The Southwest Center for Educational Leadership (Southwest Cooperative Education Laboratory) was established in 1966 to support educators in the four-state region it serves. The governing body of the Southwest Cooperative Education Laboratory, the Regional Council, includes representatives from universities, schools, PTAs, businesses, and state departments of education. The Laboratory program of the Southwest Cooperative Education Laboratory calls for the involvement of citizens at the local level to solve educational-social problems in their communities. Financial support for the Southwest Cooperative Education Laboratory comes from the U.S. Office of Education.