Supporting Continuous Improvement in California's Education System

This report from Linda Darling-Hammond and David Plank profiles the role of California's new accountability system. California’s new accountability system is different from the previous system in nearly every important respect. The new system is grounded in the concept of reciprocal accountability: that is, every actor in the system—from the Capitol to the classroom— must be responsible for the aspects of educational quality and performance that it controls. 

The system has three fundamental commitments:

• To pursue meaningful learning for students – through the adoption of new standards and curriculum frameworks more focused on higher order thinking and performance abilities;
• To give schools and districts the resources and flexibility they need to serve their communities effectively – through the new LCFF, which allocates funds based on student needs and allows communities to determine where the funds should be spent to achieve the best results;
• To provide professional learning and supports for teachers and administrators – through stronger preparation and ongoing professional development.