High-stakes Accountability Research Articles

A New Curriculum for a New Public School

This article is written in response to widespread concerns about the inadequacy of the school curriculum in England, and the urgent need to rethink what public education should involve. It builds on earlier contributions in FORUM and elsewhere by discussing curricular opportunities arising from Labour's proposal for a National Education Service. This is particularly timely given the limited horizons and understanding shown in Ofsted's call for better curriculum planning. In contrast to neoliberal obsessions with schooling as the production of human resources, and the neoconservative dependence on tradition, the article discusses how we might build a curriculum oriented to social justice, environmental responsibility and democratic citizenship. It addresses core issues such as age appropriateness; the relationship between everyday and academic knowledge; the importance of cognitive, practical, aesthetic and ethical dimensions; and how we might make a socially just and politically serious selection of knowledge. Whilst drawing on the strengths of earlier curriculum development, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s, it also points towards more recent international developments drawing on place, story and enquiry, which have been eclipsed by high-stakes accountability regimes. This broad-ranging article throws out a challenge: how to avoid retreading a traditional path of alienated knowledge acquisition and create a framework for authentic learning and really powerful knowledge.

Precarious, debilitated and ordinary: Rethinking (in)capacity for inclusion

As the effects of high-stakes accountability mandates increasingly impact curricular enactments in schools, careful investigations of the “how” of inclusion may allow the disclosure of its complexity to stretch the ways in which it is currently theorized. Drawing on my prior research, I have extracted three canonical elements of schooling that have remained largely unexamined within curricular theorizing for social justice, namely: the durability of place and time in the discourse of schooling and inclusion; the centrality of learning need within conceptions of inclusion; and, the necessity for agents of change to promote inclusion. Deploying an intertwined theoretical framework that includes critical disability studies, spatial theory, and writings of US Third World feminists, I argue that these elements collectively compel a (re)consideration of capacity within the construct of inclusion that can then evoke alternate imaginings of inclusive practice.

The Effects of Local Industrial Pollution on Students and Schools

Using detailed education data for 1996–2012 from the state of Florida, we examine whether pollution from local Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) sites affects student achievement and high-stakes accountability school rankings. Using event study and difference-in-differences designs, we compare students attending schools within one mile of a TRI site that opens or closes to students attending schools between one and two miles away. We find that being exposed to air pollution is associated with 0.024 of standard deviation lower test scores, increased likelihood of suspension from school, and increased likelihood that a school’s overall high-stakes accountability ranking will drop.

Comparing Secondary English Teachers’ Ideal and Actual Writing Practices for Diverse Learners: Constrained Professionalism in Figured Worlds of High-Stakes Testing

There is limited research of observed writing instruction in inclusive, secondary diverse urban contexts. This study contributes to the field by investigating four urban secondary English teachers’ perceptions of ideal writing instruction as compared with their actual instruction, which is primarily driven by high-stakes accountability measures. Sociocultural theories guide analyses of video-recorded writing lesson and interview data, with critical literacy theory framing the discussion and implications for teaching writing to diverse learners. Intersecting themes from interviews and observations point to constrained writing instruction and practices. Although the teachers recognized a responsibility to teach responsively to their diverse students’ instructional writing needs, they are inhibited and unable to do so primarily because of high-stakes testing mandates that narrow the curriculum and limit teacher autonomy.

A litmus test of school accountability policy effects in Korea: cross-validating high-stakes test results for academic excellence and equity

ABSTRACTThis study challenges prior evidence on the impact of Korea’s high-stakes school accountability policy as a tool to improve overall achievement and close achievement gaps. Applying difference-in-differences method, the study compares Korean high school students’ reading and math test score trends before and after the policy based on the National Assessment of Educational Achievement (NAEA) vs the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Under the “No Student Below Basic” policy, achievement gains were only evident on NAEA as high-stakes test but not on PISA as low-stake test that emphasizes real-world applications. The achievement gaps between high-performing and low-performing schools narrowed on NAEA but widened on PISA. Through cross-national comparison with the US “No Child Left Behind” policy features and outcomes, the study offers critical insights on the risks of test score inflations and educational limitations under high-stakes school accountability policy by which test results may become neither transferrable nor sustainable.

