national accountability essay

number 61 • Fall 2024

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The Accountability Challenge

Chester e. finn, jr., winter 2024.

American elementary and secondary education remains seriously unwell. That's clear to anyone paying attention. Dismal student achievement has grown far worse in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Learning gaps are wider than ever. Too many graduates are ready for neither college nor the workplace. Chronic absenteeism has become a plague. And American schools are regressing rather than recovering on most of these fronts. But there is a deeper cause for worry underlying these problems: The country's multi-decade commitment to results-based accountability for schools and students has badly eroded and may not be recoverable.

The proposition that schools should be "held to account" for their pupils' learning (or lack thereof) was the bedrock of education reform across the United States for several decades. Almost as fundamental, if less widespread, was the proposition that individual students should not move on to the next level, be it fourth grade, advanced algebra, or college, unless they could demonstrate that they had met the standards of the previous level.

Along with mounting attention to school choice in its many permutations, the achievement-boosting, school-changing strategy erected on accountability (commonly termed "standards-based reform") drove passage of state and federal laws — peaking with 2002's No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) — as well as billions of public and private dollars, the earnest work of hundreds of would-be education fixers (myself included), the production of innumerable reports and books, and the administration of tens of millions of standardized tests. And it made a difference. Not enough, to be sure, but bona fide achievement gains were made during the last decade of the 20th century and first decade of the 21st. They were mostly confined to math (though reading showed modest bumps as well), but were consequential for many poor and minority students — notably among those at the lower end of the score distribution. Which is to say, the floor rose under those who most needed it.

In no way were such gains sufficient. They didn't touch all children and tended to fade in high school. Yet they were worthy of sustaining and augmenting. For the most part, that didn't happen: Scores were flattening or sagging well before the pandemic. One reason was the gradual weakening of accountability, which has since approached collapse.

THE ROOTS OF ACCOUNTABILITY

The logic undergirding an accountability-centered theory of education reform can be traced to a blockbuster federal study released over the Fourth of July weekend in 1966 (timing carefully chosen by Lyndon Johnson's White House, it was said, to minimize attention to unwelcome findings) and written by the celebrated sociologist James Coleman. In its smaller way, it resembled the work of Copernicus or Galileo, challenging the long-held belief among educators and public officials (President Johnson included) that if you want better outcomes from schools, you add to their inputs: shovel in more money, require more credentials for teachers, shrink class sizes, buy better textbooks, and so on.

Not necessarily so, said Coleman. His voluminous data showed that this assumption was unreliable, that the relationship between school inputs and outcomes was shaky at best, and that other forces (family circumstances, peer group, and more) caused greater differences in pupil achievement than anything done by schools.

Though this conclusion was fiercely resisted by educators, and elements of it remain contentious today, by and large it has held up for almost six decades. Its implications for education policy were profound: If school outcomes — student achievement in its various forms — are unsatisfactory, don't just pump in resources and assume the best; focus instead on the outcomes you seek, orchestrate the work of schools to produce them insofar as possible, and hold teachers and principals to account for how well they succeed.

As tripods should, the "accountability tripod" had three legs: establish academic standards that spell out what kids should learn at each stage of their compulsory education; devise tests or other measures to track how well they are or aren't learning it; and reward schools (and those who work in them) that produce the desired results while embarrassing, punishing, or intervening in those that don't.

Along with school choice, this strategy characterized most American school-reform efforts in the aftermath of 1983's much-cited A Nation at Risk report, which angrily displayed the inadequacies of what schoolchildren were then learning in the K-12 years. Coleman had said to focus on the outcomes you want; A Nation at Risk said our outcomes were sorely lacking. And many governors, especially in the South, had already figured out that transforming their stumbling old agrarian economies meant that they had to imbue their populations with more skills.

Implicit in the "tripod" approach was the assumption that educators knew what to do to turn around slipshod schools and boost student learning but didn't necessarily have the incentives — or often the autonomy — to do what was required. Simply stated, they possessed the skill but lacked the will , except when they had both but were stymied by inertia, regulation, and politics — the latter two usually involving adult interests taking precedence over those of children.

Accordingly, reformers sought to boost achievement by creating incentives and loosening constraints. Or, at least, that was the original idea.

Tennessee's Republican governor Lamar Alexander — who went on to serve as U.S. education secretary and an influential senator — characterized the freedom-for-results approach in 1986 when, summarizing a major report by the National Governors Association, he said:

The governors are ready for some old-fashioned horse-trading. We'll regulate less, if schools and school districts will produce better results....[T]he governors want to help establish clear goals and better report cards, ways to measure what students know and can do. Then, we're ready to give up a lot of state regulatory control — even to fight for changes in the law to make that happen —  if schools and school districts will be accountable for the results.

That loosening of control in return for better results is essentially what the then-new charter-school movement did while also advancing school choice. But system-oriented reformers — and federal and state policymakers — tended, as government officials most often do, to make more rules and tighten the screws. Thus the movement for accountability pushed in two opposing directions at once.

The temptation to tighten further would soon follow the Charlottesville "education summit" to which George H. W. Bush — who had vowed to be an "education president" — summoned the nation's governors in September 1989. Hard as it is to imagine today, 49 of them turned up, Arkansas's Bill Clinton prominent among them.

