Professional Capital as Accountability

Abstract

This paper seeks to clarify and spells out the responsibilities of policy makers to create the conditions for an effective accountability system that produces substantial improvements in student learning, strengthens the teaching profession, and provides transparency of results to the public. The authors point out that U.S. policy makers will need to make a major shift from a heavy reliance on external accountability and superficial structural solutions (e.g., professional standards of practice) to investing in and building the professional capital of all teachers and leaders throughout the system. The article draws key lessons from highly effective school systems in the United States and internationally to argue that the priority for policy makers should be to lead with creating the conditions for internal accountability, that is, the collective responsibility within the teaching profession for the continuous improvement and success of all students. This approach is based on the development and circulation of professional capital that consists of three components: individual human capital, social capital (where teachers learn from each other), and decisional capital (developing judgment and expertise over time). In this new professional accountability model, the external accountability that reassures the public that the system is performing in line with societal expectations continues to be an important role of educational systems, but it is nurtured and sustained by the development of strong internal accountability.

Turning heads: The impact of political reform on the professional role, identity and recruitment of head teachers in Wales

“…'s () reflection that education systems differ in their fostering or, conversely, limiting of teacher agency is particularly apposite in a UK policy context where, following devolution, approaches to teacher professionalism have diverged (Davies et al ., ). This stress on agency has been emphasised by academics, who see it as an essential component within wider school reform (Hargreaves & Fullan, ), or as forming the basis of alternative forms of professional capital (Fullan et al ., ).…”

The Role of District Office Leaders in the Adoption and Implementation of the Common Core State Standards in Elementary Schools

“…Additionally, consequential challenges arise for district leaders and their leadership strategies including making sense of the policy requirements and developing contingencies for local implementation and understanding what policy features facilitate, constrain, and impede implementation (Donaldson, & Mayer, 2012). Furthermore, these challenges extend to leaders making sense of how organizational designs enhance or constrain the professional capacity of school leaders and teachers (Fullan, Rincón-Gallardo, & Hargreaves, 2015) and developing strategies as they strive to persuade principals, teachers, and other front-line professionals to "buy-in" to these changes (Packard & Shih, 2014).…”

OECD Reviews of School Resources: Denmark 2016

“…Fullan et al (2015) describe this work as building the professional capacity of teachers and define it as "human capacity (the quality of the individual), social capacity (the quality of the group) and decisional capital (the development of expertise and professional judgment of individuals and groups to make more and more effective decisions over time)".…”

“…Fullan et al (2015) report that the combined power of capacity building of staff with collaborative inquiry yields great impact for improvements in student achievement.…”