A state education agency or state department of education is the state-level government organization within each
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
or
territory
A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, belonging or connected to a particular country, person, or animal.
In international politics, a territory is usually a geographic area which has not been granted the powers of self-government, ...
responsible for education, including providing information, resources, and technical assistance on educational matters to schools and residents.
In all states but Hawaii, primary and secondary education (collectively known as
K–12
K–12, from kindergarten to 12th grade, is an English language expression that indicates the range of years of publicly supported primary and secondary education found in the United States and Canada, which is similar to publicly supported sch ...
) are provided by
school district
A school district is a special-purpose district that operates local public Primary school, primary or Secondary school, secondary schools or both in various countries. It is not to be confused with an attendance zone, which is within a school dis ...
s, while the state education agency handles only matters of statewide concern such as curriculum standards. In the state of Hawaii and all inhabited federal territories, the state education agency or the equivalent territorial government agencies are responsible for directly operating primary and secondary schools.
Different U.S. states use different job titles for the person in charge of education in the state government. These titles include Secretary of Education, State Superintendent of Education, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Commissioner of Education, and Director of Education.
"Chief State School Officer Addresses"
Council of Chief State School Officers. Retrieved 11/1/08. Thirteen states have an education executive directly elected by voters, but in most states they are appointed, by the governor, state legislature, or a state board. Out of the thirteen, four states (California, North Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin) hold nonpartisan elections.
State education agencies (SEAs)
The following are state education agencies as identified by the Council of Chief State School Officers.
See also
*National Association of State Boards of Education
The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) is a nonprofit private association that represents U.S. state and territory boards of education. Founded in 1958, the association initially met in conjunction with the annual conferenc ...
, United States
*No Child Left Behind
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) was a 2002 United States Act of Congress promoted by the presidential administration of George W. Bush. It reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and included Title I provision ...
, United States federal law
*School district
A school district is a special-purpose district that operates local public Primary school, primary or Secondary school, secondary schools or both in various countries. It is not to be confused with an attendance zone, which is within a school dis ...
*Standardized test
A standardized test is a Test (assessment), test that is administered and scored in a consistent or standard manner. Standardized tests are designed in such a way that the questions and interpretations are consistent and are administered and scored ...
Notes
References
External links
Education Governance Models
Updated and Revised by Mary Fulton
State Education Agencies
- Contact information for every SEA in the US.
{{U.S. state cabinets
State superintendents of public instruction of the United States