School Board Partners

May 2025

Higher Track highlights clear-eyed, creative, and effective nonprofits working to change systems at the root. One model at a time.

The Model

School boards decide how public schools are run — what’s taught, how money’s spent, and who’s in charge. But most board members are unpaid, get no training, and are expected to figure it out as they go. School Board Partners helps them succeed. They coach board members, help them understand policy and budgets, and connect them with others doing the same work. The idea came from co-founder Ethan Ashley, a former New Orleans school board member who experienced firsthand how hard it is to lead without backup — especially when fighting for fairer outcomes in high-need districts. Most of the people SBP supports are trying to improve schools for kids who’ve been underserved for a long time — especially Black, Brown, and low-income students. Since 2018, they’ve supported over 400 board members in 35 states.

Budget: ~$7 million
schoolboardpartners.org

Why It Matters

School boards control how public education works — budgets, academics, discipline — but most members get no training. Without support, they struggle, burn out, or maintain the status quo. That’s when districts lose strong leaders, mismanage resources, and pass policies that do more harm than good. Schools stay stuck, even when teachers and students are doing their best. School Board Partners helps board members lead well. The result: better decisions, smarter use of public dollars, and stronger, more stable school systems. If every board had this kind of support, we could replace dysfunction with leadership that actually delivers for kids who’ve been failed for decades.

The Bigger Shift

Public schools across the country are struggling — especially in low-income communities. The root causes vary, but one issue cuts across nearly all of them: weak local leadership. When school boards aren’t equipped to lead, even the best ideas and investments fall flat. School Board Partners doesn’t need to operate in every district. They just need to show what happens when board members are well-supported — and make it easy for others to follow. State agencies, school board associations, and local nonprofits could adapt SBP’s tools and approach in their own regions. If that happens, the model becomes the new baseline — and school boards everywhere become more prepared to lead systems that actually work for kids.