Stronger States, Stronger Outcomes

Aligning SEA Structure and Resources to Improve Student Outcomes in South Carolina
SC Ambitious student goals require an agency structure that aligns people, priorities, and resources around the outcomes that matter most. South Carolina will share how the Department of Education reorganized its work through a “1-4-1-4” strategic framework connecting a statewide 2030 goal to multiyear objectives, annual alignment priorities, and 90-day actions. Cross-functional teams bring together SEA offices, LEAs, state partners, and industry around foundational skills, career pathways, civics, and community partnerships. The state is also aligning investments to evidence-based strategies, including LETRS and Palmetto Math. Participants will learn how South Carolina is using shared goals, cross-office governance, and strategic resource alignment to strengthen coherence, build accountability, and support implementation across the agency.
Ellen Weaver, Abbey Duggins, Rebecca Gunnlaugsson

From Data to Action: Building a Unified Statewide Attendance Strategy in Rhode Island
Improving attendance at scale requires more than isolated initiatives; it requires aligned systems, timely data, and coordinated support for schools and families. Rhode Island will share how the Department of Education partnered with the Governor’s Office and teams across data, communications, school improvement, student support, accountability, and community engagement to build a unified statewide strategy. Through #AttendanceMattersRI, the state combines real-time attendance leaderboards, monthly heatmaps, professional learning, family engagement, and cross-office governance. Since the height of the pandemic, Rhode Island reports reducing chronic absenteeism by more than 12 percentage points and regaining more than 3.7 million hours of instructional time. Participants will learn practical strategies for aligning SEA teams, strengthening local capacity, and turning attendance data into action.

From Mandate to Meaning: Building a Strategic Resource Allocation Review Process in Wyoming
Resource allocation reviews can do more than satisfy federal requirements; they can help districts connect funding, staffing, and programs to student needs and improvement priorities. Wyoming will share how the Department of Education partnered with the Central Comprehensive Center and Strategic Funding and Finance Center to design and pilot a state-supported review process. Through co-development, feedback, and targeted technical assistance, the partners created a multi-phase framework, guidebook, and tools for examining financial, staffing, and programmatic data. More than 40 district leaders contributed early feedback ahead of the 2026 pilot. Participants will learn how Wyoming is aligning compliance with improvement planning, building SEA infrastructure, and equipping districts with practical tools for more strategic resource decisions. 

From Fragmented Grants to a Coherent State Investment Strategy in Colorado
How can states move from managing separate grant programs to directing resources through a coherent strategy tied to student needs and outcomes? The Colorado Department of Education will share how it analyzed 31 competitive grant programs across seven units and 17 offices and found that nearly 30 percent of districts—most of them rural—were not accessing available opportunities. Colorado used grant participation data, stakeholder input, and state policy priorities to redesign its investment approach. As an early step, the department consolidated six funding streams into a formula-based model intended to streamline access, reduce administrative burden, and strengthen accountability. Participants will learn strategies for reviewing a grant portfolio, aligning investments with priorities, and building support for difficult funding changes. 

From Red Tape to Results: Using a Unified Planning Tool to Align Funding and State Priorities in Arkansas
Districts are better positioned to focus on student outcomes when planning and reporting requirements are organized around priorities rather than separate funding streams. Arkansas will share how it created the AR App, a unified tool that consolidated 17 federal and state applications and plans into one district planning process. The application asks districts to address concrete implementation questions tied to state priorities, while giving the Arkansas Department of Education annual data on local choices and areas where additional support may be needed. Arkansas will also describe how regional cooperatives support district planning and implementation. Participants will learn how a unified planning and funding tool can reduce administrative burden, promote federal flexibility, strengthen alignment, and help states monitor implementation over time. 

Weathering the Storm: Building Fiscal and Organizational Resilience in CNMI
Fiscal crises can force education agencies to rethink how funding, staffing, and operations work together. The CNMI Public School System will share how it responded to severe storm damage, school closures, declining local appropriations, and the expiration of $160 million in American Rescue Plan funds. CNMI cross-mapped Title programs, FEMA public assistance, and other federal grants to support shared administrative infrastructure and cross-functional capacity. By pooling resources and reorganizing staff, the agency reports redirecting 15 percent of overhead capacity to classroom recovery. Participants will learn how CNMI navigated cost-allocation approvals, crosswalked funding streams, reduced program silos, and built a more flexible operating model for fiscal emergencies. 

Strengthening SEA Strategy & Coherence - Poster Session

• Going Beyond the Committee: Refreshing and Aligning Strategic Priorities - North Dakota

• Aligning Research for Impact: Texas’ Journey to a Statewide Research Agenda - Texas

• Flexibility in Action: How States Can Strengthen District-Led School Improvement - NCC

• Craving Coherence: A recipe for SEAs - NCC

• Strategic Spending & Outcomes Snapshot - NCC