Assessment is a tool for educators to use in measuring the effectiveness of practices, using the feedback for future planning, and building accountability into the system.

To begin with, there are four things that educational leaders can do to build more accountability in the education system and manage for results.

1. Develop local and state consensus on expected outcomes for youth.
2. Encourage continuous improvement and hold schools and programs for dropouts accountable for results.
3. Ensure no one falls through the cracks.
4. Take diversity into account and not mandate one-size-fits all approaches.

To promote accountability at the state level, departments of education can:

1. Ensure policies across agencies are aligned and contribute to consistent, integrated policies and results.
2. Help track progress of youth and transfer records.
3. Promote accountability at local level.

In working towards increased accountability at the local level, school districts have found the following approaches useful:

• Adopting a results-oriented focus
• Spending less time micro-managing programs
• Portfolio assessments
• performance-based tests
• Incentives and sanctions to reach standards
• "High stakes" tests (for graduation or passing grade)
• Certificates of mastery
• School and district report cards

In this Module:

In the Toolkit: