The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) did not wait for Congress to pass the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Beginning months before the passage of the landmark education bill, ADE began an intensive examination of Arkansas's education future and ADE's role relative to districts and communities in shaping that future. The ADE strategic direction is the foundation for the agency's bold move into performance management as a way to improve the quality and responsiveness of its service. This report presents ADE's role in the future of education in Arkansas.