Recommendations from the CCSSO Accountability Advisory Committee: A Vision for Improved Education Accountability Systems
This publication sets forth the Council of Chief State School Officers’ vision for improved state education accountability systems. CCSSO suggests that “next generation accountability systems should reflect the following principles: a broader set of outcomes to more authentically reflect the breadth and depth of readiness for college, career, and citizenship; autonomy by states and districts to define some of the outcomes for which they will be held accountable; flexible testing approaches at the point of student readiness; and continuous improvement by design and evaluation with a clearly articulated link between design features and improved student achievement.” CCSSO provides a rationale supporting the above along with specific recommendations for policy and practice.
The purposes of this publication are relatively clear and generally met, although as a broad policy document it offers few specifics. The major recommendations, such as promoting the use of multiple measures, will be familiar to most readers. The flexible testing recommendation may face a number of practical challenges, including costs, teaching methods, and validity. Communications quality is acceptable, but users will find a fair number of long sentences and language specific to the field of education. Utility should be relatively high given the publisher’s strong reputation and extensive state membership. As a policy document, evidence of effectiveness is difficult to predict, but there is a possible impact on learning.