Academic Accountability In Texas Public Schools: 2003-2007

Abstract

This study examines factors affecting test scores in a sample of thirty-seven Texas public high schools from 2003 to 2007 since the implementation of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001. The schools were chosen based upon similar tax rates and district sizes. The Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test was implemented in 2003 to measure the performance of Texas public high school students. Schools are rewarded for high performance based upon the student scores on the TAKS test, which is administered once per year. Much of the debate on student and school accountability has centered on the importance of student performance on the standardized TAKS test. Those who oppose testing say that teachers and administrators may simply narrow the curriculum and teach the test. Proponents of testing feel that accountability will give administrators and teachers incentives to help students learn. As a result, many school districts in Texas have increasingly put pressure on teachers to improve test scores.