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RLA Home Designing a System Elements of a System District Practices Table Index Local Systems Fed & State Systems Resources |
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Components of a Local Accountability System Accountability at the national and state levels is primarily based on student assessment data and leads to rewards or sanctions for districts and schools. Local accountability systems take into account students' achievement on the national and state assessments, but these local systems are also based on feedback loops and serve a different purpose from national and state accountability systems. At the local level, student assessment information is combined with feedback from other sources and is used to make continuous improvement decisions. All improving school systems have strong local accountability practices. In these districts, there are:
This Web page presents a model for local accountability within California's standards-based educational context. This model can work for any school district, regardless of size and location. Districts need to understand this model and then customize it in order to implement an accountability system that will lead to improved results for all. Educational leaders collect a broad range of data to compare current practice to standards, to establish goals, and to measure progress toward benchmarks. The key steps in collecting, analyzing, and using these data are presented for three areas - Student Learning, Teacher Learning, and Effective Leadership. Each category is guided by a set of standards. This discussion is based on interviews and research into the existing practices in California school districts and extends into a vision for exemplary practice. The following graphic illustrates the basic elements of a local accountability system:  Student Learning - California Academic Content Standards (http://www.cde.ca.gov/standards) This is the bottom line - how students are progressing on the California Academic Content Standards. Schools and districts need to track each student's progress on multiple measures of achievement, including the progress of English learners and special education students. Other indicators about the alignment of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to standards should also be tracked. Examples of Indicators:
Teacher Learning - California Standards for the Teaching Profession (http://www.btsa.ca.gov/ba/pubs/pdf/cstpreport.pdf) A local accountability system should provide information about the quality of teaching and how to improve in this vital area. It is critical for teachers to have the opportunity to develop as professionals, to measure their progress, and to evaluate and improve the system of professional development. Examples of Indicators:
Download the full description of the 6 key steps in a system of accountability for teacher learning: PDF (65kb) Effective Leadership - California Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (http://www.csla.org/csla/standards/default.html) Leadership is critical within schools and districts. An evaluation and feedback system should inform administrators about how to improve their leadership and district and school culture. Within local accountability systems, educational leaders must provide the necessary guidance, training, and support to ensure that teachers, working within a collaborative school culture, are able to use data to inform instructional and schoolwide decisions. Examples of Indicators:
Getting Started: A Recommended Process A comprehensive accountability system requires collecting a variety of data and using the data to inform decisions about student learning needs, individual professional growth, and the implementation of district and school programs. Below is a recommended process for getting started: 1. Develop a descriptive statement of what the state and local assessment data say about student achievement.
3. Explore and reach consensus on the chief causal factors that likely influenced student achievement results. Focus on factors over which staff have control, such as classroom teaching, school interventions, family/school partnerships, professional development, and the quality of school climate. 4. Explore alternatives and reach an agreement on the best feasible solution to the identified problem. Solutions should be a combination of related actions that address priority content standards, such as improving high quality reading instruction in all classrooms, accelerating school interventions that are aligned with classroom practices, and assigning weekly book bags and reading calendars for home reading. 5. State student learning goals, select indicators of growth, and establish benchmarks or targets to reach at key points in time. Also, determine teacher learning goals related to the student learning goals and goals for effective leadership. 6. Develop or select appropriate assessment and evaluation strategies. For example, this document discusses each of the following strategies:
8. Link results from one report to the next. Link planned actions in one report to data on actual implementation in the next. Examine patterns and growth in the results and develop a roadmap for ongoing improvement in leadership, teaching, and student learning. Use the accountability process within a collaborative and supportive culture to improve leadership, teaching, and learning, not to blame individuals. |