Articulating a state vision and goals for education creates a shared purpose and direction for systems transformation. This is essential for aligning programs, resources, roles, and initiatives that form the infrastructure for education R&D. It also serves as an important signal of a state’s support for student-centered learning and its commitment to local empowerment.
Separately, a public research agenda defined by the state, with critical questions that will be explored aligned to a state’s strategic plan priorities, is a north star to guide R&D. This work is even more sustainable when stakeholders across the state education system, including learners and families, are engaged and have a voice in informing priorities and setting the vision for innovation.
Key Actions
- Develop and publicize a strategic plan that articulates a shared vision for education system transformation by engaging with a range of stakeholders, including practitioners, caregivers, K-12 and postsecondary learners, and leaders from industry and the workforce.
- Develop a public research agenda that aligns with core strategic priorities and centers education R&D as an essential mechanism for achieving state goals.
Bright Spots: Learn From Other States
Discover how states across the country are establishing vision and goals that prioritize innovation and evidence-based improvement.
Utah: Establishing Personalized, Competency-Based Learning as a Strategic Goal
The Utah State Board of Education’s (USBE) 2018 strategic plan established personalized teaching and learning as a goal. A statutory grant program was created to support local design and implementation of personalized, competency-based learning. It requires that the grant “will address a need, determined by data, in the LEA or community and have a strong evaluation plan that will clearly measure the success of the LEA’s program against the stated goals and objectives,” informing improvements.
Massachusetts: Building a Culture of Evidence and Inquiry
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education publishes an annual Research Agenda aligned to its statewide vision, helping guide research that directly informs policy and practice. Through its “How Do We Know?” initiative, the state equips districts with tools to measure impact, build evidence, and make data-driven decisions. By connecting research to real improvement, Massachusetts is modeling how states can embed continuous learning into their education systems.
Wyoming: A Shared Vision for the Future of Learning
The Wyoming Future of Learning Partnership aligns the Wyoming Department of Education, the office of the governor, universities, and local leaders around a statewide vision for student-centered, competency-based learning. Grounded in community engagement and supported by professional learning in project-based approaches, the initiative helps educators design experiences that prepare every student for Wyoming’s Portrait of a Graduate.