Strong public education depends on strong partnerships. As LFA’s newest member, the Association of Educational Service Agencies (AESA) brings a unique perspective on collaboration, innovation, and systemwide support for schools. We asked Joan Wade, AESA’s executive director, to share more about the power of partnerships and the role of educational service agencies in helping public education systems meet today’s challenges. 

Q: Tell us about AESA and the critical role educational service agencies (ESAs) play in K-12 education. 

Joan Wade: The Association of Educational Service Agencies (AESA) represents nearly 500 regional educational service agencies (ESAs) across the United States. Our members have a common mission: to strengthen and support public education systems so that every student has access to high-quality learning opportunities.

While their names vary by state, ESAs play a critical role in K–12 education. Being uniquely positioned between state education agencies and local school districts allows them to scale support, drive innovation, and respond quickly to regional needs.

At their core, ESAs are about efficiency and equity. They help districts provide specialized services such as special education support, professional learning for educators, technology integration, and guidance on emerging areas like artificial intelligence (AI) and workforce readiness.

Their impact goes beyond services, as ESAs unite districts to share best practices, pilot new ideas, and collectively address complex challenges. At a time when schools are being asked to do more with less, ESAs help ensure that innovation and opportunity are not limited by geography or resources.

Q: What are some of AESA members’ top priorities right now?

Wade: First, is addressing educator shortages. Across the country, ESAs work alongside school districts to strengthen the educator pipeline by recruiting, preparing, and retaining highly qualified teachers and educational leaders. This includes innovative “grow-your-own” programs, alternative pathways into the profession, and leadership development strategies designed to ensure schools have the talent they need, especially in hard-to-staff and rural areas.

Second, is supporting student and educator mental health. ESAs do this by helping districts expand access to mental health services, build staff capacity to respond to student needs, and create environments where both students and educators can thrive. 

And third, is the intentional integration of technology, particularly AI. ESAs guide districts as they implement technology effectively and develop responsible AI policies. The goal is not just adoption, but meaningful integration that enhances teaching and learning while addressing issues like privacy, ethics, and equity.

Today’s challenges are complex and interconnected, and ESAs are uniquely positioned to help school systems respond with both urgency and innovation.

Q: Can you share some examples of impact or innovation that AESA members are leading? 

Wade: ESAs provide teaching and learning leadership, literacy and math coaching, and job-embedded professional development that help teachers translate standards into high-quality instruction. This includes sustained, side-by-side work in classrooms, supporting educators in real time and helping districts build high-impact, long-term instructional capacity.

ESAs help ensure students receive the special education services they need. Many provide direct services such as speech and language therapy, occupational and physical therapy, and services for the visually impaired, deaf, and hard-of-hearing students. They also support districts with compliance, program development, and specialized training for educators and paraprofessionals. 

ESAs also provide operational and back-office services that allow districts to focus on teaching and learning. This can include payroll, transportation coordination, purchasing cooperatives, technology infrastructure, and data services. By centralizing these functions, ESAs help districts operate more efficiently.

ESAs are not just service providers; they are system builders. They connect districts, align resources, and scale what works across regions. Whether it’s improving early literacy outcomes, expanding access to special education services, or increasing operational efficiency, their impact is both practical and far-reaching.

Q: What ideas do you have for ways we can strengthen public education? 

Wade: Strengthening public education requires both focus and collective commitment, which includes a focus on people, coherence, and collaboration.

First, we must continue to invest in people, particularly educators and educational leaders. Strong systems are built on strong people, and we need to create pathways that make the profession sustainable, rewarding, and impactful.

Second, we need greater coherence across the system. Aligning efforts around clear priorities, grounded in what we know works for students, can reduce fragmentation and allow educators to focus their time and energy where it matters most.

And third, we must strengthen collaboration at every level. No single district, organization, or agency can solve today’s challenges alone. Organizations like the Learning First Alliance play a critical role in bringing national partners together, while ESAs do the same at the regional level, connecting districts to scale effective practices and accelerate innovation.

Q: If you had one message to share about the importance of the power of working together in partnerships like LFA to strengthen public education, what would it be? 

Wade: No single organization can meet this moment alone, but together, we can make a profound difference for students and educators across the country.

Through partnerships like the Learning First Alliance, organizations contribute unique expertise, but it’s the alignment of that expertise that creates real momentum. When we work together, we speak with a stronger, more unified voice on behalf of students.

At a time when the challenges facing education are complex and evolving, collaboration is not optional; it’s essential. The strength of public education depends on our willingness to learn from one another, to lead together, and to stay focused on what matters most.

That’s the power of association partnerships, and it’s how we move forward.