The purpose of this report is to identify and clarify design issues that are critical in the creation of an accountability system, and can contribute to improved teaching and student learning. Since student achievement is at the heart of the current accountability movement, a number of issues addressed in this report are concerned with how…

Almost every state has in place a state assessment and accountability system. These systems vary greatly in their characteristics but share a common global purpose of improving teaching and learning. Some of the variations in the state systems are discussed and illustrated with examples from selected states. Issues that are critical to the value…

This focus of this newsletter asserts that if one accepts that accountability systems are intended to serve both symbolic and technical functions, one can ask how well they are operating symbolically to motivate action and how well they are doing in providing adequate technical information to support intended inferences. In this column, it is…

This document presents standards for educational accountability systems that represent models of practice derived from three perspectives: research knowledge, practical experience, and ethical considerations. These standards should be conceived of as targets for state and local systems and as criteria to judge proposed models of accountability…