Meeting the Accountability Challenge

Marie Cora
Editor
SABES Central Resource Center / World Education

In this issue of Adventures in Assessment, practitioners and program directors write about their efforts to meet the rising federal and state demands for accountability. The field presently faces layers of challenges: How do we effectively determine adult learners' capabilities? How do we capture learners' progress? How can we use data to inform our practice? How do we construct a system of accountability that examines efforts at the program level?

In an article first written for the ALRI Newsletter, Steve Reuys sets the stage for us with an overview of the NRS and SMARTT reporting systems. He proceeds to outline three options regarding assessment for the field to meet accountability demands.

I contributed an article that I wrote in my previous position as director of a cluster of volunteer-based literacy programs in Providence, Rhode Island. I was in the process of figuring out ways to fit our very non-traditional programming into the federal and state guidelines mandating certain performance and reporting around assessment and accountability. This was particularly challenging in light of the fact that my program was staffed by non-professional volunteers.

Ten years ago, in the very first issue of Adventures in Assessment, Janet Kelly wrote about the assessment process developed at the Read/Write/Now Program in Springfield. Janet writes again, reflecting on a decade of learning and reflection, and outlines her program's efforts to involve adult students more fully in programming, and to use assessment to inform learning and teaching, while still meeting the demands of funders.

Sally Gabb examines whether setting goals with adult students is conducted to meet the requirements of the Massachusetts reporting system, SMARTT, or if goal-setting is engaged with students as a process for learning.

Chris Hebert and her colleagues at Quinsigamond Community College share the new ESL placement test they developed to meet the needs of placing students in SPL levels 7 through 10. Both teachers and adult learners were involved in this process.

Two articles look at how data collection can inform and improve program practice, while still satisfying funders and other stakeholders. Diane Rosenthal gives us an overview of the What Works Literacy Partnership (WWLP), a nationwide program that brings together 12 adult education programs interested in building their capacity to collect, manage and analyze data. Carol Gabler and Heidi Fisher provide a case study of their program's participation in WWLP.

The questions raised in the first paragraph of this introduction are questions that I have heard practitioners voice across the state. And as they are asking these tough questions, they are engaging in research, reflection, questioning, and innovation. It's a challenging, but exciting time in our field: we must rise and meet that challenge. We're ready.

Your thoughts and ideas are welcomed and encouraged. If you would like to submit an article or have comments, please feel free to contact me at: mcora@worlded.org

Originally published in Adventures in Assessment, Volume 13 (Spring 2001),
SABES/World Education, Boston, MA, Copyright 2001.

Funding support for the publication of this document on the Web provided in part by the Ohio State Literacy Resource Center as part of the LINCS Assessment Special Collection.