While recent research provides insights into how district and school leaders responded to the extraordinary disruptions created by the COVID-19 pandemic, less is known about the role of influential state-level education leaders during the crisis. In this paper, we draw on interviews with state leaders to examine their efforts to support students' access to education during the pandemic. Findings reveal how state leaders engaged in local-level capacity building, advocacy, and collaboration to promote continuity of education. However, their work was complicated by limited capacity at the state level, political tensions, local control, and pervasive stress over time. The paper concludes with implications for policymakers to better prepare for future crises.