Their product was a set of wildly ambitious "national education goals" that they declared the country should reach by century's end. The third of those goals stated that by the year 2000, "American students will leave grades four, eight, and 12 having demonstrated competency in challenging subject matter including English, mathematics, science, history, and geography." The fourth vowed that "U.S. students will be first in the world in science and mathematics achievement."

These were grand aspirations. But what force might bring them closer to fulfilment? State-led reforms were obviously needed. Yet if this was indeed to be a national effort — promoted, if not led, from the Oval Office — what could Uncle Sam do to help?

Exploiting the then-recently enhanced authority of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) to set performance benchmarks on its tests and report state-level outcomes was one way. The presidential "bully pulpit" was another. But what about something with more oomph that would lead to change across the entire at-risk nation?

GOALS AND RULES

The idea came on gradually, then accelerated. In April 1991, Bush and the ubiquitous Alexander, now secretary of education, unveiled their four-part "America 2000 strategy" for nudging the country toward those aggressive goals via innovation, school "reinvention," more choice, and "voluntary national tests" — plus a lot of cheerleading and pulpit-pounding.

Congress mostly yawned in response, but perked up when Clinton (a Democrat) became president and proposed enshrining the goals in federal law. This happened in 1994 with passage of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act. Clinton's education secretary (and former South Carolina governor) Dick Riley would describe that measure in these gentle terms:

Instead of the traditional federal regulatory approach, it was a new model of partnership with states and local school districts that encouraged innovation, promoted flexibility and cut red tape....Public education would remain primarily a state and local responsibility, but this law established that it is indeed a national priority. It's important to note that the Goals 2000: Educate America Act was administered without writing a single new regulation.

This formulation was a bit disingenuous because that same year — weeks before Newt Gingrich's "Republican Revolution" won the GOP both houses for the first time since 1952 — Congress also passed the Improving America's Schools Act, which reauthorized LBJ's Elementary and Secondary Education Act with more strings and conditions than ever before, this time affecting the billions of federal school-aid dollars administered through what's known as "Title I." As the bill summary stated, this law

Requires any State desiring to receive a grant...to submit State plans that...describe challenging standards for all children that will be used by the State, its [local education agencies], and its schools to carry out this Act, including: (1) challenging academic content standards; and (2) challenging student performance standards....Directs the Secretary of Education to establish a process for peer review and Secretarial approval.

The screws were tightening — and this, at the outset, had a positive effect. The education arena of the 1990s buzzed as states, mostly for the first time, set academic standards for their public schools, created tests aligned with those standards, in some cases created school accountability plans attached to test results, and erected hurdles for students, such as tests they must pass in order to obtain high-school diplomas. But with substantial federal dollars now at stake, these mandatory "state plans" received ever-closer federal oversight.

As the millennium began, Uncle Sam bore down harder still. George W. Bush brought with him to Washington the conviction that the entire country should emulate Texas's impressive record of boosting achievement and narrowing racial gaps via its accountability tripod. He enlisted bipartisan support — notably Massachusetts Democrat Ted Kennedy — and passed NCLB at the end of 2001.

The centerpiece of that much-discussed statute — a near repudiation of the "horse trade" approach that Alexander had outlined — was a steep staircase of achievement targets for individual schools tied to a cascade of interventions in those that failed to scale the heights. It all hinged on regular testing of reading and math, followed by "disaggregation" of results such that no school could be considered good if any of its subgroups were performing poorly. While states would set their own standards and select their own tests, the federal Department of Education had to approve the latter, and the NAEP would show whether their standards and test "cut scores" were truly rigorous.

Thus by 2002, "school accountability" had become a sort of hierarchy in which faltering performance by schools (with the prominent exception of charter schools) would be dealt with by districts, districts by states, and states, while not directly intervened in by Washington, would have their performance audited and publicized via federal tests, and would need the Education Department's approval of their own tests and plans in order to continue receiving significant sums of federal dollars.

Meanwhile, at the student level, several states adopted uniform end-of-course exams and all states had to report to parents their children's performance on the tests mandated by NCLB. Some jurisdictions adopted "reading guarantees" such that children could not proceed from third to fourth grade until they passed a statewide assessment. "Kindergarten readiness" gauges were established in many places, and more states — 27 at the peak — imposed graduation tests.

The best-known and arguably most successful example of a student accountability program is Massachusetts's Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS), launched in the '90s as part of a wide-ranging reform effort that has so far been maintained (with adjustments) under governors of both parties and a revolving cast of legislative and education leaders. Such perseverance with an education strategy of any sort is a rarity in a land where elections usually lead to policy shifts and local superintendents are soon replaced by leaders with different agendas.

MCAS is not very demanding. It's basically an eighth-grade level test — subject to various work-arounds, exemptions, and opportunities for retakes — of English, math, and science that high-school students take starting in 10th grade. But it has lasted almost three decades, and most observers credit it for the "Massachusetts miracle," as it was termed, particularly in the late 1990s and early 2000s when Bay State NAEP scores rose dramatically, surpassing those of all other states and comparing favorably to hard-charging Asian nations on international comparisons such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's Program for International Student Assessment, or PISA, exams.

