Accountability from the inside out: A case study of isolation and autonomy.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The working theory of internal accountability has emerged as an alternative model for thinking about educational accountability. Internal accountability is defined by three layers of interaction: (1) individuals' sense of responsibility; (2) shared norms and expectations among individuals in an organization; and (3) the capacity of the organization to direct and support instructional practice (Ablemann & Elmore, 1999). Understanding how a school moves along a continuum from weak to strong internal accountability is an area where more research is needed. This study contributes to the understanding of how internal accountability develops by exploring the influence of teacher isolation and autonomy on the development of internal accountability, with a focus on moving from an atomistic "default" position to a second tier, characterized by shared norms and expectations among individuals in an organization. The capacity of schools to engage in a collective response to mandated external accountability requirements may be a determining factor in whether schools are able to improve student achievement in a substantive and long lasting way.
In this single case study conducted in a western Pennsylvania elementary school, a survey of teachers' perspectives was conducted to assess internal accountability. Individual interviews were utilized to obtain rich descriptions of participants' experience and perspectives related to themes of isolation and autonomy. This study highlights the role of autonomy in the development of strong internal accountability.