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Recent research highlights the importance of academic achievement as a determinant of economic well-being. Individual earnings, income growth in states, and national growth rates for GDP are each significantly determined by the population's cognitive skills, which in turn are proxied by scores on standardized achievement tests. This well-documented relationship between education and economic outcomes underscores the importance of using test information to guide both school policy and school operations. While test-based accountability has been controversial, scientific evidence about the economic value of school improvement and about the efficacy of various accountability approaches points to holding schools and teachers accountable for their contributions to the academic performance of students.

Politicians typically focus on short-term economic issues; but, a nation's long-term economic well-being is directly linked to its rate of economic growth. In turn, its growth rate is directly linked to the economically relevant skills of its population. Until recently, however, economists have found it hard to confirm this through empirical analysis because of difficulties in measuring the skills of different societies. International tests of mathematics and science achievement now offer reliable measures of a population's relevant cognitive skills.

It is asserted that the US federal government should play a greater role in making public elementary & secondary educational institutions accountable for students' performance. Although many American adults are confident that their children are receiving quality education in public institutions, findings from various contemporary studies are cited to contradict this belief. An overview of the school accountability movement that emerged during the 1990s is subsequently provided, emphasizing its benefits for the national education system. Several reasons for supporting federal involvement in school accountability are provided; for instance it is stated that federal governments are obligated to advance the national economy & that educational achievement & economic performance are intricately related. Moreover, empirical data reporting the advantages of school accountability in the US is cited to bolster support for federal government involvement. Multiple issues that require additional consideration are also highlighted, eg, making schools accountable for students' performance will not resolve all education-related problems. 7 References. J. W. Parker

Presents a rejoinder to Rothstein's article Why the Federal Government Should Not Be Involved in School Accountability..