The Challenges of Accountability

The author enumerates the flaws in NCLB and outlines principles for real school improvement.

Gaming the system or wishing it would fade away are not the only options.

Federal policies create an illusory accountability.

To force change, we must accept incentives and sanctions.

The current testing system reflects confusion about the fundamental roles of schools.

Why test scores should never be used in isolation to rate students or schools.

Parents believe in accountability but they are less interested in the nuances of the debate.

The benefits of state assessments are not worth the time and money, many teachers believe.

Test-based accountability scores do not reflect the increasing dropout rates in the state.

Value-added analysis provides a multidimensional picture of school performance.

Achievement testing can be a tool for teaching and learning.

In the face of the challenge to provide quality teaching, rural schools are initiating partnerships.

Consultants offer three strategies to help schools sequence curriculum and adjust the pace of instruction.

Teachers need more time and training to understand how to use data to improve achievement.