The Accountablity Challenge

Abstract

This case decribes a large urban school district that faces the usual challenges found in these districts such as poverty, deteriorating school facilities, school integration, bussing, and student academic performance in the state's high stakes accountability program. The former superintendent, who did not particularly like the state's accountibility program, abruptly resigned after two years in the position when the district's test results were received. As a result, the school district is scheduled to be placed on warning status by the state. The school board is left with a public relations problem, a staff morale problem, the problem of nine low performing schools, and the challege to immediately select an interim superintendent. However, the central focus of the case is educational accountability as measured by student performance on the state's high stakes testing program.