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March 7, 2011

Dear Chief State School Officer:

I am pleased to  inform you that the U.S. Department of Education (Department) has established the Implementation and Support Unit (ISU) in the  Office of the Deputy Secretary.  The goal  of the ISU is to provide better assistance to states as they implement unprecedented  and comprehensive reforms to improve student outcomes. The ISU will function as a laboratory for ideas on how the  Department can improve its services to states and will identify and share these  best practices across the Department.

The ISU will serve as the single point of  contact at the Department for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)  programs that require the involvement of governors and chief state school officers.   These programs include the State Fiscal  Stabilization Fund, the Race to the Top state program, the Race to the Top  Assessment program, and the Education Jobs Fund.  The Department's program offices will  continue to be the primary contact for states in their program area.  For example, you will continue to contact the  Office of Elementary and Secondary Education for specific questions about  implementing the Title I program and the Office of Special Education Programs  for specific questions related to the implementation of the Individuals with  Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  For  all practical purposes, you should not notice a difference in how you  communicate with the Department.   However, we expect that we will be better able to coordinate our  supports and services to states and assist states in resolving issues that  affect multiple programs.  In addition,  the ISU will work closely with the program offices to learn about states' work  in their specific program areas in order to develop a better understanding of each  state's overall reform efforts.

The ISU is also  responsible for managing the *Reform  Support Network* (through a contract funded under ARRA) to provide technical  assistance (TA) to the Race to the Top states to advance their reform  efforts.  We plan to use the *Reform Support Network* to share the  materials and lessons learned with all states.   When it is helpful and appropriate, the ISU will coordinate TA with the Comprehensive Centers, Regional Educational Labs, the TA  centers funded under IDEA, and the Department's other technical assistance efforts  to maximize resources and efficiencies.   In addition, the ISU will learn from program offices and share  exemplary TA materials and effective TA practices and processes across the  Department.

The ISU is led by two senior staff here at the  Department:  Ann Whalen is directing  program policy and program performance management and Joseph Conaty is directing,  on an interim basis, technical assistance policy and implementation.  In the coming months, we will provide  additional information on the Department's Web site about the ISU and its  technical assistance activities.

I am excited about the promise the ISU brings  for helping the Department better serve you and your administrators as you implement  reforms to ensure that every child has access to a high-quality education.  As always, I welcome your thoughts on what we  can do to better support your efforts.   In addition, please feel free to contact Ann Whalen (ann.whalen@ed.gov)  or Joe Conaty (joseph.conaty@ed.gov) if you have any suggestions or questions  or if you need any additional information related to the work of the ISU.

| | Sincerely, 
| | -----------
| | /s/        
| | Arne Duncan