For several decades, the topic of educational accountability has dominated K-12 policy discussions. The issue is again heating up as Congress considers the reauthorization of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The six principles of NCLB redesign outlined in the â??discussion draftâ? released by the House Education and Labor Committee all focus in one way or another on incentives for holding public schools and public officials accountable.
Patricia Burch is an assistant professor of educational policy studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.