THE BEGINNING OF THE END

Perhaps predictably, this shift toward accountability — and the tests and judgments it depended on — led to backlash, as government-enforced behaviorism always does. Too many schools were labeled "in need of improvement" under federal criteria, even if they were satisfactorily educating most of their pupils — and more than a few of those schools were located in leafy suburbs where property values are commonly associated with a reputation for "great public education." Stressing reading and math scores felt like it narrowed the curriculum, even as days spent prepping students for annual tests irritated teachers and cramped their style. The focus on getting kids over the "proficient" bar led to neglect of those already well over it. It also tended to be unfair to low-income schools that were better at boosting their pupils' weak skills than at boosting them over the bar.

Teachers didn't like it, particularly when Barack Obama's Race to the Top program — part of 2009's big economic stimulus passed to deal with the Great Recession — caused states to judge individual instructors based on their pupils' scores (even though experts cautioned that the then-current testing system was a valid evaluation for just a fraction of the teaching workforce). The attempt was enough to cause teachers and their unions to rail against both accountability and testing, even as rekindled attention to "equity" focused more spotlights on the achievement gaps that those cursed tests revealed. More than a few progressives favored shooting the messenger.

Race to the Top also infuriated conservatives, many of whom didn't care for Obama in the first place. The fact that the program effectively coerced states into adopting the "Common Core" standards for reading and math didn't help, either. The standards themselves had merit, being meatier and more rigorous than most state standards, and they had emerged from a state-driven development process. Yet they smacked of a national curriculum imposed by Uncle Sam, meaning hostility from the right was all but inevitable.

Thus arose a perfect storm over results-based accountability and the academic standards and tests it depended on. In addition to teachers and real-estate agents, many parents (surely egged on by teachers) disliked the whole regimen. Kids didn't like it. District bureaucrats didn't like how it threatened their power base and disrupted their routines. All this animosity would intensify further during the Covid-19 pandemic, when just getting kids (and teachers) into schools felt like achievement enough.

Long before that, however, the Department of Education began issuing waivers and allowing modifications that eased NCLB's rigid framework while pumping out billions of dollars for "school improvement" programs that yielded meager results. It turns out to be extremely difficult to turn around a low-performing school, save when the interventions are so drastic — changing the staff, replacing the curriculum, transforming it into a charter school, and so forth — that few districts or states have the guts to follow through. Instead, they typically opted for the mildest permissible interventions, such as telling the current school team to draw up an "improvement plan."

Mildness got further license from Washington in 2015 when Congress, in response to the various rigidities in and protests against the 13-year-old NCLB, relaxed the federal rules and consequences for low-performing schools, leaving states to determine in large part what (if anything) to do about them and their districts. One can reasonably interpret this as an overdue return to the 10th Amendment and a corrective to federal overreach. But the practical effect was that states, and blue states in particular, could revert to laissez-faire.

We also learned along the way that the tripod needed a fourth leg, for it turned out that many educators lacked the requisite know-how to transform their schools and amp up their students' learning. They had never needed to acquire such skills, or their supervisors didn't care about them, or their education-school professors had failed to supply them — maybe didn't even believe in them.

A more comprehensive reform strategy would have incorporated elements of what education-policy types term "capacity building" for teachers and administrators alike, as well as school-board members and others who set policy for school systems. It would pay greater attention to curricula and other "inside the classroom" elements. And — as in Alexander's "horse trade" — it would lower the barriers to change enshrined in long-standing regulations, certification rules, collective-bargaining agreements, and the like.

But capacity building tends to cost money, takes a long time, and smacks of fiddling with inputs rather than focusing single-mindedly on outcomes. So not much of it happened — which only added to educators' frustration.

The turn against accountability received an extra push during the Donald Trump/Betsy DeVos era in Washington, which emphasized school choice over standards-based reforms and further weakened the spirit of bipartisanship that had produced such measures. The arrival of Joe Biden and Secretary Miguel Cardona helped not at all, for they've shown almost zero interest in student achievement while showering attention on every form of equity and shoveling billions of "Covid-19 recovery dollars" into public schools with little obligation to spend it on recovering student achievement.

The Biden team reflects an old, pre-Coleman, LBJ-style approach to education (always the preferred approach of teachers' unions), which is to go heavy on resources and equality. Meanwhile, most conservatives seem to have pledged their troth to school choice and marketplace forces. Hence there's very little constituency, at least among policy leaders, for standards or testing, even if school accountability in the abstract continues to do well in public-opinion polls.

THE END OF ACCOUNTABILITY

Evidence of this waning attention abounds. Today, only eight states have any sort of high-school graduation test. The head of FairTest gloats over this victory for anti-testers, declaring that such requirements "harm thousands of young people who either drop out after failing an exit exam or are forced out of school without high school diplomas despite completing all their classroom work."

In the Bay State, the MCAS is now in jeopardy, as anti-testers and equity hawks have joined forces with the teachers' union to press for its abolition, and more lawmakers have come to agree. As state senator Joanne Comerford put it, "a single test shouldn't determine if a student graduates from high school....This is a test that disproportionately fails our most vulnerable and at-risk students....We need to bring an end to punitive high-stakes testing."

Things aren't much different in the Midwest, where the same argument convinced Ohio legislators in June to defang the Buckeye State's "third grade reading guarantee" — the requirement that students pass a reading test before being promoted to fourth grade. Going forward, they won't be held back unless their parents consent, which isn't apt to happen very often. In the same omnibus bill, the state's deep-red General Assembly enhanced school choice on several fronts.

