The U.S. education accountability system is more suited to workers of an industrial economy than one driven by information and professional skills, according to a report by the National Center on Education and the Economy, a Washington-based think tank.
It recommends that American schools administer tests to all students in just 4th, 8th, and 10th grades, focused largely on performance tasks. In other grades, only a sample of students would be assessed. The results of those exams would trigger inspections if a school was falling behind the state curriculum or not sufficiently educating vulnerable students.
The report also urges states to help set up “career ladders” that would enable experienced teachers to mentor colleagues and refine teaching practices.
