This document brief examines the role of state education agencies in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania in supporting school-community collaborations. The findings are based on site visits and interviews conducted in 1996-97 with state-education-agency staff, as well as staff representing other state agencies that address the needs of children and families. The brief discusses the context for school-community collaboration, focusing on the state context, the policy context, and the political factors that serve to influence these contexts. It details the changing role of the state education agency and provides an overview of the ways in which collaboration is defined. The brief also profiles state education agencies and school-community collaboration and looks at statewide collaborative activities for children, youth, and families. It provides examples of school-community collaboration and the special emphasis on extending educational services to special populations and to increase school-linked services. It also discusses ways to integrate school-community collaboration into school reform and how state-education-agency organization affects collaborative efforts. Challenges and barriers to school- community collaboration, some examples of promising practices, and future directions for collaborative programs are all discussed. (RJM)