Delaware Department of Education. Prior to joining WestEd, Barzee spent 7 years at the Connecticut State Department of Education as Division Director for Leadership Development and later as Chief Talent Officer. Barzee holds a PhD in leadership from Andrews University.
Expert
Steve Canavero

Steve Canavero

Steve Canavero, PhD, is a WestEd director with 28 years of experience in education, from classroom teacher to chief state school officer. Canavero is Deputy Director for the Region 9 Comprehensive Center focused on building the capacity of SEA leaders and their partners in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas to design and develop evidence-based initiatives to improve student outcomes and address operational excellence.
Expert
Kate Wright bio image

Kate Wright

Kate Wright is a state education expert in policy and technical assistance with a focus on strategic planning and implementation and interest holder engagement and facilitation. As a Program Manager in State Education Services, Wright helps states and education leaders build and enhance systems and structures to successfully achieve priority education initiatives and outcomes. As the former Director of the Region 15 Comprehensive Center, she led over 40 annual projects across Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah, building the capacity of state leaders to implement multiple new initiatives including academic frameworks and standards, accountability systems, school improvement strategic plans, resource allocation review processes, and leadership development programs.
Expert

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.

The hands of people working together to solve problems

More Related to this Service