This article addresses the issue of integrated planning for education in a post‐2015 international development paradigm. It argues that there has been a growth in the opportunity space for education stakeholders at both global and local levels to pay greater attention to the links between education and other development sectors. It uses a boundary‐spanning policy framework to present an analysis of this trend, pointing to political, economic and social factors that have intersected to create a conducive environment for consideration of integrated approaches. It proposes three ‘dimensions’ of integration, namely, horizontal integration of the education sector with other development sectors such as health and social protection; vertical integration across national and sub‐national levels; and lateral integration of state and non‐state actors. The article focuses on horizontal integration and draws on the theoretical literature on collaborative management to highlight the contextual, personal, structural and technical factors that can present risks and challenges to policy makers and practitioners in implementing integrated approaches in the education sector.