ABSTRACT
There is a strong focus on accountability in U.S. education. However, this concept is not new. It has been with us since the 1970s and has increased over time. Some say it was taxpayers in California who led the way to this emphasis when they complained that they were not getting their money’s worth in public education and opted out of paying taxes through Proposition 13, passed in 1978 (Shapiro, 1979). Others believe that A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform (National Commission on Excellence in Education, 1983) was the cornerstone for the accountability movement. Additional national reports, such as America 2000: An Education Strategy (1991), Goals 2000: Educate America Act (1993), and No Child Left Behind (NCLB) (2002) continue to include accountability. In fact, NCLB asks for stronger accountability than previously required for better test results.
