样板 originally referred to a sample board or proof plate used in printing or manufacturing to check quality. Today it is more commonly used figuratively to mean a model, template, or exemplary standard that others are expected to follow. You'll see it in compounds like 样板间 (showroom/model apartment), 样板戏 (model opera, especially from the Cultural Revolution era), and 样板工程 (model project). It can also describe a person or thing held up as an ideal example.