Gloria J. A. Guth, Deborah J. Holtzman, Steven A. Schneider, Lisa Carlos, James R. Smith, Gerald C. Hayward, & Naomi Calvo

"In the long run, [accountability] will be valuable and help our kids."
-District Administrator

"I like the accountability for schools and teachers. Who has a job that isn't accountable? We have to be careful how we measure, though."
-Teacher

In the landscape of contemporary education, few topics are as hot as accountability. In June of 1998, the California Department of Education (CDE) awarded a contract to WestEd, in collaboration with Management Analysis and Planning, Inc. (MAP), to evaluate standards-based accountability in California. The evaluation was designed to examine the state's Standards-Based Accountability System and its relationship with local accountability efforts and initiatives. In particular, the evaluation focused on the status and impact of local accountability systems, content standards, assessment measures, use of data, consequences and incentives, and challenges and assistance in school districts across the state. The findings of the study and its implications for policy are reported in this document. Portions of the document, as described below, can be downloaded in PDF format.

Front Matter (6 pp.): Title page, copyright page, table of contents, list of figures

Executive Summary (28 pp.): Summarizes the study's findings and recommendations.

Chapter 1, "Introduction" (4 pp.): Presents the study background, purpose, and major research questions.

Chapter 2, "Context for This Evaluation" (10 pp.): Provides an overview of California's evolution toward the development of a standards-based accountability system at the state and local levels in the 1990s.

Chapter 3, "Conceptual Framework" (6 pp.): Describes the conceptual framework devised by the research team as a representation of a strong and meaningful accountability system and as a lens through which to view existing accountability efforts.

Chapter 4, "Methodology" (8 pp.): Describes the study's research methodology and data collection instruments, which included a district survey, state interviews, district interviews, school-level interviews, an analysis of selected districts' content standards, and reviews of district accountability plans.

Chapter 5, "The Status of Local Accountability Systems" (14 pp.): Presents and discusses study findings regarding the status of districts' accountability system development, the development and implementation process, conceptions of accountability, and general reactions to the Public Schools Accountability Act of 1999.

Chapter 6, "Content Standards" (18 pp.): Presents and discusses study findings on the development and adoption of local content standards, the relationship of district standards to the state standards, implementation of standards at the classroom level, and alignment of standards with curriculum and professional development.

Chapter 7, "Assessment Measures" (20 pp.): Presents and discusses study findings about districts' use of the SAT-9; district and school concerns about the SAT-9; the use of other assessment measures such as grades, teacher judgment, writing samples, and criterion-referenced assessments; and the use and combination of multiple measures. The chapter also discusses assessment and the Public Schools Accountability Act of 1999.

Chapter 8, "Use of Data" (16 pp.): Presents and discusses study findings on patterns of data use within districts, district-level purposes of data use, and school-level purposes of data use.

Chapter 9, "Consequences and Incentives" (22 pp.): Presents and discusses study findings about districts' establishment of performance targets, incentives for meeting targets and consequences for not meeting them, who within districts is held accountable and how, and rewards and consequences in the Public Schools Accountability Act of 1999.

Chapter 10, "Impact of Standards-Based Accountability Systems" (10 pp.): Presents and discusses study findings on the general effects of accountability; effects on policy, practice, and achievement; effects on teacher morale; and effects on other factors.

Chapter 11, "Challenges and Assistance" (32 pp.): Presents and discusses study findings about practices that help districts in implementing their accountability systems, major obstacles for districts in implementing accountability systems, specific challenges at the district level, and particular challenges presented by the Public Schools Accountability Act of 1999. The types of further assistance districts seek in implementing their accountability systems also are explored.

Chapter 12, "Recommendations and Conclusions" (12 pp.): Enumerates and discusses the major recommendations that emerge from the study findings. The coherence of the system, the direction of assessment, and capacity building serve as overarching themes.

References (4 pp.)

Appendix:

1998-99 Consolidated Application for Funding Categorical Aid Programs, Part II, pp. 33-35 (with instructions): NOT AVAILABLE IN PDF FORMAT

District Accountability Survey (14 pp.)

Interview Protocol: State Policy Makers (2 pp.)

Interview Protocol: State Implementers (3 pp.)

Interview Protocol: District Administrators (3 pp.)

Interview Protocol: Principals (2 pp.)

Interview Protocol: Teachers (3 pp.)

Local Accountability Plan Comment Summary (CDE): NOT AVAILABLE IN PDF FORMAT

Accountability Plan Rating Form (CDE): NOT AVAILABLE IN PDF FORMAT

Accountability Plan Review Form (project) (2 pp.)