March 6, 2025 | The U.S. Department of Education’s Comprehensive Center (CC) program provided state departments of education, public school systems, and ministries of education across the country and in Pacific region jurisdictions with evidence-based tools, processes, and technical assistance to help them build capacity to address their most pressing educational needs.
These regional centers were operated by a variety of organizations through five-year competitive awards. The most recent five-year cycles began work in October 2024. McREL was honored to operate the Central CC—serving state departments of education in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming—and the Pacific West CC—serving the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, and the Republic of Palau.
However, on February 19, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education and federal administration abruptly cancelled the Comprehensive Centers program nationwide, effective immediately. This decision came just one week after the administration had also cancelled the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) program.
This cancellation brought an immediate halt to projects just getting underway to combat chronic student absenteeism, reduce teacher and school leader turnover, increase literacy and math achievement, and improve high school students’ readiness to succeed after graduation in the workforce, college, and life. These projects were developed in close collaboration with state commissioners of education and their leadership teams, to address their highest-priority issues.
The CC program works hard to produce tangible, lasting benefits for their partner states. Examples of accomplishments from the previous five-year CC cycle include:
Improving outcomes for students in schools receiving targeted support (Comprehensive Support and Improvement [CSI]/Targeted Support and Improvement [TSI] designated status). In Nebraska, CC staff developed and piloted a process for elementary educators to increase their use of evidence-based instructional strategies to better support English language learners. Educators in the pilot school say it was transformative for student learning, and the school exited targeted support status. In North Dakota, CC staff helped create the North Dakota School Renewal Guide, which gives practical guidance and professional development resources, and identifies expectations and evidence needed for schools to exit targeted support status. As a result, many schools using the guide have exited improvement status, and those who remain understand the work to be done with greater clarity.
Improving student literacy. In Missouri, CC staff helped implement a statewide formative assessment system to assess 2nd-grade student literacy to help teachers prepare students for success in 3rd grade. The formative assessment system became an integral tool that benefits teacher instruction and student learning. And in Wyoming, CC staff partnered with the University of Wyoming and the Wyoming Department of Education to overhaul the state’s K–3 literacy framework, helping teachers use evidence-based practices for literacy instruction (a.k.a., the “science of reading”).
Improving teacher recruitment and retention. In Colorado, CC staff partnered with the state department of education and REL Central to develop a geographic information system map that produces clear and relevant data displays that help education leaders better understand factors influencing educator shortages, identify “bright spots” for teacher recruitment and retention, and highlight lessons learned from these districts.
Improving superintendent development and retention. In Kansas and Missouri, CC staff helped strengthen the capacity of dozens of new and current leaders to improve student achievement and teacher talent.
The cancellation of the CC program nationwide, in combination with the REL program cancellation, severely impacts the support provided to state departments of education and local school districts to address school system efficacy, high-leverage change initiatives, educator training and retention, and student academic achievement. REL and CC projects have benefited state educational systems and their local school districts, teachers, and students.
We again call on the Department of Education and administration to reinstate the Comprehensive Centers and the Regional Educational Laboratories so that this important work may continue for the benefit of students, teachers, and school leaders across the country and the U.S.-affiliated Pacific region.
