The Public Education Promise Toolkits

Toolkits with actionable resources to help school leaders and their teams keep the promise of public education for every child in every community.

Across the country, superintendents and district leadership teams are reexamining what it means to prepare students for college, career, and real life. The Public Education Promise provides a clear, future-ready framework for that work, grounded in five principles that reflect what communities value most for their children.

Districts are already putting these principles into motion. They are reimagining learning, strengthening partnerships, and aligning systems around a more expansive definition of student success. As this work deepens, leaders are looking for ways to learn from one another, reflect on practice, and better understand how the Promise shows up across classrooms, schools, and district systems.

From Framework to Practice

The Public Education Promise Toolkits are designed to support district leaders as they navigate that work, moving from vision to practice in ways that are locally meaningful, practical, and enduring.

Curated by AASA, in partnership with working groups comprised of superintendents, central office leaders, and education sector practitioners, the toolkit brings together real-world examples, reflection tools, and district artifacts aligned to each of the five Public Education Promise Principles.

What’s Inside the Toolkits?

The materials are intentionally practice-forward, recognizing that transformation looks different in every community and that effective change is led by those closest to the work.

Within each principle, districts will find:

• Self-assessments to support reflection and conversation at the leadership team level.
• Case studies illustrating how districts are translating the Promise into action.
• District-developed artifacts and resources that surface how student-centered learning is defined, supported, and made visible across systems.
• Companion guides designed to facilitate discussion, make connections across initiatives, and support collective sense-making.

Designed to Evolve with the Field

The toolkits are intended to be a living resource. As districts continue to apply the Public Education Promise and share what they are learning, AASA will periodically add new case studies, tools, and resources to reflect emerging practice and deepen understanding of each principle.

At its core, the Public Education Promise Toolkits reflect a belief that strong public schools are built through intentional leadership, shared learning, and a clear focus on what matters most for students.

By grounding future-ready work in practice, partnership, and local context, the toolkit supports district leaders in delivering on the promise every community expects from its public schools.