The Southern Regional Education Board, the nation’s first interstate compact for education, was created in 1948 by Southern states. SREB helps government and education leaders work cooperatively to advance education and, in doing so, improve the social and economic life of the region. SREB assists state leaders by directing attention to key issues; collecting, compiling and analyzing comparable data; and conducting broad studies and initiating discussions that help states and institutions form long-range plans, actions and policy proposals.