The impact of accountability on U.S. schools, for good or ill, is a subject of debate and research. The authors recently studied an aspect of accountability that had previously received little attention. They asked, do accountability reforms affect public schools' ability to retain their teachers? By analyzing data from the Schools and Staffing…

"It's demoralizing to see your life's work pilloried almost daily in the news." This comment is typical of the anger and disappointment expressed by many of the more than 2,300 Chicago teachers surveyed by Deborah Lynch in 2011-2012. Lynch set out to explore how the accountability policies pursued by Chicago's board of…

Do teacher leaders in your school mainly fill the traditional roles of department chair or grade-level representative? Or do they lead their peers in collaborative teams whose primary focus is improving student learning? Terry Wilhelm, director of the School Leadership Center for Riverside County Office of Education in California, says that…

A short 27 months ago, two groups of U.S. states were each awarded more than $175 million to design, develop, and pilot test a new generation of assessments (U.S. Department of Education, 2010). These new tests will replace assessments in English language arts and mathematics that are currently in use within state and federal accountability…

Federal policy now focuses on teacher "effectiveness" rather than teacher "quality" as its central policy concern. Rather than measuring inputs, the new focus looks to measure the outcomes of a teacher's work--that is, the extent to which the educator has met crucial student needs, such as improved student achievement. As…

Bracey looks at three well-known assessments--the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the Program of International Student Assessment, and the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study--and concludes that their "instruction-insensitive" design makes them inappropriate as measures of education quality in schools, districts, states,…

A comprehensive three-year process for planning a system of teacher accountability can ensure discriminating and valid results. (Author)

Numerous school districts are experimenting with site-based management, gaining increased authority and responsibility while aiming to improve accountability and productivity. Some key elements include alternative resource allocation, expanded decision-making through teamwork, key advisory committee roles for parents and high schoolers, increased…

The commercial exploitation of curriculum creates an anti-intellectual emphasis spawning a trade school mentality to secure jobs and a consumptionist drive to purchase status goods. Safeguards are needed, including disclosure labeling of corporate sponsorship, alternative instructional materials sources, improved teacher and student training, and…

Some teachers justify group grading for cooperative projects using specious arguments that invoke real-world comparison, employment skills, motivation, teacher workload, and credit for teamwork. This article argues that group grades are blatantly unfair, invalidate report cards, undermine motivation, convey the wrong message, violate individual…

The structure of No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), whether the NCLB tests are appropriate or not and the adequate yearly progress (AYP) of public school students are discussed. Accountability systems implemented with inappropriate achievement tests are harming students more than helping them.

Alternative schools are definitive departures from the programmatic, organizational, and behavioral regularities inhibiting school reform. Many reforms now pursued in traditional schools were pioneered by alternative schools. Types include popular innovations, last-chance programs, and remedial programs. Advantages, disadvantages, common elements,…

Four literature reviews found that cooperative learning methods using group rewards and individual accountability consistently increase student achievement more than control methods in elementary and secondary classrooms. More research is needed to gauge cooperative learning's effectiveness at senior high and college levels and for instilling…

Some educators believe that authentic, performance-based assessments can drive instructional improvement. The Kentucky Education Reform Act uses a measure-driven instructional approach (the Kentucky Instructional Results Information Program) that evaluates student portfolios in writing and mathematics, achievement on performance events, and scores…

Some of the recent studies show that the public's skepticism is increasing regarding the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The percentage of voters and parents who opposed NCLB has grown substantially, as school improvement and accountability is one thing, but high stake testing and withholding federal funds from schools that are under performing…