New evidence that annual assessments and accountability improve student learning

Posted by Opportunity Washington on

The U.S. Chamber reports that academic achievement for disadvantaged students has improved under the No Child Left Behind reforms.  The chamber points specifically to requirements for annual assessments, public reporting of data, and accountability. The following chart tells the story.

1 Graduation chart

 

Meanwhile, Washington Education Association members are rallying to push for higher pay and full funding of the four-year, $4.7 billion unfunded mandate imposed by Initiative 1351, narrowly adopted last fall. Among their concerns…

[WEA president Kim] Mead said the teacher-evaluation bill, which has passed the state Senate but not the House, is a distraction from the work lawmakers should be doing to comply with McCleary [the state Supreme Court full-funding of basic education opinion].

The teacher evaluation bill has the strong bipartisan support of education reform groups and major editorial boards in the state. It’s not a distraction.
 
Improving education outcomes is a major Opportunity Washington priority. The teacher evaluation legislation is an important element of the reform agenda, as the national data cited by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce demonstrate.