Equality and quality: The influence of private funds in public arts education in Boston and Baltimore

The aim of this article is to explore the influence of private foundation funding on arts policy and practice in two large, urban school districts: Boston Public Schools and Baltimore City Schools. Both school systems experienced declining enrollments and graduation rates, and in an era of high stakes testing and accountability, schools in both districts were described as “failing.” Central administration positions were eliminated in both school systems, and more authority over budget and program decisions was given to school principals. These building leaders often verbally supported the value of arts education, yet they felt unable to support arts educators in their school budgets. It was not surprising when they accepted nongovernmental funds to expand arts instruction in their schools. A priority for educational philanthropists is to help schools compensate for social inequalities, which was true of the funders who supported arts education in Baltimore and Boston. But increased access to arts instruction does not guarantee that every student in a school system receives a high-quality, sustained arts education. Using relevant literature to describe quality in arts education, an argument is made that equality can be achieved only to the extent that discussions of quality are central to strategic planning for arts expansion. Finally, philanthropic investments in research and advocacy have been considered some of the most prudent investments in education. Although research has not yet been conducted on the Baltimore or Boston arts education expansion, well-designed studies could support the models and expand the arts education vision to other, similar school systems.

What has been the impact of the high stakes accountability initiatives on principal and teacher behavior in America?

This paper examined the impact high-stakes accountability and data-driven decision-making has had on administrators and teacher leaders. The researchers utilized instructional leadership and teacher leadership as conceptual frameworks to explore the participants’ perceptions concerning the implementation of national reforms. Selected were four single cases (i.e., individual schools), four principals, as well as 28 teachers to “capture multiple realities” (Creswell, 2009, p. 72) within the data. Through analysis, three themes emerged: 1) Changing Culture ; 2) Changing Evidence ; and 3) Changing Rigor . These themes provide an understanding of the impact high-stakes accountability has had on public school principals and teachers. Revealed are implications for school districts and leadership/teacher preparatory programs.

Meeting the Learning Needs of Students

The Principals Excellence Program (PEP), a cohort-based professional development project for administrator certified practitioners, is one of 24 projects a cross the United States supported by federal funds from the No Child Left Behind legislation. The three-year program is conducted through a partnership between Pike County School District, a high-need rural system in Central Appalachia, and the University of Kentucky, located 150 miles away. A major goal for PEP is improved school leadership focused on enhanced student learning. Findings in this paper include inprogress evaluations of program impact toward (a) preparing school leaders to promote learning success for all, (b) engaging cohort members in authentic practice with mentor principals, (c) addressing high-stakes accountability issues, and (d) delivering effective leadership preparation. Perspectives from all stakeholder groups (i.e., cohort participants, mentor principals, district leaders, program instructors) are integrated to provide holistic assessment of PEP.

Left Behind by Policy: A Case Study of the Influence of High Stakes Accountability Policy on Data-Based Decision Making in One Small, Rural New Hampshire School

The high-stakes accountability policies that stemmed from NCLB and Race to the Top required minimum group sizes in order for school performance to be analyzed through state accountability formulas. Small rural schools have frequently been left out of this equation due to a lack of consistently reportable aggregate groups and sub-groups. The evidence of this has been seen through the lack of needed data-based decision making (DBDM) practices. In order to begin to understand the DBDM practices of small rural schools and the relationship to educational policy we engaged in case study research of a Pk-12 school of 100 students from 2014-2015. The school, located in New Hampshire, provided us with insights into the potential gaps that exist between policy and practice in small rural schools. In addition, questions of educational equity began to emerge as we considered the gaps between student achievement data and the professional development of educators.

'Nobody is Watching but Everything I do is Measured': Teacher Accountability, Learner Agency and the Crisis of Control.

