State education agencies (SEAs) should prioritize the dedicated space and capacity needed to improve and reimagine education. An office of innovation or R&D could be housed within the SEA or a partner organization such as a university or non-profit. Like any priority, this requires a person whose primary responsibility is leading this work—someone who is relational and practitioner-forward, who drives inquiry based on questions that can solve pressing challenges, and who sees it as their role to translate research into action. Importantly, staff capacity for R&D should be in addition to staff who oversee other data-oriented activities, such as data system development, data management, or assessment and accountability systems.
Wherever research capacity is located, those responsible for leading the SEA’s learning should have a cross-agency view of the agency’s priorities and work, opportunities to engage directly with the agency’s executive leadership, and some degree of decision-making authority over the strategies the agency uses to develop and implement its research agenda.
Key Actions
- Create a dedicated office that partners across the SEA and sectors to tackle state challenges. This office, housed within the SEA or a partner organization such as a university or non-profit, would lead infrastructure development and R&D efforts, capture insights from innovative programs, and align research priorities with system needs.
- Devote full-time employees (FTEs) for a director-level role and at least two research staff.
- Establish an advisory council with stakeholders across the state to: a) inform research and development priorities from a broader systems perspective, and b) improve feedback loops.
- Establish a process to handle incoming research requests. This process should elevate research aligned with the state learning agenda and community-level needs and requires that applicants address how their work will make its way to the field through user-friendly, actionable summaries that can inform changes in practice or policy.
Learn From Other States
Discover how states across the country are establishing offices dedicated to overseeing and driving R&D.
Ohio & Indiana: Aligning Education Systems for Continuous Improvement
Ohio and Indiana are restructuring state education governance to create greater coherence across K–12, higher education, and workforce systems. Ohio’s Department of Education and Workforce unites policy and implementation under one umbrella, while Indiana’s appointment of Education Secretary Katie Jenner to also lead the Higher Education Commission strengthens alignment across the learner continuum. By integrating leadership and strategy across sectors, these states are building the foundation for a more connected, research-informed education ecosystem.
Tennessee: Research-Practice Partnership Driving Statewide Improvement
The Tennessee Education Research Alliance (TERA), a partnership between the state education department and Vanderbilt University, serves as Tennessee’s engine for education R&D. TERA co-designs studies aligned with state priorities and delivers actionable insights on pressing issues like teacher effectiveness and early literacy. By pairing rigorous research with policy collaboration, Tennessee shows how states can institutionalize R&D capacity through trusted, cross-sector partnerships.
Florida: A Public University Partnership Powering R&D
Housed at the University of Florida, the Lastinger Center for Learning operates as the state’s innovation and R&D partner. Established in law and working alongside the Department of Education and legislature, the Center designs and evaluates large-scale initiatives like New Worlds Reading and Florida Tutoring Advantage. Through its statewide “Data Lagoon,” the Center integrates educator, student, and program data to drive evidence-based improvement—demonstrating how universities can anchor education R&D within state systems.
North Carolina: A Model for Building R&D Capacity in a State Education Agency
Under former State Superintendent Catherine Truitt, North Carolina’s Department of Public Instruction established an Office of Innovation to unify research, evaluation, and program design across the agency. The office created tools like an ESSER return-on-investment dashboard and streamlined processes for approving and sharing actionable research. By aligning innovation and inquiry under one roof, the effort demonstrated how state agencies can embed R&D into their core operations.
Washington: Coordinating Innovation Through the Mastery-Based Learning Collaborative
Washington’s State Board of Education, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Professional Educator Standards Board launched the state’s Mastery-Based Learning Collaborative (MBLC) to design and scale student-centered learning statewide. Through a coordinated, cross-agency structure, the MBLC supports districts to test, study, and refine mastery-based models. By aligning research, practice, and policy, Washington is building the statewide capacity needed to sustain continuous innovation.