State & Local Systems of Accountability

“Every system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets.”

— W. Edward Deming

The Challenge

With more data available than ever, building and managing a system to measure school outcomes and drive improvement is challenging. Federal and state laws, competing priorities, and stakeholder interests create additional hurdles, requiring both technical skills and the ability to adapt to changing needs.

What We Do

We provide policy expertise to help state agencies and districts create evidence-based accountability standards tailored to local needs, building systems that support learning and improve student outcomes.

Brief

Student Growth Measures in State School Accountability Systems

We scanned state systems and examined Elementary and Secondary Education Act flexibility waivers to see what states use student growth measures and the specific measures they use.

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Brief

Accountability for Postsecondary Readiness: A 50-State Analysis

Postsecondary readiness enables students to reach their goals and succeed in the global economy. Clearly defining and measuring readiness is essential for enhancing its role in state accountability systems.

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“WestEd has been a reliable partner, providing valuable support to the CDE in the development of our ESSA state plan and development and implementation of our accountability system. WestEd staff served as planning partners in several CDE-convened work groups to inform the development of accountability measures. Throughout our collaboration, WestEd has provided high-quality technical assistance and research during a dynamic period of ESSA planning and accountability system revision. WestEd’s experience and expertise in state accountability policy would be a strong asset to any state looking to evaluate or refine its accountability system.”

— Cindy Kazanis, Director of the Analysis, Measurement & Accountability Reporting Division, California Department of Education

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