The Political Economy of Education

Chapter 20 reviews the various forms of state/public sector originated input-based and student outcome-based accountability systems, from inspector systems to raising standards to publishing school (or country) average test scores to invoking sanctions for schools that do not meet standards for student learning gains, as well as combinations of these various forms of quality control. After a brief review of input-based public “regulation” of education systems, the chapter discusses in detail student test-based accountability systems, including some specific early examples in US states of such systems and the evolution of US national accountability legislation from the 1990s until the Obama administration. The chapter also reviews the growing empirical evidence that such output-based systems significantly improve aggregate student performance. In addition, it critically analyzes the effort by international agencies, such as the OECD PISA program to use international testing to “shame” national educational policymakers into implementing educational reforms.