Program

Accountability Systems

CCSSO, on behalf of the states, hereby commits to further states' proactive leadership in promoting college- and career-readiness for all students by establishing next-generation accountability systems. Over the past several years, chief state school officers and other representatives from state education agencies have come together to develop a set of guiding principles for what a next-generation accountability system should include. The ultimate goal of these new systems is to ensure that every student has access to a high-quality education. States will achieve this goal by (1) driving school and district performance towards college- and career-readiness, (2) distinguishing performance in order to more meaningfully target supports and interventions to the students most in need, (3) providing timely, transparent data to spur action at all levels, and (4) fostering innovation and continuous improvement throughout the system.

On Friday, September 23, 2011, President Obama released the details of the Administration's ESEA flexibility package, which responds to calls from state education leaders to move beyond current No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requirements and support state efforts to prepare every child for college and career. The flexibility package is based, in part, on the guiding principles developed by the chiefs. State ESEA flexibility requests address transitioning students, teachers, and schools to a system aligned with college- and career-ready standards for all students, developing differentiated accountability systems, and undertaking reforms to support effective classroom instruction and school leadership. As of October 1, 2012, 44 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Bureau of Indian Education have submitted requests to the US Department of Education for flexibility from NCLB, with 34 of those states already having received approval for their proposals.

Some states have not applied for ESEA flexibility because they have determined this is not the right approach for the state at this time. CCSSO is continuing to work with these states and support them as they consider next steps in their reform efforts in general and development of new accountability systems specifically in each of their states.

Related Resources

• PublicationRoadmap for Next-Generation State Accountability Principles
• PublicationPrinciples and Processes for State Leadership on Next-Generation Accountability Systems
• MapState ESEA Flexibility Map
• CCSSO Statement on Waiver Announcement
• Twenty-Seven States and DC Submit NCLB Waivers Applications
• NewsState Chiefs Discuss Implementing New Accountability Systems
• VideoWebcast: State Chiefs Discuss Implementing New Accountability Systems