Presented at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute April 24, 2014

1. The State Education Agency: At the Helm, Not the Oar Presented at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute April 24, 2014

2. SEAs Are Struggling to Deliver Race to the Top “There is increasing risk that projects with delayed or compressed timelines will not be completed within the grant period … and that goals may become unattainable.” — USDOE Inspector General Common Core Implementation “The Common Core standards are a critical part of transforming New York’s schools, and the failure to effectively implement them has led to confusion and frustration.” – New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo Educator Evaluations “It is unclear if MSDE and participating LEAs had sufficient time to collaborate across LEAs, share best practices, evaluate the outcomes of the field test, and make mid-course corrections prior to finalizing the evaluation system. – Maryland’s Year 3 Race to the Top Report

3. 1) Human Capital 2) Procurement 3) Rulemaking Process 4) Politics 5) Institutional Sclerosis But why?

4. SEAs Should Row Less, Steer More “Governments that focus on steering actively shape their communities, states, and nations. … Rather than hiring more public employees, they make sure other institutions are delivering services and meeting the community’s needs.” —Osborne and Gaebler Reinventing Government

5. The 4C Model Create STATE-LEVEL REFORM ECOSYSTEM STRONG WEAK SEA authority and activity Control Contract Cleave

6. Create STATE-LEVEL REFORM ECOSYSTEM STRONG WEAK • “The state has a core role: set expectations for the system, set accountability measures for districts and schools, ensure fiscal resources are well used, and make sure federal funds are appropriately distributed. Everything else beyond that becomes questionable.” • —Gene Wilhoit, former state chief & ED of CCSSO SEA authority and activity SEAs control functions that are comprehensive, outcomes-focused, require transparency, and need centralized and/or government authority: Federal and state funding Standards and assessments Statewide data systems Compliance with federal and state laws Control Contract Cleave

7. STRONG Create WEAK STATE-LEVEL REFORM ECOSYSTEM SEA authority and activity SEAs contract out activities requiring accountability but which SEAs are poorly positioned to lead: Providing professional development/technical assistance Credentialing educators Implementing new educator evaluation systems Control Cleave Contract

8. Create STATE-LEVEL REFORM ECOSYSTEM STRONG WEAK SEA authority and activity Control Contract Cleave SEAs cleave activities that are outside their core competencies and other entities assume responsibility: Charter school authorizing Educational innovation

9. Create STATE-LEVEL REFORM ECOSYSTEM STRONG WEAK SEA authority and activity Control Contract Cleave TN SCORE (State Collaborative on Reforming Education) LA Recovery School District NY Regents Research fund Colorado education initiative State-level actors create new entities to lead implementation of key reforms Some single-purpose, some multi-purpose Fluid ecosystem with new organizations forming and existing ones adapting to meet new conditions Some close to SEA, some wholly independent Ecosystem Organizations & the sea Tightly Connected Fully Independent

10. The Promise of State Reform Organizations Louisiana Recovery School District • SEAs unable to fix failing schools and districts • New, state-run single-purpose entity • Take over failing schools; soon a charter authorizer Colorado Education Initiative • SEA lacks funding/capacity to deliver; CEI helps SEA’s effectiveness • Works alongside SEA & LEAs: TA, policy development, innovation • Semi-independent: 501(c)(3); board seats, MOU, “critical friend” • Conduit for private philanthropy

11. Conclusion Recognize the inherent limitations of the SEA Ask: Must-do? Oversee others? Totally outside? Relinquishment + Ecosystem Development = Government coordination of a dynamic collection of nimble organizations with a collective responsibility to drive continuous improvement