It is widely acknowledged that there is systemic pressure on teachers to enact assessment practices that raise student achievement. In this article assessment related discourses that influence teacher and student classroom practices are examined in relation to initial teacher education. In Australia, preservice teachers (PSTs) are required to demonstrate assessment capability, promote student agency and monitor their practice impact on student learning whilst working in schooling ecologies that are marked by high stakes accountability measures. Processes that bridge university and in-school PST teacher preparation are an important consideration in developing assessment capability. It is argued that there are tensions in the current policy environment associated with distributed classroom power relations that are emblematic of student agency in practice. The socially constituted nature of ecological agency that underpins generative assessment for learning practices is an important consideration for judgement about initial teacher assessment capability and associated graduate impact on student learning.

‘Nobody is Watching but Everything I do is Measured’: Teacher Accountability, Learner Agency and the Crisis Of Control

It is widely acknowledged that there is systemic pressure on teachers to enact assessment practices that raise student achievement. In this article assessment related discourses that influence teacher and student classroom practices are examined in relation to initial teacher education. In Australia, preservice teachers (PSTs) are required to demonstrate assessment capability, promote student agency and monitor their practice impact on student learning whilst working in schooling ecologies that are marked by high stakes accountability measures. Processes that bridge university and in-school PST teacher preparation are an important consideration in developing assessment capability. It is argued that there are tensions in the current policy environment associated with distributed classroom power relations that are emblematic of student agency in practice. The socially constituted nature of ecological agency that underpins generative assessment for learning practices is an important consideration for judgement about initial teacher assessment capability and associated graduate impact on student learning.

Accountable to Whom?: The Use of Media to Communicate Educational Accountability to Latino Families in a California Middle School

This paper explores how one Title I middle school in California responds to high-stakes accountability during an era of educational reform, and how one first-generation Latino immigrant family comes to understand the school’s focus on test scores, high expectations, and academic achievement. Drawing from a larger Language Socialization study that utilizes participation observation and interview data, the paper provides ethnographic snapshots to demonstrate the ways in which one school communicated under, with, and through high stakes educational reform policies via a variety of media while functioning under Program Improvement status, and how the focal family participated in and negotiated these draconian educational policies that became part of their everyday experience with schooling in the U.S.

Should We Be Concerned About Nonresponse Bias in College Student Surveys? Evidence of Bias from a Validation Study

This study uses college student survey data and corresponding administrative data on campus recreation facility usage, academic performance, physical education class attendance, and co-curricular participation to examine nonresponse bias in college student surveys. Within the context of the Groves (Public Opin Q 70:646–675, 2006) Alternative Cause Model, we found compelling evidence of the presence of nonresponse error observed as student characteristics related to the survey topic that also explain their response propensity. An individual’s survey response propensity has a statistically significant relationship with their actual behavior for 2 of 3 survey topics. In 11 of the 13 survey questions used to measure the survey topic behaviors, we found statistically significant differences between the respondent and nonrespondent behavioral measures. These findings hold important implications for survey researchers and those using student surveys for high-stakes accountability measures because survey summary statistics may not be generalizable to the target population.

Principal Well-Being and Resilience: Mindfulness as a Means to That End

In this conceptual article, the researchers review the nature of stress as reported by principals and suggest a means for responding to that stress with efforts that have resulted in resilience for people in numerous occupations, with particular emphasis on physicians. This article presents an argument that internal coping methods such as mindfulness and self-care might be key to the development of resilience in principals in an era of high-stakes accountability and unparalleled expectations.

Exploring Traits of High-Performing, High-Poverty Schools

Over the past decade, there has been a significant increase in pressure placed on schools across the nation due to high-stakes accountability policies (Klar, 2014). It comes as no surprise that low performing schools feel constant pressure to raise the measured academic performance of all students. Rarely, do low-performing schools who have overcome challenging circumstances in order to increase academic achievement, get spotlighted. Educators need to identify the common factors attributed to increased student achievement. This can be achieved by examining the lessons and examples of high-performing schools so that all schools can succeed regardless of circumstances.

