Why Testing and Accountability Matter in K–12 Education

Published April 13, 2021

The challenges imposed on schools by the COVID-19 pandemic have left parents and educators without essential information about how students are doing and which schools need urgent attention. Improvements to data collection, including adopting new metrics to track progress and improving reporting standards, are imperative to recovering the education “data hole.” Better transparency, greater accountability, and resumed testing will play key roles in recovering from the shutdowns spurred by the pandemic.

Discussion Questions:

1. What challenges have schools faced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic?
2. Why is transparency a key factor in school accountability?

Additional Resources:

• Read “School Accountability—Past, Present, and Future,” by Chester E. Finn, Jr., via the Hoover Education Success Initiative. Available here.
• Read “Eight Recommendations for the Biden Administration,” by Chester E. Finn, Jr., via Education Next. Available here.
• Listen to “The Future of Results-Based Accountability in Education,” with Chester E. Finn, Jr., via The Education Exchange podcast. Available here.