RE: What does accountability mean?

My job is Director of Adult Education for a program of over 36,000 students. 

Suzan Hawbaker listed the roles of teachers, school districts, students and parents in an accountability system. Charles Ratliff added the "legislature must be accountable for providing the resources required to provide a quality education to every student."

Accountablity is an important part of a quality education sytem. If the legislature is accountable to provide a quality education, then does not the legislature have the responsibility to mandate the resources required for a high quality accountability system?

The ongoing price tag for accountability data collection for our adult education program is approximately $200,000 per year with no additional support provided for implementation. The resulting "mandated costs" have taken that amount of money from other program needs, including direct student services. The Master Plan should include a commitment to fund new mandates.