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

The State Education Standard


May 2023Volume 23, No. 2

High Schools That Matter

This issue of The Standard reimagines the high school experience, illuminating the data, policy reforms, and engagement with students, families, and educators that must align to make redesign possible.

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Featured Articles from this Issue

A New Architecture for High School Learning

By Russlynn Ali and Timothy F.C. Knowles

State leaders should retire the Carnegie unit and open the door for high school designs that ensure learning is engaging, relevant, experiential, and competency based.



Telltale Signs of Rigor and Career Readiness in High School

By Gene Bottoms

State boards can take a lesson from schools that already dish up rigorous assignments in college- and career-ready courses alike and ensure more schools do it.



January 2023Volume 23, No. 1

Leading and Governing

Is there another domestic policy space more complicated than state education governance? In the face of the 50-plus ways of constructing state systems of public education in this country, the authors in this issue of The Standard attempt to tease out what constitutes strong leadership and effective governance.


September 2022Volume 22, No. 3

Equipping Teachers

Teacher recruitment, preparation, and retention tops the priorities among state board members for better information to guide policymaking.


May 2022Volume 22, No. 2

Advancing Math and Science Instruction

Advancing math and science education entails doing something different so it is possible for all students to achieve mastery.


January 2022Volume 22, No. 1

Supporting Learning for Students with Disabilities

Authors in this issue of the Standard identify challenges in policy, debunk myths, and highlight approaches and evidence-based practices for serving students with disabilities effectively.


September 2021Volume 21, No. 3

The Role of Schools in Racial Justice

Authors in this issue argue schools can progress toward educational equity only if, at every challenge, state leaders are willing to make decisions that put the needs of our most vulnerable students first.


May 2021Volume 21, No. 2

Reimagining School

Bolstered by American Rescue Plan funds and lessons learned during pandemic-induced school closures, state policymakers have an opportunity to reexamine and reform their education systems.


January 2021Volume 21, No. 1

Equity in Rural Education

Authors of the January 2021 issue of the State Education Standard discuss the issues faced by rural schools and how the pandemic has amplified many of those issues.


September 2020Volume 20, No. 3

Next-Generation Assessment

The pandemic’s uncertain trajectory has raised new questions about state assessment and accountability systems. There is no better time for state policy leaders to reexamine their assessment systems to address long-standing challenges, say authors in the new issue of NASBE’s State Education Standard.