NCLB waivers have opened the door to innovation but also a lot of backsliding when it comes to using accountability to close gaps and raise achievement for all students. Good accountability systems include ambitious, achievable expectations and they prompt meaningful action. Educators, advocates, and policymakers must ask serious questions about whether those elements are present in their state’s systems. A Step Forward or a Step Back? State Accountability in the Waiver Era examines the key components of state accountability systems and provides guidance for state advocates and others working to provide support and prompt, meaningful action on behalf of their schools and students.
Published: February 7, 2013