The only organization dedicated solely to helping state boards advance equity and excellence in public education.


The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) paved the way for states to create holistic accountability systems that measure school quality and student success by means other than academic test scores. States incorporated a variety of “fifth indicators” in state plans they submitted this spring for review by the U.S. Department of Education, while others are weighing which indicators to include in their fall submission.

This NASBE policy update series explores the pros and cons of five frequently discussed indicators. It highlights what states have proposed in their ESSA plans so far and offers key considerations for state boards that are refining their plans for September submission.

From this series:

Career and Technical Education
School Climate and Student Discipline
Social and Emotional Learning
Chronic Absenteeism
Access to High-Level Course Work


Career and Technical Education

School Climate and School Discipline

Social and Emotional Learning

Chronic Absenteeism

Accessing High-Level Coursework





Featured Items

Diverse multiethnic kids students having break and using smartphones, sitting at desks in classroom, children playing games and checking social media at school i

Curbing Cell Phone Use in Classrooms

State boards are well positioned to create guardrails to help school districts make informed decisions on cell phone policies.
The child hands drawing the American flag. Concept of independence day, July 4. i

Civic-Ready Students

More and better civics will inspire students to become better citizens who will be equipped to participate, preserve, and defend America’s democracy and engage in reasoned, respectful discourse.

Annual Conference 2025

Registration is now open for NASBE’s 2025 Annual Conference, the only conference designed specifically for state boards of education.

Upcoming Events

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