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


Efforts to advance educational equity are challenging in the best of times. Differing attitudes, beliefs, policy agendas, and political viewpoints can make collaboration difficult and, in some cases, seemingly impossible. As a result, equity efforts remain uncoordinated and compartmentalized, often unable to produce meaningful, lasting change. The pandemic and the strife over racial injustice compounded these difficulties in 2020.

As citizen boards who must be nonpartisan to be effective, state boards of education are uniquely placed to help eliminate the political divides that impede decisive action to end inequities in learning. Three state boards of education and education agency staff—in Nebraska, New York, and North Carolina—committed to joining a NASBE-led network, the Leading for Equity and Excellence Program (LEEP) State Policy Network. By partnering with local officials, setting clear equity goals, convening multiple stakeholders, and posing meaningful questions at the board table, these state boards are pressing to change their state systems. …


State Boards Advance Equity Agendas in Challenging Times



Related Content



Featured Items

Photo Credit: iStock i

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.
Photo Credit: iStock i

Preparing Principals through High-Quality Internships

To equip and retain more high-quality school leaders, states can encourage principal internships as a key part of preparation.

Legislative Conference 2023

NASBE's 2023 Legislative Conference will be held March 19-21, 2023 in Washington, D.C.

Upcoming Events

From the States