Ethiopia confronts multi-faceted challenges in ensuring that education is provided to all children affected by crises. The country is host to the second largest refugee population in Africa, with almost a million registered refugees and asylum seekers, while close to three million Ethiopian citizens are internally displaced due to conflict and protracted drought. This case study examines how, in Ethiopia, humanitarian and development actors can more effectively coordinate planning and response to strengthen education outcomes for children and young people affected by crises. The research looks at the ‘who’, the ‘how’ and the ‘so what’ of coordination of education in emergencies and protracted crises for internally displaced persons (IDPs), refugees and other communities affected by crises, resulting in recommendations for action that can be taken by different types of stakeholder, including the Government of Ethiopia and key donors.