Meanwhile, Georgia didn't abolish its four statewide end-of-course exams, but they don't make much difference anymore: Peach State lawmakers recently voted that districts may count those scores for as little as 10% of a student's grade in the relevant classes, which means credit toward graduation can mount faster, even when students flunk state tests.

It's important to understand that neither single-course state tests nor MCAS-style graduation requirements nor "reading guarantees" (still found in several states, including Mississippi with its own recent "reading miracle") are cruel, insensitive, or rigid. Tough, yes, but invariably accompanied by exceptions, second chances, and remedial arrangements for kids who for some reason just can't pass the regular test on schedule. The point of such measures isn't to punish. Amply supported by studies that demonstrate their efficacy, their purpose is to ensure that students moving on to the next stage of their educations — or their lives — have learned the essentials that they will need to succeed there. If schools aren't tough about that now, these students will run into tougher problems later. That's tough love.

The pandemic brought "accountability holidays" of every sort — even the federally mandated annual testing was suspended in 2020, and the 2021 version allowed for wide variation in how it was administered. States relaxed or skipped the identification of low-performing schools. Many schools stopped grading or failing students, or ordered teachers not to score anything below 50% — all this on top of the grade inflation that was its own epidemic long before the coronavirus kicked up, as was the suspension of entrance-test scores by ever more student-hungry colleges.

Many states, meanwhile, had already made use of their post-2015 federal freedom to ease up on school accountability, particularly any sort of intervention in failing schools. (Some, though, ramped up the "embarrassment" version by emulating Florida's move to assign old-fashioned letter grades to schools based on their performance, the theory being that parents seeing D or F grades applied by the state to their children's schools might be motivated to do something about the situation. Educators of course hate this practice.)

I happened to be on Maryland's state board of education as the Old Line State was devising its plan (for submission to Washington) in response to that new flexibility. Every time board members suggested — even mentioned in a public meeting — a high-traction school intervention, such as converting a chronically low-performing school into a charter school, the ever-vigilant teachers' union trekked to the overwhelmingly blue-hued and union-friendly legislature and got such possibilities scotched. They also persuaded lawmakers to expand the board with more parent and teacher representatives. When I told Senator Alexander that the federal law he had nursed into passage was having such undesirable effects in my state, he smiled and suggested that perhaps we should elect different legislators.

The country may be headed toward separate education-policy strategies in red and blue states, but traditional results-driven accountability doesn't loom large on either agenda — choice drives the former, equity and money the latter. Nor are learning outcomes at the top of the agenda for anyone who counts in today's Washington, or even increasingly among the advocates and advocacy groups that pressed it forward for decades.

An illustrative case is a recently published report titled "The Path Forward for School Accountability" from the generally estimable non-profit National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment. Its 18 pages are long on "stakeholder" engagement, "principled design processes," "support systems," "improvement planning," and "comprehensive" approaches. Nothing in it is objectionable, and much of it is worth taking seriously. But one searches in vain for consequences, for interventions, for what to do to or about a school that may lack the will even when it possesses the skill.

All of this is consonant with a phase in our education history when we find ourselves replacing academic achievement, gains, and gap-closings with whole-childism, "multiple measures" of performance, waivers from testing, and holidays from consequences while focusing on "supporting" schools and "building their capacity" without also holding them to account for their performance. Much love, no tough.

Yes, we probably went overboard on one-size-fits-all goals and metrics, command-and-control remedies, and a big-government approach to the vast, sprawling, variegated world of K-12 education. Yes, we paid too little attention to that loosely coupled system's capacity to change. But now we're overcompensating. Like a golfer who overcorrects his swing, we're missing the green — and likely to keep doing so.

One might think the acute learning losses wrought by the pandemic over the past several years and our inability thus far to correct them might jar policy leaders back to school and student outcomes as the foremost goal. But that's not happening; instead, we continue to soften.

Driving constructive change in a free society is not easy — make too many people do things they don't want to do, and you'll probably get voted out of office. But it's not impossible. Restaurants get shut down by the health department if they have vermin. Pilots and bus drivers get grounded if they can't pass the licensing test. You can't cross bridges that fail safety inspections or inhabit a house that doesn't meet the fire code.

We can be tough when health and safety are at stake. Why would we keep a school open when its students aren't learning? Why would we "license" a student for fourth grade or graduation when he cannot pass the test?

We need a rebirth of accountability in American K-12 education, while also still taking "capacity" seriously. Skills are necessary to that end, for sure. But when the will isn't there, consequences must follow.

Chester E. Finn, Jr., is distinguished senior fellow and president emeritus at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution.

