State education agencies (SEAs) are under fire and face new expectations from all sides. The federal government, state legislatures and governors, and citizens themselves are calling upon the SEA to do "more"--more to improve outcomes for students, more to close the achievement gap, and more to meet the diverse instructional needs of students. These new expectations do not come with new funding. SEAs must learn to work with "less." It is within this context that the Building State Capacity and Productivity Center (BSCP Center) will help SEAs to improve their performance and productivity. This work will address today's "productivity challenge" by emphasizing a new, performance-oriented way for states to structure their work, make decisions, and re-imagine and transform their institutions. The new BSCP Center will help states better implement strategies and also make smart decisions about what strategies to implement in a diverse and rapidly changing policy environment. (Contains 2 tables and 3 footnotes.)