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


Just as starfish need a healthy, robust aquatic ecosystem to thrive, so students need and deserve a healthy, safe, effective environment to learn and grow. It is not the role of the state board of education to focus on each individual student but rather to focus on the learning conditions of the schools in which they learn.


The Starfish and the Ocean





Featured Items

Empowering Families to Improve Youth Mental Health

State education leaders can foster children’s mental health by increasing families’ preparedness and awareness of available resources and activities.

Engaging All Students

Authors explore the reasons why students increasingly feel uninspired and disengaged at school and outline steps state leaders can take to help schools and districts increase students’ engagement and connectedness.
Image Credit: iStock i

Beyond Testing for Lead in Drinking Water: Implications for Funding

While most states encourage or require schools to test for lead in drinking water, funding to sustain remediation lags—despite significant federal grants designed to boost those efforts.

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