Accountability Dialogues: School Communities Creating Demand from Within

This concise book explains some of the common misperceptions about school accountability and provides a strong rationale for including Accountability Dialogues in any accountability system. Developed from the experience of the Western Assessment Collaborative (WAC) in working with California schools and districts, the book also describes how Accountability Dialogues propel efforts to implement standards-based reforms and strengthen the relationships among parents, educators, and the community at large. Examples from schools that use Accountability Dialogues provide a real sense of what can happen when responsibility for school improvement is shared among all the stakeholders in a school community.

A companion videotape visits three schools where Accountability Dialogues are taking place. Used with parent and faculty groups, this video can help a school explore the potential of Accountability Dialogues to strengthen their own community and its work. (Purchase the book and videotape together and save $3.95.)