Reflecting on and Improving Accountability Systems: Promises and Challenges

Our field has been experimenting with assessment innovation for several decades, but accountability has remained fairly stagnant for the past 20 years. Most accountability determinations are still based primarily on some combination of achievement and growth in language arts and mathematics, incorporate no locally-determined indicators, and focus incentives and consequences only on schools.

Fortunately, a growing number of state and district leaders are trying to transform typical approaches to accountability. Together with national research colleagues and state and district partners, we will explore ways to create accountability systems that support at least two related goals for schools: ensuring that meaningful educational opportunities are equitably distributed and improving the functioning and efficacy of schools.

Our goal is for participants to learn from the papers, presentations, discussions, and examples to help design systems that better meet the needs of all of their stakeholders.

Agenda: RILS 2023

Thursday morning: Looking back and looking forward

Time	Topic
8:00am	Breakfast available
9:00am	Welcome and Introduction to RILS Scott Marion, Center for Assessment
9:15am	What Problems are Current Accountability Systems Intended to Address? Scott Marion, Center for Assessment
9:45am	Why Change our Accountability Systems? Carla Evans, Center for Assessment Laura Pinsonneault, Center for Assessment
10:45am	Break
11:00	The path forward for school accountability: Practical ways to improve school accountability systems now. Chris Domaleski, Center for Assessment Juan D’Brot, Center for Assessment Laura Pinsonneault, Center for Assessment Brian Gong, Center for Assessment Chris Brandt, Center for Assessment
Noon	Lunch

Thursday afternoon: Learning from the Field

Time	Topic
1:00pm	Learning from the Field Will Lorié, Center for Assessment
1:15pm	Case Study Presentations    A.  District accountability in Colorado              Karen Quanbeck, VP of Statewide Partnerships, Colorado Education Initiative              Elliott Asp, Senior Advisor, Colorado Education Initiative    B.   Massachusetts Consortium for Innovative Education Assessment (MCIEA)              Jack Schneider, Dwight W. Allen Distinguished Professor of Education, UMASS,             Amherst, and Director of Research, MCIEA              Julie Spencer-Robinson, Strategy and Operations Consultant, MCIEA                Adding “Student Voice” to the Mix: Perception Surveys and State Accountability Systems                Performance Assessment: Improving the Utility and Validity of Local and                State Assessment Systems   C.    Chicago Public Schools              Jeff Broom, Director of School Quality, Measurement, Research, Chicago Public Schools              Augusta Smith, Manager of Performance Policy, Chicago Public Schools    D.    District and school accreditation              Jake Goldsmith, Regional VP for the Global Accreditation, Cognia              Tony Siddall, Senior Director for Accreditation in the Northeast, Cognia             See: The Role of Accountability Systems and Regional Accreditation in Improving K-12 Education    E.    Innovating Utah’s State Accountability System              Darin Nielsen, Associate Superintendent of Student Learning, Utah State Board of             Education             See: Next Generation School Accountability in Utah: A Report of the Utah             Accountability Redesign Advisory Committee to the Utah State Board of Education
2:45pm	Break
3:00pm	Case Study Panel Discussion Brian Gong, Center for Assessment Erika Landl, Center for Assessment
3:55pm	Transition
4:00pm	Evaluating and Continuously Improving Accountability Systems Juan D’Brot, Center for Assessment Chris Brandt, Center for Assessment
5:00pm	Adjourn Day One
5:30pm	RILS Reception hosted by the Center for Assessment

Time	Topic
8:00am	Breakfast available
9:00am	A Primer on Design Thinking Damian Betebenner, Center for Assessment
9:15am	Reauthorization Design Activity Scott Marion, Center for Assessment Will Lorié, Center for Assessment
10:30am	Gallery Walk Will Lorié, Center for Assessment
11:00am	Practical Considerations for Accountability Innovation Carissa Moffat Miller, CEO, Council of Chief State School Officers Chris Domaleski, Center for Assessment
11:45am	RILS Closing Chris Domaleski, Center for Assessment
Noon	Lunch and Adjourn