Motivation and Morale Under ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) Accountability: Evidence From Three States

• In Event: Thursday Roundtable Session 10:50 am
  In Roundtable Session: Using Broad Education Indicators in a Standards-Based Reform: How Does It Play Out? (Table 30)

Abstract

Although standards-based accountability systems have evolved through reauthorizations of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the theory of action has changed little from the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) to the current Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The premise is that school-level accountability designations signal levels of student performance, provide meaningful information to local stakeholders about areas in which schools are underperforming, and motivate educators to foster improvements. While several NCLB-era studies investigated the impact of NCLB accountability on educators’ motivation and morale, fewer studies have examined the association between accountability and these constructs under ESSA. This paper will provide empirical evidence of the influence of ESSA accountability on morale and motivation among school staff in three states.

Authors

• Kerstin A. Carlson Le Floch, American Institutes for Research

• Drew Atchison, American Institutes for Research

• Anna Healy, American Institutes for Research

• Kylie Klein, American Institutes for Research