In most states, the head of the state board of education is the ______.

• A. Governor
• B. Superintendent of Public Instruction
• C. Commissioner of Education
• D. Chief State School Officer

Answer: (D)

The key point is how state governance is structured: a policy-making board sets directions for K–12 education, while the state education department is run by its top executive. That top executive is the Chief State School Officer, who leads the department, oversees statewide programs, and implements the board’s policies. This title is the most common way states describe the person who administers the state education system and serves as the main link between the board and the schools. While some states use other titles like State Superintendent or Commissioner of Education, the Chief State School Officer label best captures the typical relationship and role across many states. The governor, by contrast, heads the entire state government, not the board’s administration, and the other titles reflect state-specific naming rather than the standard executive role in the education department.