Authentic Education Accountability Policies: Implementation of State Initiatives in Colorado and Maryland

Abstract

In the U.S. many states are in the process of developing and implementing new educational accountability policies that differ from prior systems in varying degrees. This study examined educational accountability system implementation experiences in Colorado and Maryland. Data obtained from policy stakeholders in each state at the district and school levels of analysis were used to illustrate key elements of three policy system models supported in the policy and organizational studies literature; the institutional, rational, and interpretive models. These models formed the basis for a framework to examine the implementation of educational accountability policy systems in the two states. Experiences observed suggested that while a particular perspective may appear to dominate at a certain level of the policy system, institutional, rational, and interpretive models all contribute to the framework proposed by the authors.