Extending Accountability: From compliance to learning

The mandates of the US National Reporting System (NRS)accountability framework presented adult education at the state and locallevels with a quantitative, outcomes-based, mandatory system. In the earlyyears of the NRS, researchers explored the challenges of implementing largescaleaccountability systems and documented its early impact. With thecontinued implementation of the NRS over the past four to five years, thispaper takes a fresh look at the impact of those accountability requirementswith particular reference to implementation by the Connecticut StateDepartment of Education (CSDE). It presents some positive developmentswith respect to curriculum, instruction, and the use of data, while highlightingsome of the shortcomings within the NRS approaches. It discusses theorganisational implications for local programs, presents strategies for stateagencies, and offers suggestions for improving the NRS