Working Smarter: Being Strategic About Assessment and Accountability

Abstract

The worth of any school program is based on its contribution to student achievement. How do teacher-librarians contribute to this overall goal? What evidence do we have of the learning that results from our teaching? How do we use the results to inform our school communities and influence improvements? This article provides discussion points related to these issues and scenarios to provoke reflection and action. No matter which community we live in, we are bound to hear educators deliberating on topics such as quality assurance, data driven decision making, and curriculum restructuring. Whether these discussions involve parents, teachers, administrators, school board members, or community leaders, two issues consistently emerge: the demand for accountability and the imperative for continuous improvement. Teachers and administrators ’ views of the role of assessment have changed dramatically over the last two decades. Spurred on by a national focus on assessment reform, they have come to understand that assessment is both a tool for accountability and a blueprint for instruction (Fitzpatrick, 2000; Asp, 1998). The hard fact is that

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