Invitations were extended to the 149 English local authorities and the 32 Scottish local authorities to participate in Stonewall's first Education Equality Index on preventing and tackling homophobic bullying in Britain's schools. 35 leading local authorities from across England and Scotland entered, making it a highly competitive benchmarking exercise. Together they cover over 6,000 primary, secondary and special schools. As well as celebrating and publicising good practice and providing a means of measuring the progress of local authorities and schools, the Index is intended to serve as an agent for change - encouraging local authorities who wish to develop their own good practice further. The Index measures practice as well as policy, and includes questions over three areas, allowing local authorities to benchmark themselves externally against others and to improve their score year on year.