No Child Left Behind and the Louisiana School Accountability System: a comparative study of accountability systems

Abstract

In the educational field, accountability is one of the key issues in the media. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has made a definite impact in the political and social realm of society. However, many people do not understand what it fully means to education on all levels. The aim of this thesis is to compare and contrast the Louisiana School Accountability System with the new Federal government's No Child Left Behind. Of key interest in this comparative study is: long-term goals, flagging methods, disaggregation of subgroups, starting out - index/proficiency rate, modification/corrective plans, number of tests, indicators, and high stakes testing. An example of possible conclusions is included using elementary and middle school data from 2002. In addition to these quantitative measures, a qualitative section is integrated into the report from the researcher's own experiences as a participant observer to better inform the reader in issues concerning accountability. Many questions encircle the newly instated system, but queries particularly surround the implementation, implications, and conclusions that will be evident in the further institution of NCLB. Nevertheless, this thesis hopes to provide insight into the impact of accountability in Louisiana and, more particularly, the changes that must be made for Louisiana to be in compliance with the Federal government. Every person who has a stake in education needs to be able to understand the major components of accountability under the Federal NCLB; the aim of this project is relaying that very information.