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103 Accountability Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Accountability is a fundamental aspect of personal and professional growth. Whether you are a student, employee, or leader, understanding the importance of accountability is crucial for success. Writing an essay on accountability allows you to explore various aspects of this concept and its implications. To help you get started, here are 103 accountability essay topic ideas and examples:

• The importance of personal accountability in achieving goals.
• How does accountability contribute to ethical decision-making?
• Exploring the relationship between accountability and trust.
• The role of accountability in building strong teams.
• Accountability and its impact on workplace productivity.
• Analyzing the consequences of a lack of accountability in an organization.
• How can leaders foster a culture of accountability within their teams?
• The connection between accountability and effective communication.
• The impact of accountability on individual and organizational performance.
• The influence of accountability on employee morale and job satisfaction.
• Exploring the accountability of leaders in times of crisis.
• How does accountability contribute to personal growth and development?
• The role of accountability in maintaining work-life balance.
• Analyzing the relationship between accountability and self-discipline.
• The impact of accountability on decision-making processes.
• The connection between accountability and resilience in challenging situations.
• The role of accountability in preventing and addressing workplace conflicts.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in educational institutions.
• The influence of accountability on student motivation and academic performance.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of social media and online behavior.
• The role of accountability in promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
• The impact of accountability on ethical leadership.
• Exploring the connection between accountability and organizational culture.
• The consequences of a lack of accountability in government institutions.
• The influence of accountability on public trust in political leaders.
• Analyzing the role of accountability in healthcare systems.
• The connection between accountability and patient safety.
• The impact of accountability on environmental sustainability.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in the criminal justice system.
• The role of accountability in promoting transparency and reducing corruption.
• The influence of accountability on financial management and reporting.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of international relations and diplomacy.
• The connection between accountability and human rights protection.
• The impact of accountability on peacebuilding and conflict resolution.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in the media industry.
• The role of accountability in promoting fair and unbiased journalism.
• The influence of accountability on corporate social responsibility.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of sports and athletics.
• The connection between accountability and fair play.
• The impact of accountability on sportsmanship and athlete behavior.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in the education system.
• The role of accountability in improving teacher-student relationships.
• The influence of accountability on educational policies and reforms.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of parenting and family dynamics.
• The connection between accountability and effective parenting strategies.
• The impact of accountability on children's behavior and character development.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in personal relationships.
• The role of accountability in fostering trust and mutual respect.
• The influence of accountability on relationship satisfaction and longevity.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of addiction recovery.
• The connection between accountability and successful rehabilitation.
• The impact of accountability on relapse prevention.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in the military.
• The role of accountability in promoting discipline and unit cohesion.
• The influence of accountability on military readiness and effectiveness.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of volunteer organizations and charity work.
• The connection between accountability and impactful social change.
• The impact of accountability on volunteer motivation and commitment.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in religious institutions.
• The role of accountability in maintaining ethical conduct within religious communities.
• The influence of accountability on religious leadership and followership.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of technology and cybersecurity.
• The connection between accountability and data privacy protection.
• The impact of accountability on combating cybercrime and online threats.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in the entertainment industry.
• The role of accountability in promoting diversity and representation in media.
• The influence of accountability on ethical content creation and consumption.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of entrepreneurship and business startups.
• The connection between accountability and entrepreneurial success.
• The impact of accountability on business ethics and sustainability.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in the tourism industry.
• The role of accountability in promoting responsible travel and cultural preservation.
• The influence of accountability on sustainable tourism practices.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of scientific research and innovation.
• The connection between accountability and research integrity.
• The impact of accountability on scientific discoveries and advancements.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in social welfare programs.
• The role of accountability in ensuring fair distribution of resources.
• The influence of accountability on poverty alleviation and social justice.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of humanitarian aid and disaster relief efforts.
• The connection between accountability and effective emergency response.
• The impact of accountability on fostering resilient communities.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in the transportation industry.
• The role of accountability in promoting road safety and reducing accidents.
• The influence of accountability on sustainable transportation practices.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of animal welfare and conservation.
• The connection between accountability and ethical treatment of animals.
• The impact of accountability on wildlife conservation efforts.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in food production and distribution.
• The role of accountability in ensuring food safety and quality standards.
• The influence of accountability on sustainable farming practices.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of mental health care and support.
• The connection between accountability and destigmatizing mental health issues.
• The impact of accountability on access to mental health services.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in urban planning and development.
• The role of accountability in creating sustainable and livable cities.
• The influence of accountability on community engagement and participation.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of cultural preservation and heritage protection.
• The connection between accountability and safeguarding cultural diversity.
• The impact of accountability on promoting inclusive cultural practices.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in international aid and development.
• The role of accountability in ensuring effective allocation of resources in developing countries.
• The influence of accountability on sustainable development goals.

These 103 accountability essay topic ideas cover a wide range of disciplines and industries, allowing you to approach the concept of accountability from different angles. Whether you are writing an essay for academic purposes or personal reflection, these topics will provide you with a solid foundation to explore this important subject. Remember to choose a topic that interests you and aligns with your objectives, as this will make the writing process more enjoyable and meaningful.

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The Importance of Accountability, Essay Example

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Introduction

Accountability is a general concept in governance and ethics with several meanings. It is often synonymously in use with concepts as answerability, responsibility, liability, blameworthiness, and other terms relating to the account-giving expectations (Richard, 2000). As a governance aspect, accountability is central to discussions, mostly in relations to problems within the public sector as well as the nonprofit and private worlds (Charles, 2002). In leadership roles within an organization, accountability is the assumption and acknowledgment of responsibility for policies, actions, decisions and products, including the governance, administration, and implementation bound by the scope of the role and encompassing the obligation to be answerable for any resulting consequences (Richard, 2000). This paper develops a major focus on accountability in the health care industry, its relevance, modes of measurement, its checks and balances and the role in maintaining a positive culture in the organization.

