Return-Path: <nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.9.0.Beta5/8.9.0.Beta5/980425bjb) with SMTP id UAA16504; Tue, 7 Sep 1999 20:45:40 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 7 Sep 1999 20:45:40 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <b9fc6921.25070bac@aol.com> Errors-To: lmann@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Anne764139@aol.com To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-FOBASICS:119] Accountability X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: AOL 4.0 for Windows 95 sub 21 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Status: OR Dear Colleagues, Reading Juliet Merrifield's work on accountability, including the article in Focus on Basics, has opened my mind and changed the way I think about accountability. In light of the Workforce Investment Act, I am concerned that by building an accountability system based on standardized tests and "big ticket items" that our legislators can understand, we are capitulating the rich and complex growth of learners that is at the heart of ABE. Ultimately, by not capturing the learning and growth that happens outside of those forms of measurement, we will further marginalize ourselves. What victories do you celebrate in your program? What tells us that what is happening in our programs and classrooms is valuable? We need to advocate for an accountability system that does not devalue the learning that we truly celebrate. There are alternatives to tracking each individual by test scores, outcomes and wages. What are the performance standards that we would like to measure? What are the performance standards that would both make us accountable and validate the efforts of staff and students? Anne Serino Lynn, MA
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