Accountability & Measurement

We need accountability systems that focus on more than minimal standards and treat different schools differently. We must always remember, though, that these are minimum standards. Beyond them, states should encourage districts and authorizers to negotiate more specific performance goals and measures that reflect the missions of individual schools. If a school is designed to provide STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) education, for instance, it should be judged on how well it does so. We need systems that make accountability real and powerful by replacing failed schools with proven models that fit students’ needs. State measurement systems should be broader than accountability systems. People often forget the distinction between measurement and accountability, but it is critical. Accountability systems create consequences for school performance: both rewards and penalties. Measurement systems provide information about those schools, without consequences attached.