Domestic Excellence

Advancing Accountability in Education

“Quality education for everyone, of every background, remains one of the most urgent civil rights issues of our time.”
—President George W. Bush

38%

of 4th grade students are proficient in science

40%

of 4th grade students are proficient in math

36%

of students are proficient in reading

State of Our Cities

Comparable education data on more than 100 cities across the country

Resource
The "A" Word: Accountability — The Dirty Word of Today’s Education Reform
Report
The Big Idea of School Accountability

A look at the history of accountability in education while examining its impact.
Essay

High standards, quality assessments tied to those standards, and meaningful consequences for low performance lead to increases in achievement for children of all races, ethnicities, and socio-economic status.

Wide achievement gaps exist in the United States - low income and minority students in particular lag behind their peers. On a global scale, students in the United States consistently rank below children in other countries in the core subjects of reading, math, and science.

Public sentiment and policymakers have retreated on accountability. Annual assessment data on student academic performance informs parents, educators, and the public about how our schools are performing, and helps identify where research-based interventions are necessary.