COUNCIL OF CHIEF STATE SCHOOL OFFICERS

The Council of Chief State School Officers is a nonpartisan, nationwide, nonprofit organization of public officials who head departments of elementary and secondary education in the states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and five U.S. extra-state jurisdictions. CCSSO provides leadership, advocacy, and technical assistance on major educational issues. The Council seeks member consensus on major educational issues and expresses their views to civic and professional organizations, federal agencies, Congress, and the public.

Our promise is to lead chiefs and their state education agencies by focusing on state-driven leverage points that they are uniquely positioned to address and increasing their capacity to produce students ready to succeed as productive members of society.

Our leadership team is composed of senior staff in the organization that meet regularly to discuss issues and make decisions related to the overall operation of the Council. They are responsible for establishing and monitoring the strategic goals of the organization; creating or improving Council processes; determining future needs and directions of the Council; and providing guidance and overall leadership to Council staff.

One of the Council's most important responsibilities is to serve its members through building the capacity of states and their leaders. This requires creative problem solving to address complex issues, and access to technical assistance and resources that may not be readily available.