[NLA] accountability?

[Debbie Yoho]

Eileen Eckert wrote:
 
> Who benefits from so-called accountability measures? Can anyone defend
them
> as improving services to learners? If so, please give specific examples
and
> evidence.

The people who benefit are those who want to save money, cut programs,
and/or who believe there is a "silver bullet" that will "solve the literacy
problem".  It is also the first argument made by political leadership that
does not want to make the hard decisions when resources are tight:  "Let
the chips fall where they may," they say, "so long as the system is uniform
and therefore fair."  The only defense I've seen is the folk wisdom that
"competition improves services".  I would go so far as to say this is never
true in education, where collegiality and collaboration are the key to
improvement, whether we are talking about research, teaching, learning, or
ny other components of the process.  When educators resist accountability
measures, it is for this valid reason, not because we fear competition,
want to be left alone or prefer to operate without oversight.
Unfortunately, those in control right now don't believe this.  We have to
change their minds.

Deborah W. Yoho
Co-moderator, NIFL-Health Listserv
President, SC Adult Literacy Educators
Executive Director, Greater Columbia Literacy Council
2728 Devine Street,  Columbia, SC  29205
803-765-2555   Fax  803-779-8417   dwyoho at earthlink.net


> [Original Message]
> From: Art LaChance <arthur at ellijay.com>
> To: <nla at lists.literacytent.org>
> Date: 3/10/2003 8:28:37 PM
> Subject: Re: [NLA] accountability?
>
> Eileen,
>
> Thank you.  Couldn't have done better.
> My thoughts here are that this issue is a very clear example of the
conflict
> between academic/administration and the reality of the classroom and adult
> student.  Totally separate goals, so necessarily the philosophies don't
gell
> together at all.
> I hate cliches but really it's a case of damned if you do and damned if
you
> don't.  So what's your goal here if you're a teacher with the best
interests of
> the student in mind ?  My conscience is my guide.
>
> Art
>
>
>
> Eileen Eckert wrote:
>
> > Who benefits from so-called accountability measures? Can anyone defend
them
> > as improving services to learners? If so, please give specific examples
and
> > evidence.
> >
> > I've noticed a couple of themes in the discussions of standardized
tests as
> > instruments of accountability: one is that programs that accept the
> > standardized test strings attached to federal money seem to be making an
> > effort not to let the tests become too big a barrier to learning or too
> > detrimental to learners.
> >
> > Another is that in order to keep standardized tests from interfering too
> > much with services to learners, some programs are dispensing with the
only
> > thing that makes the tests accountability measures--that is, the
> > standardization (specifically timing). So how does "accountability" help
> > learners?
> >
> > One outcome of "accountability" is that money that might have gone to
serve
> > students now goes to buy tests and answer sheets, certify teachers to
> > administer the tests, pay trainers to certify the teachers, pay
researchers
> > to interpret the (invalidated, unreliable, but let's not talk about
that)
> > data, etc., etc. There's an example of money flowing from the poor to
the
> > rich!
> >
> > So how does accountability help learners?
> >
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