Multiple Accountability Theory: Eight Paradigms of Accountability in Education

• In Event: 26.080 - Roundtable Session 8
  In Roundtable Session: 26.080-2 - School Organization, Supervision, and Governance

Abstract

Although accountability in education has taken on a very narrow meaning (usually referring just to formal policies that reward and punish quantitatively-measured performance and/or market mechanisms), there are many other paradigms of accountability that function in our schools and districts on a daily basis. This paper presents an updated typology for Multiple Accountability Theory, one that is grounded in empirical research with educational leaders. Its eight paradigms (i.e., Regulatory Accountability, Organizational Accountability, Market Accountability, Electoral Accountability, Reputational Accountability, Social Accountability, Introspective Accountability and Resistive Accountability) can coexist within a single context, crisis, or even within a single accountor-accountee relationship. All eight of these paradigms guide and shape the actions, decision-making and prioritization of educational leaders.

Author

• Alexander Mishra Hoffman, AleDev Research