Significance of accountability in the health care industry

Accountability is significant in the healthcare industry in all departments relating to the provision of healthcare services. In health care industry, there are a couple of points, which one needs to ponder on the issues of accountability (Charles, 2002). Everything is assigned a relative cost whether it is a medicine, doctor’s time, the hospital bed, pen used in writing, the overhead of running the office, phone lines, electricity, paying the staff, among many other things involved in healthcare provision (Richard, 2000). If anything is goes to waste, stolen or used, someone has to be liable and pay for it. Accountability in this case serves great in ensuring that these hitches do not occur in the medical profession (Dykstra, 1999). There is also need for accountability in the healthcare industry because it facilitates efficient service delivery and protects the patient when undergoing medical treatment in the healthcare facilities (Andreas, 1999). Any error reported should be accounted for to prevent worsening the condition of the patient. Healthcare is a very sensitive and without accountability there are very many risks including the exposing the patients life to risks of complication or even death (Charles, 2002).

How is an employee’s accountability measured in the health care industry?

Measuring accountability in healthcare industry is no different from the other organizations. One great way of measuring accountability in the health sector is through reports used in communication. This method involves setting up expectations and reinforcing success in the operations of the healthcare industry (Richard, 2000). Through this method, the communication ability and sequence of the leadership hierarchy in the medical field serves as crucial. For instance, you measure a nurse’s accountability through the communication he delivers on his reports to the senior management of whomever he is working under in the profession (Dykstra, 1999).

What does a checks-and-balance process look like in a successful organization?

A checks-and-balance process in any organization is the approach used in ensuring accountability on the side of everyone operating within the organization (Dykstra, 1999). The process is facilitated to enhance proper deliver of services and increase the productivity in the organization. The process has developed internal rules and norms set by the organization to outline the code of conduct within the organization (Andreas, 1999). The process also has duties and responsibilities assigned to individuals in an organization used in verifying who is accountable for what and relevant in safeguard accountability in the organization (Richard, 2000).

How does accountability affect an organization’s working culture?

Accountability has major effects to the organization’s working culture. It is through accountability that a harmonious relation achievement is possible in any given organization. When everyone in the organizations is accountable, there are minimal wrangles because everyone knows exactly what to do, how and when (Andreas, 1999). These outlines ensure that everyone has his responsibilities and with proper execution of the responsibilities, the organization runs smoothly. However, without accountability or with bleached and compromised accountability, an organization runs in chaos with internal wrangles thereby creating a wrong working culture that is never conducive in the organization’s present and future operations (Charles, 2002).

How can you maintain a positive working culture and avoid a working culture of blame?

To maintain a positive culture in an organization, you need to value elements of accountability. This implies that you have to use each and every means to ensure that everyone in any given sector accounts for his deeds and actions. This can be done by assigning duties and verifying roles within the organization (Richard, 2000). With everyone having a role to play, easy monitoring of who is responsible in any given sector becomes possible. This way, blame game ceases and everyone “carries his own cross” meaning that there is a great level of accountability in each sector (Charles, 2002).

Accountability is the way forward for all organizations. Without accountability, it is apparent that organizations fail because of the blame games and commissions within the organization (Dykstra, 1999). To maintain accountability, it is relevant for the organization to assign duties and set up check-and-balances that safeguard the running of the organization (Richard, 2000). The only secret to a continuous, harmonious and high productive organization is only through accountability.

Andreas, S. (1999). “Conceptualizing Accountability” The Self-Restraining State: Power and Accountability in New Democracies . London: Lynne Reiner Publishers. pp. 13–28

Charles, S. (2002). Public Sector Ethics: Finding and implementing Values . Australia: The Federation Press/Rout ledge. pp. 68-8l

Dykstra, A. (1999). “The Quest for Responsibility” American Political Science Review 33 (1): 1-25.

Richard, M. (2000). “‘Accountability’: An Ever-Expanding Concept?” Public Administration  78 (3): 555-573.

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U.S. Government Accountability Office

Foreign Disinformation: Defining and Detecting Threats

The Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Defense are working to define and detect foreign disinformation. This Q&A report describes their efforts. We also discussed their relevant legal authorities. This report is the first of two that examine U.S. agencies' efforts to counter foreign disinformation threats, including identifying and publicizing threats.

Russia, China, and Iran are the main foreign governments spreading disinformation, U.S. agencies report. For example, Russia has likely backed DC Weekly, which impersonates a U.S. news site but spreads Russian propaganda, researchers and Homeland Security officials say.

What GAO Found

Foreign disinformation—defined in this report as false claims or misleading information deliberately created or spread by foreign actors to deceive people—threatens U.S. national security. Disinformation can weaken democracies while increasing political instability and conflict among people, reports the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). Tactics to create or spread disinformation include employing foreign actors behind fake social media accounts and using websites with both hidden operators and hidden connections to foreign governments.

U.S. agencies have reported that foreign governments have conducted disinformation campaigns to undermine U.S. foreign policy interests and disrupt civil discussions in the United States and abroad in recent years. These foreign governments spread disinformation in a variety of ways, including through state-run or sponsored propaganda, social media, and artificial intelligence—such as deepfakes, which are videos, photos, or audio recordings that appear real but have been manipulated with artificial intelligence.

