A state education agency (SEA), or state department of education, is a formal governmental label for the state-level government agencies within each U.S. state responsible for providing information, resources, and technical assistance on educational matters to schools and residents.
The chief state school officer, either a Secretary of Education, State Superintendent of Education, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Commissioner of Education or Director of Education, is a constitutional or a statutory officer in several states of the United States. The position is the chief executive official for the state's state education agency (or equivalent), chief administrative officer for the state's Board of Education, State Board of Education President, State School Board Administrator, State School Business Administrator, (or equivalent), or both. In some states, such as Washington, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction serves as the SEA. Wyoming has a popularly elected superintendent of education, but responsibility for the state department of education lies with a director appointed by the governor.
State education agencies (SEAs)
The following are state education agencies as identified by the Council of Chief State School Officers.