WestEd Research and Development

Annotated Bibliography of Selected Articles on Accountability and Incentives, Volume I (1998) and Volume II (1999)
These annotated bibliographies contain summaries of over 30 different research articles related to accountability.

Authentic Accountability, by Kate Jamentz
This article examines how dialogues over accountability bring together parents, community leaders, and educators to discuss district performance and how to improve it. Originally printed in ACSA's journal Thrust for Educational Leadership (January 1998).

Can State Intervention Spur Academic Turnaround, by Joan McRobbie
This report examines what "machinery" needs to be in place to enable and support state intervention with low-performing schools, what an intervention entails, and the key elements of success in a school turnaround.

Other Helpful Research

State Strategies for Building Capacity in Education: Progress and Continuing Challenges by Diane Massell (Summer 1998)
This CPRE research report examines strategies used to build capacity, or what it takes to translate high standards and incentives into effective instruction and sound student performance, in eight states (CA, CO, FL, KY, MD, MI, MN, TX). Information was gleaned from many interviews with policymakers in each state and examination of supplementary background materials.

Persistence and Change: Standards-based Reform in Nine States, by Diane Massell, Michael Kirst, and Margaret Hoppe (March 1997)
This CPRE article gives an overview of the evolution of standards-based, systemic reforms in nine states (CA, CT, FL, GA, KY, MN, NJ, SC, TX) between 1994-1995. It discusses the following emergent themes: steady, incremental progress; balancing new and old approaches; building capacity for reform; and addressing equity issues. The research is based on interviews with policy makers and educators in the nine states, at state and district levels.

State Takeovers and Reconstitutions Policy Brief, by Todd Ziebarth
This ECS policy brief describes and discusses two recent and controversial accountability approaches: state takeovers and reconstitution. It examines early effects of these procedures and raises questions for policymakers.

Toward a K-12 Education Accountability System in Washington State, by P.T. Hill and R.J. Lake (1997) (PDF format)
This article proposes a model of accountability for education reform in Washington State. It lists and discusses seven lessons from other state accountability efforts and makes seven more recommendations for a system in which the whole community – business, private sector, public education – makes an effort to improve Washington's schools.