Stronger States, Stronger Outcomes

Building Cross-System Capacity to Accelerate Outcomes for Native Students
Geographically dispersed education systems face distinct challenges in building capacity while honoring Tribal sovereignty, culture, and community priorities. The Bureau of Indian Education, in partnership with the Region 14 BIE Comprehensive Center, will share how it supports more than 183 schools across 23 states through continuous improvement, evidence-based practices, stakeholder engagement, and responsive technical assistance. Operating as both a state and local education agency, BIE uses strategic planning, needs-sensing, targeted supports, and federal resources to address geographic isolation, workforce capacity, and access to high-quality educational opportunities. Participants will learn how cross-system partnerships can strengthen leadership, inform decision-making, build organizational capacity, and support sustainable improvement in rural and Tribal communities.


Building a Unified Statewide Framework for Family and Community Engagement in Alabama
In what ways can a state bring separate family and community engagement efforts into a unified approach? The Alabama State Department of Education will share how it redesigned work across literacy, mathematics, school improvement, extended learning, and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support. With support from the Gulf Coast Comprehensive Center, Alabama developed a three-pillar framework focused on building understanding, implementing practical strategies and practices, and sustaining engagement. The framework has helped align teams, streamline resources, strengthen cross-office collaboration, and provide clearer guidance to local education agencies. Participants will learn strategies for aligning initiatives, reorganizing internal processes, leveraging federal technical assistance, and supporting districts in building authentic family partnerships. 

Strengthening Leader Effectiveness and Teacher Retention in Mississippi
Teacher retention is closely tied to the quality of school leadership and the systems that prepare, develop, and support administrators. Mississippi will share how the Mississippi LEADS initiative is building a leadership development continuum from teacher to superintendent. With support from the Gulf Comprehensive Center, the state has reduced its principal standards from 19 to 9 evidence-based standards, revised the Administrator Growth Rubric guidance and training, aligned leader preparation assessments, and reviewed its principal induction program. The work also brings together higher education, districts, and schools to strengthen coherence across the educator continuum. Participants will learn how Mississippi is using technical assistance and cross-sector partnerships to improve administrator effectiveness, strengthen teaching conditions, and support teacher retention.

Supporting Districts to Implement Local AI Policies in Ohio
Statewide policy requirements are most effective when districts have clear guidance, practical tools, and access to aligned support. Ohio will share how it is helping every public school district, community school, and STEM school adopt and implement a local artificial intelligence policy by July 1, 2026. Informed by the Ohio AI in Education Coalition, the Department of Education and Workforce developed a model policy and is working with the Midwest Comprehensive Center to create research briefs, promising practice briefs, and implementation tools. Ohio is also using Title II-A state activities funds to support educator AI literacy and local projects. Participants will learn how Ohio is aligning policy, technical assistance, and federal resources to support responsible AI implementation. 

From Evidence to Impact: Building a Statewide System for Literacy and Mathematics Improvement in Tennessee
Sustained gains in literacy and mathematics require aligned policy, strong district relationships, and practical support for implementation. Tennessee will share how the Department of Education has consolidated internal structures, organized cross-functional teams, deployed regional consultants, and invested in educator leaders to support evidence-based instruction across diverse local contexts. The state will also highlight implementation resources, monitoring tools, professional learning networks, and its use of federal and state funds to strengthen coherence and scale. Tennessee reports historic gains in state assessment results and progress on national measures. Participants will learn how the state is using lessons from literacy implementation, regional technical assistance, and a developing learning agenda to build SEA capacity and sustain high-quality instruction across districts. 

Using Data and Evidence-Based Supports to Strengthen Literacy Capacity in North Dakota
Data are most useful when state leaders can translate them into clear guidance and practical support for districts and schools. North Dakota will share how the Department of Public Instruction and REL Central are using existing implementation and achievement data to strengthen literacy capacity. The partnership is helping the state analyze Science of Reading and dyslexia implementation, identify areas of strength and need, develop data stories, and create evidence-based tip sheets on instructional time and support for students with dyslexic characteristics. The work also highlights schools performing beyond expectations and opportunities to identify practices that may be scalable. Participants will learn how North Dakota is using federally funded technical assistance to strengthen analytic capacity, improve continuous improvement efforts, and turn compliance data into actionable support. 

Building a Coherent Statewide Numeracy System in Kentucky Through Evidence-Based MTSS
A strong statewide numeracy system requires more than aligned requirements; it requires clear tools, consistent guidance, and coordinated support for implementation. Kentucky will share how it is connecting the Kentucky Numeracy Counts Act, Math Improvement Plans, and KyMTSS within a unified framework. In partnership with the Appalachia Regional Comprehensive Center, the state is developing assessment flowcharts, implementation guides, progress-monitoring resources, readiness tools, and clearer processes for reviewing assessment vendors. The work is also strengthening alignment among policy, practice, and technical assistance while improving the state’s ability to support districts with evidence-based instruction and intervention. Participants will learn how Kentucky is using embedded technical assistance, practical tools, and system redesign to move from fragmented compliance requirements toward greater coherence and instructional capacity. 

Building a Statewide System for Effective Instructional Coaching in Alabama
How can states build an accountability system that strengthens instructional coaching rather than simply evaluating it? The Alabama State Department of Education will share how it developed the Evidence-Based Coaching Accountability System in response to the Alabama Numeracy Act and feedback from more than 600 coaches and 300 administrators. With support from the Gulf Comprehensive Center, Alabama engaged state and district leaders, coaches, principals, and curriculum leaders to create common coaching standards, indicators, and a continuum of practice. Participants will learn how Alabama moved from a content-specific requirement to a broader statewide coaching framework, engaged stakeholders in system design, and used accountability to support growth, consistency, and stronger instructional practice. 

School turnaround efforts are stronger when superintendents have structured opportunities to test ideas, examine implementation data, and learn with peers. Oklahoma will share how the Department of Education and Southwest Comprehensive Center designed a Superintendent Networked Improvement Community for district leaders serving CSI, TSI, and ATSI schools. Through regular learning sessions, cross-district collaboration, and Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles, participants identify common problems of practice, test evidence-based strategies, and strengthen continuous improvement routines. The network is intended to build instructional leadership, improve the use of implementation data, and support stronger decision-making from the district office to the classroom. Participants will learn how Oklahoma is using improvement science and peer learning to shift school improvement support from compliance monitoring toward sustained capacity building.