Over the past two decades, federal education policies such as the No Child Left Behind Act and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) have sought to improve school performance through accountability systems. As states emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, many began exploring ways to expand accountability beyond ESSA requirements. These efforts reflect a growing recognition that the traditional federal framework may not fully capture the complexity of student learning and school performance in today’s educational landscape.

This white paper documents how states are rethinking and refining their accountability systems to better align improvement efforts with student outcomes. It highlights innovative approaches adopted since ESSA’s enactment, explores lessons learned from four detailed case studies, and identifies promising practices that can guide both state and federal policymakers with the goal of fostering more flexible accountability systems nationwide.