Council of Chief State School Officers

The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) is a nonpartisan, nationwide nonprofit association of public officials who head departments of elementary and secondary education across the states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, the Bureau of Indian Education and five U.S. extra-state jurisdictions. CCSSO’s work centers on state-led efforts to ensure “a high-quality education to each and every child,” with programs such as the National Teacher of the Year and state-focused collaboratives. Recent activities (2025) include announcing its 2025–26 Board of Directors (with Washington Superintendent Chris Reykdal assuming the board presidency) and naming the 2025 National Teacher of the Year while securing Google for Education as the NTOY lead sponsor.