Strong School-Accountability Plan Dies in S.C.

By Robert C. Johnston

This year's boldest state school-accountability measure died abruptly as the South Carolina legislature tabled the bill and opted to assemble a commission to discuss the issue.

The plan included a provision that called for the firing of principals and superintendents whose schools failed to make progress toward specific benchmarks over three consecutive years. The move to make administrators pay if their schools fell short was ultimately undone by a highly charged debate and lawmakers' election-year tendency to steer clear of divisive issues.

But backers said the South Carolina battle simply shows that the fight for strong accountability measures cannot be won...