North of Tyne leaders have set out a bold mission to ensure every school in the region is ranked good or outstanding.
Combined authority bosses say they want to spark a "revolution in education standards" across Newcastle, Northumberland, and North Tyneside, also pledging to make sure every child is ready to start education and to provide better mental health support in schools.
The North of Tyne Combined Authority's cabinet agreed on Wednesday afternoon to endorse the aims of a groundbreaking Education Improvement Challenge promised as part of the region's £600m devolution deal.
Coun Nick Forbes, leader of Newcastle City Council, said: "This is probably the single most important thing we will do over the next few years, it will make radical changes to the opportunities and life chances of children going through our system.
"We should not accept any kind of sense that for kids to succeed they have to move away or move into the private sector, we need the best education from the state sector."
Only two education challenges have so far been backed by government nationally - London in 2002 and Manchester in 2008 - and Coun Wayne Daley told cabinet members that the capital's scheme had a "transformative" effect on its education standards.
The deputy leader of Northumberland County Council added: "We really need to think differently, that is why we are developing a bold, innovative vision for our schools."
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Norma Redfearn, the authority's interim mayor, told the meeting at Newcastle's Mansion House that a child's progress should not be hampered purely because of the postcode they are born into.
Coun Peter Jackson, leader of Northumberland County Council, added: "We are the only area in the whole of the UK to be offered this possibility.
"We should take that responsibility quite seriously, and we are. The government has challenged us to come up with a programme to make a real difference. We are looking for a revolution in education standards right across our area."
The proposals will also see the North of Tyne councils create a new Teacher Deal and Leadership Deal to support school staff and help keep high-quality teachers in the region.
Having agreed to its ambitions on Wednesday, the authority is now tasked with developing a detailed plan on how to improve school standards.
Combined authority bosses are also pressing ahead with efforts to prove their readiness to take control of the region's adult education budget, estimated to be around £22m a year, from central government.
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