Educational Equity and Accountability: Paradigms, Policies, and Politics

Book Cover......Page 1
Half-Title......Page 2
Title......Page 4
Copyright......Page 5
Contents......Page 6
PART I The Equity and Accountability Conversation......Page 9
CHAPTER 1 Introduction......Page 12
Accountability Policy Promotes Equity......Page 13
Accountability Policy Has Mixed Effects on Equity......Page 14
Accountability Policy Damages Equity......Page 15
Part I: The Equity and Accountability Conversation......Page 16
Part II: The Effect of Accountability Policy on Educational Equity......Page 17
Part III: Equity-Focused Research and Responses on Accountability......Page 18
Part IV: Critiques and Commentaries on the Equity-Accountability Debate......Page 19
References......Page 20
PART II The Effect of Accountability Policy on Educational Equity......Page 24
Three Historic Possibilities......Page 26
Fifty Different, Complex, Dynamic Systems......Page 30
Thinking Carefully about Equity and Accountability......Page 31
2. Curriculum Issues......Page 32
3. Teaching Issues......Page 33
4. Assessment Issues......Page 34
5. Other Issues......Page 35
Notes......Page 36
References......Page 37
Historical Grounding......Page 40
National Equity Norm......Page 41
2. Major Public Commitment......Page 42
Additional Concerns......Page 43
2. Success for All Students......Page 44
Accountability as a Dichotomy......Page 45
Our Vision of Equity and Accountability......Page 46
Conclusion......Page 47
References......Page 48
CHAPTER 4 Continuing the Conversation on Equity and Accountability......Page 50
Educators Have Generally Failed Children of Color......Page 51
Confirming Our Colleagues’ Criticisms......Page 52
Some Other Concerns to Think About......Page 54
Conclusion......Page 56
References......Page 57
Introduction......Page 62
Systemic Racism in U.S. Schools......Page 64
Accountability and Equity?......Page 66
Convergence of Interests......Page 70
Origins......Page 72
Components......Page 73
Examples of Results......Page 76
Improvement at the School District Level......Page 79
Conclusion......Page 83
Notes......Page 84
References......Page 85
CHAPTER 6 Response to Skrla et al. The Illusion of Educational Equity in Texas......Page 92
A Miracle of Educational Progress in Texas?......Page 94
Progress in Four Texas Districts?......Page 96
Conclusion......Page 97
Notes......Page 100
References......Page 101
CHAPTER 7 Response to Skrla et al.......Page 102
A Tale of Two Tests......Page 103
Why Do NAEP and TAAS Scores Tell Such Different Stories?......Page 105
Conclusions and Implications......Page 106
References......Page 107
Convergent Constructions......Page 108
Contested Constructions......Page 109
Conclusion......Page 113
References......Page 114
PART III Equity-Focused Research and Responses on Accountability......Page 116
Introduction and Theoretical Framework......Page 118
Methodology......Page 121
Participant Districts......Page 123
Results: Five Ways Accountability Displaces Deficit Thinking......Page 125
Accountability Makes Educational Inequity Visible......Page 126
State Accountability Reduces Risk for Superintendents......Page 129
Accountability Forces Superintendents to Seek Success Exemplars......Page 132
Accountability Develops Anti-Deficit Leadership Orientations......Page 133
Accountability Drives Successively Higher Expectations......Page 136
Conclusion......Page 138
References......Page 139
CHAPTER 10 Can State Accountability Systems Drive Improvements in School Performance for Children of Color and Children from Low-Income Homes?......Page 142
English Version Results......Page 143
Spanish Version Results......Page 144
NAEP Mathematics......Page 146
NAEP Reading......Page 147
NAEP Writing......Page 149
Advanced Placement Test Taking......Page 150
College Entrance Examinations......Page 151
Exemptions from Assessment......Page 152
Drop-outs......Page 153
Role of the Accountability System in Changes in Student Achievement......Page 158
Conclusion......Page 160
References......Page 161
Background......Page 164
Methodology and Site Description......Page 166
Historical Context......Page 167
Accountability as Context......Page 168
Commonly Held District Beliefs......Page 170
Systemic Modifications Lead to Success......Page 174
Conclusions......Page 179
References......Page 181
Initial Efforts at Alignment......Page 184
Houston’s Progress......Page 185
Addressing New Challenges......Page 187
References......Page 190
CHAPTER 13 Statewide Assessment Triggers Urban School Reform......Page 192
Critical Race Theory and Educational Testing: Does the Interest Convergence Theory Work for Racial Minorities on Matters of Assessment Policy?......Page 193
Racial/Gender Policy Questions for Consideration......Page 194
Conclusion......Page 195
References......Page 196
CHAPTER 14 Promoting Educational Equity in a Period of Growing Social Inequity......Page 198
“Do you have problem with 90% of poor, minority students passing the TAAS?”......Page 199
School Reform by Itself Cannot Leverage Social Justice.......Page 201
Substantive versus Strategic Issues......Page 203
Legitimation Rituals......Page 205
References......Page 207
CHAPTER 15 Polar Positions on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS)......Page 210
The TAAS Seems Viable and Beneficial......Page 211
The TAAS System of Testing is Harmful, Inappropriate, and Insensitive......Page 212
TAAS Can Lead to Equity and Pragmatic Solutions......Page 214
Lingering Questions, Doubts, and Concerns......Page 215
References......Page 218
PART IV Critiques and Commentaries on the Equity-Accountability Debate......Page 220
Introduction......Page 222
Demographic and Socioeconomic Trends......Page 223
Designs for Inclusion of ELL and Immigrant Youth in the Texas Accountability System......Page 224
Congruence with Federal Policy......Page 226
The Spanish Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS)......Page 227
Advocate Discourse......Page 228
Analysis......Page 229
Institutional Discourse......Page 230
Analysis......Page 232
Conclusion......Page 236
Notes......Page 238
References......Page 239
Introduction......Page 242
The Argument for the Accountability System as a Tool for Social Justice and Equity......Page 243
The Villainization of Students......Page 245
The Narrowing of the Curriculum......Page 247
The De-skilling of Teachers and Principals......Page 249
Conclusion......Page 252
References......Page 253
CHAPTER 18 Intersections in Accountability Reform......Page 256
Essential Complexities in Accountability Reform......Page 257
The Intersection of State Accountability Systems and Local Actors......Page 260
Equity, Legitimacy, and Institutional Conformity......Page 262
Constructive Capacity: Shaping the Agenda......Page 264
Conclusion......Page 266
References......Page 268
A Backwards Glance......Page 272
A Glimpse at Research Demonstrating Progress in Texas......Page 273
Data Collection and Analysis......Page 274
Findings......Page 275
Conclusions: A Glimmer of Hope......Page 278
References......Page 279
Implementing and Refining Policy......Page 280
Foregrounding Equity in Policy Development and Debate......Page 283
Refining and Disseminating Successful Practices......Page 285
Final Thoughts......Page 286
References......Page 287
Contributors......Page 290
Index......Page 294