This policy brief, published by the National Education Policy Center and the Beyond Test Scores Project, recommends more equitable and effective approaches to assessment and accountability in anticipation of a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The policy agenda provides six recommendations:

1. Aligning assessment policy with goals for high-quality curricula and instruction
2. Developing reciprocal accountability
3. Ensuring the participation of community members
4. Expanding accountability measures of school quality
5. Designing systems with actionable results
6. Committing to continuous improvement over time

This framework aims to recommend these six principles to policymakers at the federal, state, and local levels. The authors of the policy brief emphasize the importance of the role of educators and educational leaders in shaping the future of educational assessment and accountability. This policy brief may offer a useful framework for education stakeholders and can be used as a teaching tool in providing an overview of the historical and present issues facing education.