States as change agents under ESSA 

Under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), federal education mandates — particularly around accountability — are decreasing, which means states will have more flexibility and authority than they’ve had in decades. With this increased state power comes the responsibility to improve educational outcomes for every student in the state. State education agency leaders are confronting great change and great opportunity as many agencies move away from a 

focus on compliance with federal regulations, state statutes, and programmatically dictated uses of funds and toward a broader focus on supporting districts and schools in improving outcomes for all students. As the definition of and responsibility for success changes in this new environment, the roles of state education agencies deserve reconsideration.