Standards-Based Reform and School Accountability

Two competing theories of action frame this chapter: (a) standards-based reform, which requires capacity building, and (b) test-based accountability, relying on incentives to leverage change. The authors review the history of federal law combining standards with accountability assessments for the three most recent authorizations of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act: the Improving America's Schools Act (IASA, 1994), the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB, 2002), and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Rigorous studies document achievement gains from accountability, primarily in fourth grade mathematics and for some turnaround school interventions, but these benefits must be weighed against negative effects, especially curriculum narrowing, deprofessionalization of teaching, and deficit views of students. The authors review efforts to improve test-based accountability, including formative assessment, interim assessments, Common Core standards, and consortium assessments. To improve on ESSA, the authors recommend lessening the burden of accountability testing by using sampling to monitor for equity, and allowing states and districts to pursue research-based plans focused on high-quality curriculum and teacher professional development.

Keywords: standards-based reform; test-based accountability; NCLB; ESSA; interim