Cross-posted from www.thechalkboard.org
Chicago cited as being strict on accountability
"Accountability" is the buzz word in the world of school reform apparently. It is to schools what "change" is to the current primary race. Everyone has their own definition of what it is, and everyone knows it's a good thing.
"Chicago's been lucky for having a real reform history and maybe even a little innovation tossed in with that," says John Easton, executive director of the Consortium on Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago. "We were ahead of No Child Left Behind on accountability."
Evidentially, "accountability" trumps "innovation." Campaign managers and political consultants take note, the term "innovation" holds little weight. We want accountability, we want change, but we're still unsure if innovation is all that necessary. Thank you for framing the national dialog, consultants. You've made it really easy to say nothing.
Monty Neill, of the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, has his own opinion of the "accountability at cost of innovation" argument:
"Chicago took the jump-start on No Child Left Behind," he says, citing in particular the city's program of shutting failing schools and opening new ones, many of them charters and contract schools. "It's a spurious reform effort with a lot of
Statistical sleight of hand."
According to Secretary of ED Margaret Spellings, those who are opposed to NCLB are anti-accountabilty
After we've punished those who are accountable for this mess, can we get back to teaching our children?