The Editor’s Note: There’s opportunity in the middle

Abstract

School accountability programs tend to focus on students’ academic performance, as measured by standardized tests, But, as the authors in the November issue of Kappan explain, this presents an incomplete picture. Teresa Preston summarizes the arguments made in the issue on “Reframing Accountability.” These include discussions of limitations of testing, the need for other accountability measures, the use of data to promote improvement, and the importance of capacity building in any accountability system.