Accountability Policy Implementation and the Case of Smaller School District Capacity: Three Contrasting Cases that Examine the Flow and Use of NCLB Accountability Data

Abstract

The No Child Left Behind Act increases pressure on schools and districts to use standardized state test data. Seeking to learn about the process of turning accountability data into actionable information, this paper presents findings from three case studies of small to medium sized school districts. The study examines the flow of state science test data through the district central offices to schools and teachers, revealing how the data is used and how districts are adapting to increased pressures for data use. The findings show the importance of district central office capacity and the degree of centralization of curriculum management.