Evaluation, Accountability and Continuous Improvement
Evaluation and accountability are key to any system or program improvement process. Multiple accountability systems already exist in California to provide data that both meet specific requirements at the federal and state level and support program improvement efforts. These include systems mandated by NCLB, the Carl D. Perkins Act, and the Workforce Investment Act, as well as state systems designed to provide the Academic Performance Index for schools; ensure continued funding for high-quality, high-demand community college programs; and assess compliance with the requirements of many different individual programs in both segments. In view of the multiplicity of existing accountability systems, coupled with the intended integration of CTE into educational policy as a strategy to serve all students, any discussion of accountability must focus on utilizing, aligning, and expanding upon existing systems, and must emphasize program improvement along with reporting of compliance-driven data. Similarly, to the extent that such a system (or collection of systems) is intended to drive improvement in CTE for the benefit of all its customers — students, businesses, communities, and taxpayers statewide — it must report progress on measures that are meaningful to each of these groups.