Evidence-based policymaking can transform the delivery of education services, restore public trust in schools, and improve outcomes for students. It can cut through the noise of political and cultural divisions and give decision makers clarity on how to prioritize the use of limited resources. And it can help build a shared understanding of where the systems designed to serve kids are working well--and where they aren't--so that leaders can ground their decisions in facts rather than anecdotes and in real student needs rather than perceptions of them. Given the many challenges to U.S. public education, students, educators and communities need nothing less than excellent support. By harnessing the power of evidence-based policymaking, state boards of education can make faster progress toward that excellence. When government leaders build data and evidence use into the fabric of their organizations, they are better positioned to accomplish the following: (1) understand students' needs; (2) strategically and equitably invest in evidence-based strategies aligned with those needs; (3) learn more about the impact of their investments, policies, and programs on students' opportunities and outcomes; and (4) continuously improve the state's education system.