The Broad Foundation has launched three national flagship initiatives designed to fundamentally change and improve school system leadership.

The Broad Prize for Urban Education
The $1 million Broad Prize for Urban Education, established in 2002, is the largest education prize in the country given to school districts. The Broad Prize is awarded each year to honor urban school districts that demonstrate the greatest overall performance and improvement in student achievement while reducing achievement gaps for poor and minority students. The cash award funds scholarships for students in winning school districts to attend college or other post-secondary training. The Foundation's partner in this effort is the National Center for Educational Accountability, which is led by civic leader and education philanthropist Tom Luce.

The Broad Center for the Management of School Systems
The Broad Center for the Management of School Systems is a joint effort between The Foundation and Michigan Governor John Engler to identify, prepare and support outstanding leaders who have the capacity to become successful urban superintendents. The Center recruits talented business, nonprofit and government executives – along with traditional education leaders – to participate in this ten-month, part-time executive development experience. The goal of this national effort is to build an executive leadership corps to become the next generation of urban school district CEOs. The Center's pioneer class of 25 Broad Fellows began its training in February 2002.

The Broad Institute for School Boards
The Broad Institute for School Boards is a national training and support program for newly elected and newly appointed urban school board members. Each summer, the Institute conducts an intensive one-week residential learning experience modeled after the Harvard Kennedy School's program for new mayors and new members of Congress.The Institute aims to train new board members to become effective policy and reform leaders in urban school systems. The Institute team is led by Don McAdams, former board chairman of the Houston Independent School District and a nationally recognized expert on school boards.