U.S. federal entities that conduct activities to counter disinformation spread by foreign actors include the Departments of State (State), Homeland Security (DHS), and Defense (DOD).

To define foreign disinformation and related terms, most U.S. agencies we spoke to use the National Intelligence Council's IC Lexicon for Foreign Malign Influence , which aims to standardize terms and add precision to disinformation analysis. To detect foreign disinformation, State, DHS's Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A), and DOD monitor both public and nonpublic sources of information and use a variety of methods to detect disinformation targeted at audiences overseas or domestically, depending on the agency. For example, State and DHS's I&A analyze social media to identify disinformation and disinformation actors. In addition, all three agencies conduct activities to counter foreign disinformation. Collectively, these activities include identifying, publicizing, and researching disinformation threats as well as educating U.S. and foreign partners or the public on how to recognize and build resilience against disinformation threats. For example:

• According to State officials, State’s Global Engagement Center helps U.S. federal agencies, international partners, and U.S. embassies develop analytic skills, policy responses, and technical capacity to counter foreign disinformation overseas.
• DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency educates the public on the risks of disinformation and partners with state and local election officials to disseminate educational materials to help them identify disinformation, according to DHS officials.
• DOD’s Public Affairs office publishes statements, messages on social media, and press releases with factual information to counter disinformation.

Why GAO Did This Study

GAO was asked to describe U.S. efforts to counter foreign disinformation. This report examines how relevant U.S. government agencies define and detect foreign disinformation threats and the legal authorities these agencies use to counter these threats.

To describe these efforts, GAO interviewed officials from the Department of State, DOD, and DHS, and ODNI. GAO also reviewed agency documents, guidance, and analytical reports to understand threat types and detection sources and techniques used by these agencies.

U.S. agencies counter foreign disinformation created or spread by both foreign governments and non-state actors, such as terrorist groups. However, because many of these agencies' efforts focus on foreign governments, this report primarily discusses disinformation spread by foreign governments rather than by non-state actors.

Recent reports have raised questions about whether the federal government has a clear lead agency to coordinate efforts to counter foreign disinformation and whether existing coordination mechanisms are mature. In our second report, GAO plans to examine these and other issues by evaluating U.S. agency efforts to share information and coordinate their actions to counter foreign disinformation. GAO plans to issue this second report in 2025.

For more information, contact Chelsa Kenney at (202) 512-2964 or [email protected] .

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Gao contacts, office of public affairs, media inquiries, public inquiries.

Essay on Accountability

Essay generator.

In a world brimming with complexities and challenges, accountability stands as a fundamental principle guiding individual actions and societal progress. This essay delves into the essence of accountability, its significance in various spheres of life, and its pivotal role in fostering a responsible and progressive society.

Accountability

Accountability refers to the obligation of an individual or organization to account for its activities, accept responsibility for them, and disclose the results in a transparent manner. It involves being answerable to someone for something you have done or, sometimes more importantly, have failed to do.

The Dimensions of Accountability

• Personal Accountability : This involves taking responsibility for one’s actions, decisions, and their consequences. It’s about owning up to mistakes and learning from them.
• Professional Accountability : In the workplace, it entails fulfilling one’s duties to the best of one’s ability and being answerable for the outcomes.
• Social Accountability : This extends to how actions and decisions impact society and the environment, emphasizing the need for ethical and sustainable practices.

The Importance of Accountability

• Trust Building : Accountability fosters trust in relationships, whether personal, professional, or societal. When individuals and institutions are accountable, they earn the trust of those they interact with or serve.
• Promotes Ethical Behavior : It encourages individuals and organizations to act ethically and responsibly.
• Enhances Performance : In a professional context, accountability leads to better performance, as individuals understand their roles and the expectations associated with them.
• Facilitates Learning and Improvement : Recognizing and owning up to mistakes is a learning process that fosters personal and professional growth.
• Strengthens Democracy : In governance, accountability is crucial for a healthy, functioning democracy. It ensures that public officials and entities are serving the interests of their constituents.

The Benefits of Accountability

• Builds Trust : When people are accountable, they build trust with colleagues, friends, and family, which is foundational for healthy relationships and effective teamwork.
• Improves Performance : Accountability drives individuals to perform better. Knowing that one’s actions are observed and evaluated encourages a higher standard of work.
• Promotes Responsibility : It instills a sense of responsibility, ensuring that tasks are completed efficiently and effectively.
• Enhances Decision-Making : Being accountable means considering the broader impact of one’s decisions, leading to more thoughtful and responsible choices.
• Fosters Learning and Growth : By owning up to mistakes and learning from them, individuals and organizations grow and improve.

Accountability in Different Spheres of Life

In education.

• Students : They are accountable for their learning – attending classes, completing assignments, and actively engaging in the educational process.
• Educators : Teachers and administrators are accountable for providing quality education and fostering an environment conducive to learning.

In the Workplace

• Employees : They are responsible for fulfilling their job responsibilities and contributing to organizational goals.
• Employers : They must create a safe, equitable workplace and ensure the well-being of their employees.

In Governance

• Government Officials : They are accountable to the public, ensuring transparent, efficient, and ethical governance.
• Citizens : As part of a democratic society, citizens are accountable for participating in the democratic process, including voting and civic engagement.

