A performance management system can help the state education agency (SEA) become more intentional about what it does and does not do, how work is done, and when to change course. Performance management does not define goals or identify specific strategies, but it puts in place systems that enable learning and adaptation to drive improvement and the achievement of goals. In organizations working toward multiple objectives, as is the case with SEAs, performance management supports the alignment of work so as to better advance strategic goals. Several states have established a Chief Performance Officer (CPO) position to assist the Chief State School Officer in improving performance management. This issue answers the question: How does establishing the role of a CPO--a person who works across functional and programmatic lines to assure that state resources are deployed in the most effective manner possible--assist the Chief State School Officer in driving continuous improvement within the state agency? In answering this question, this issue describes the responsibilities of a CPO; other types of organizations that utilize this position; the job description of a CPO within a state; and the qualifications of a CPO.