Forum on Educational Accountability Gene Wilhoit Council of Chief State School Officers January 7, 2010

Getting the fundamentals right. What the top-performers achieve in terms of quality, equity and efficiency in schooling outcomes Andreas Schleicher, Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development

High ambitions and universal standards Defining what students should be able to do, not prescribing what teachers should teach Access to best practice and quality professional development Andreas Schleicher, Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development

High ambitions Access to best practice and quality professional development Accountability and intervention in inverse proportion to success Personalized learning Devolved responsibility, the school as the centre of action Integrated educational opportunities Andreas Schleicher, Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development

Troubling Trends Around Current System Greater use of multiple choice items in state test formats More focus on tested-content than on standards (particularly in low-performing schools) Narrowing of curriculum to tested subjects, content and pedagogy More test preparation L.W. Wise, Human Resources Research Organization and M. Goetz, Consortium for Policy Research in Education, University of Pennsylvania

Weaknesses of Current System More attention to “bubble kids” Few changes in teachers’ daily instructional practice Limited alignment between state assessments and standards Insufficient rigor of state assessments L.W. Wise, Human Resources Research Organization and M. Goetz, Consortium for Policy Research in Education, University of Pennsylvania

Needed Improvements Move to mastery More timely results Richer diagnostic information Better summative information Greater teacher engagement Interim assessments L.W. Wise, Human Resources Research Organization and M. Goetz, Consortium for Policy Research in Education, University of Pennsylvania

How Might a High-Quality Assessment System Operate ? Get the standards right Develop curriculum frameworks Create a digital curriculum and assessment library Develop moderation and auditing systems for teacher-scored work Provide time and training for teachers and school leaders Use technology to support the assessment system

Next Step: ESEA Reauthorization Promote college- and career-readiness for all students Maintain focus on equity and core investments Ensure meaningful accountability –The new ESEA should increase investments in core foundations of standards-based reform such as improved data systems and assessments

ESEA Reauthorization Continued… Encourage innovation in state policy Ensure coherence and reduce burden in and across federal laws Build state capacity for education reforms Increase and improve investments in research and dissemination of knowledge

ESEA Reauthorization Continued… Standards, Assessments and Accountability Base accountability on progress over time towards the end goal of all students graduating college- and career-ready Allow states to establish accountability systems that meet core principles and work best in each state’s context Further support the movement toward common state standards by funding the creation of enhanced assessment systems aligned to those standards

ESEA Reauthorization Continued… A New State-Federal Partnership States must set high expectations for all students and establish rigorous, transparent accountability for results. In return, the federal government must invest in education as a true national priority and afford states autonomy over inputs and strategies while holding them accountable for improving student achievement and closing achievement gaps