The Effects of Local Industrial Pollution on Students and Schools

Using detailed education data between 1996-2012 from the state of Florida, we examine whether pollution from local Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) sites affects student achievement and high stakes accountability school rankings. Using event study and difference-in-differences designs, we compare students attending schools within one mile of a TRI site that opens or closes to students attending schools between one and two miles away. We find that being exposed to air pollution is associated with 0.024 of standard deviation lower test scores, increased likelihood of suspension from school, and increased likelihood that a school’s overall high stakes accountability ranking will drop.

How Measurement and Modeling of Attendance Matter to Assessing Dimensions of Inequality

ABSTRACTEach iteration of high stakes accountability has included requirements to include measures of attendance in their accountability programs, thereby increasing the salience of this measure. Researchers too have turned to attendance and chronic absence as important outcomes in evaluations and policy studies. Often, too little attention is paid to the implications of measurement or statistical modeling decisions employed in these studies. Such lack of attention to measurement and modeling can obscure important differences in these measures across the educational life cycle, as well as between the outcomes of higher income students and their lower-income peers. Using longitudinal data from a representative state, this paper demonstrates how measurement and modeling choices can influence model estimates and undermine the quality of inferences. These considerations have important implications for researchers and practitioners who wish to use attendance data to understand policy impacts and guide practice, particularly when focused on chronic absence.

Lessons from the field: One teacher’s findings from using the project approach in a 6th grade classroom

While we have known about the benefits of project-based learning for decades, it has been difficult to maintain momentum in learning how to do it well, especially as the policy context in education turned toward high-stakes accountability measures in the early 2000s. Currently, many schools across the country are incorporating project-based approaches, but few have provided a portrait of how to do so in this current context. This is the story of how one sixth grade teacher, Mr. Waspe, successfully developed strategies for conducting an inquiry-based pedagogy called the Project Approach (Katz, Chard, & Kogan, 2014). Mr. Waspe’s work revealed several consistent critical considerations that became design features for using the Project Approach—time, choosing a researchable topic, addressing curriculum and standards, assessing student artifacts of learning, appropriate instructional tools, modeling and providing student feedback, and audience. This article provides readers with a list and descriptions of these concrete considerations as well as a descriptive portrait of Mr. Waspe’s artful approach to project-based learning.

Compensatory education, educational inequalities, social injustices, urban education, Bernstein

In England, as in many countries across the economically developed world, governments have seen the reform of the school system as a major strategy for promoting social justice. The focus has been on the continual ‘improvement’ of schools through increasing central control of curriculum and pedagogy, the introduction of high-stakes testing and accountability, and the creation of education quasi-markets in which schools compete to attract students. Whatever the achievements of these reforms, it is increasingly clear that they have been unsuccessful in overcoming the deeply-entrenched relationship between socio-economic disadvantage, low educational achievement and limited life chances. This paper argues that reform efforts need to be refocused so that the work of schools is aligned more fully with wider public policy efforts to address disadvantage. In particular, it advocates the development of ‘community focused’ schools which look beyond their gates to the social justice issues in the areas they serve. The paper shows how such schools have developed in different forms in many countries, and concludes by suggesting that their work can become part of an ‘area approach’ to promoting social justice.

School Organizational Effectiveness and Chronic Absenteeism: Implications for Accountability

ABSTRACTChronic absenteeism in K-12 schools is strongly associated with critical educational outcomes such as student achievement and graduation. Yet, the causes of chronic absenteeism are complex, with environmental, family/individual, and school factors all affecting the likelihood of a student attending school regularly. This exploratory study examines whether school organizational effectiveness has the potential to moderate external influences on chronic absenteeism. Using school-level scores from the 5Essentials surveys, we find that, in traditional public schools, schools that are organized for effectiveness have lower rates of chronic absenteeism, while controlling for student demographics and grade level. In particular, schools with higher scores for “involved families” have lower chronic absenteeism. While charter schools in Detroit have significantly lower rates of chronic absenteeism than traditional public schools, we did not find an association between organizational effectiveness and chronic absenteeism in charter schools. This suggests that student sorting by school type may produce variation in chronic absenteeism rates that is not moderated by school actions. These findings have important implications for practice and policy, as educators seek to reduce chronic absenteeism in response to pressures from high-stakes accountability systems.