The Challenge of Upholding Accountability

Upholding accountability is not without challenges. These include a lack of transparency, inadequate systems for monitoring and evaluation, cultural barriers, and sometimes, a lack of will or understanding of its importance.

Steps to Foster Accountability

• Clear Expectations : Whether it’s in a personal, professional, or public domain, setting clear expectations is the first step towards accountability.
• Transparent Communication : Open and honest communication encourages a culture of accountability.
• Effective Systems for Monitoring and Evaluation : Regularly assessing and reviewing actions and decisions help in maintaining accountability.
• Education and Training : Teaching the importance of accountability from an early age fosters a culture where it is valued and practiced.
• Reward and Recognition : Acknowledging and rewarding accountable behavior reinforces its importance.

Personal Accountability: The Foundation

Accountability starts with the individual. It’s about taking responsibility for one’s actions and their impact on others. It involves honesty, integrity, and sometimes, the courage to stand up and admit to mistakes.

The Role of Accountability in Leadership

In leadership, accountability is crucial for gaining the respect and trust of team members. It involves:

• Setting Clear Expectations : Leaders must clearly articulate goals and standards.
• Leading by Example : Demonstrating accountability in their actions sets a tone for the team.
• Providing Feedback and Support : Regular feedback helps team members understand how they can improve and grow.

In conclusion, Accountability is the linchpin of a well-functioning society. It builds trust, fosters ethical behavior, drives performance, and underpins democratic institutions. As the world grapples with various challenges, the need for accountability across all sectors and at all levels – personal, professional, and political – has never been more critical. For students participating in essay competitions, exploring the concept of accountability offers an opportunity to reflect on its fundamental role in shaping a just, responsible, and progressive society.

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An Evaluation of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) as Anti-Graft Body in the Political Perspective of Accountability in Pakistan

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The accountability mechanism in Pakistan is conducted through its different facets, and one of them is legal and institutional accountability. General Musharraf’s regime enacted the National Accountability Ordinance in 1999. Consequently, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was formed as an institutional anti-graft body. The existing literature focuses on the role of the NAB as working under the National Accountability Ordinance. However, no focus has been paid to the operation of the NAB as a legal institution within the political dimensions of accountability in Pakistan. This research article is the first in this direction to evaluate the role of the NAB in the political perspective of accountability in Pakistan. The authors conclude that the ruling elites have failed to set the political scene for the successful working of the NAB, which has caused it to have potential pitfalls that outweigh its benefits by far.

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Importance of Accountability

This essay will delve into the concept of accountability, its significance in personal, professional, and societal contexts. It will discuss how accountability contributes to ethical behavior, trust-building, and effective leadership. The essay will also explore the consequences of a lack of accountability, using real-world examples from business, politics, and social settings. It will offer insights into how individuals and organizations can foster a culture of accountability and the positive outcomes of doing so. At PapersOwl too, you can discover numerous free essay illustrations related to Accountability.

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The Importance of accountability means being responsible for the decisions that arebeing made and taken. Accountability is the main element in leadership. Accountability builds up trust, improves performance, promotes ownership, and inspire confidence. It is all about being reliable and having clear standards. Also, it is about communication and asking questions to make sure the task, or whatever is being done is completed in a timely matter.

It can increase team member skills when it is done right and teaching others to value their work.

As a solider in the United States Army, I should take ac- countability for all of my actions and know that it is very important to respect my work, fellow soldiers , my time and theirs. I need to take accountability serious, because it can be vital to others safety.Those that are unable to be accountable are the ones that jeopardize the combat readiness of any unit.

Basically it is the understanding that from the bottom up. Top down and laterally everyone is going to do and is willing to do the right thing even when no one else is looking. In order for me to be accountable I need to take the meaning of it and put it to use. I need to be at formation and work on time, being at the right place at the right time and doing the right thing always. Doing the job correctly and ensuring others do it as well and do it safely are all part of accountability in the military as one does not have to experience combat to understand that just being in the military is inherently dangerous given the types of equipment and weapons that are used to train and deploy with.

The way accountability plays its role in the Army, it’s like the back bone that holds everything together by keeping chaos or commotion.If accountability fails to be kept then it can cause a lot of disorderly conductamongst the Army and society itself. Being accountable shows respect and earn re- spect from others. It can show someone that they can be taken seriously and they are not a waste of time. Accountability is not just for the military either it goes for anyone and any workplace. Without accountability it will be know structure and more excuses.

Your actions will rise abound your excuse if you accountable. But with accountability come with integrity . Integrity is basically someone who makes a choice to be honest before choosing between right and wrong. Without both a company, military, work en- vironment, and school can have poor organizational development. The lesson and message here is to immediately accept responsibility for your honest mistakes. If be honest and accept my responsibility, and mistakes it will have a short life. If I lie and make excuses and it will only compound my mistakes and destroy my integrity. So my mission is to take accountability and show integrity to provide a better service to my Military and myself.

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FBI agent says 2 officers accepted accountability in fatal beating of Tyre Nichols

RowVaughn Wells, mother of Tyre Nichols, closes her eyes during a prayer vigil outside the federal courthouse during the trial of three former Memphis police officers accused of killing her son Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Former Memphis police officer Desmond Mills, left, arrives at the federal courthouse with his attorney Blake Ballin, right, to testify against his former colleagues during the trial in the Tyre Nichols case Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Former Memphis police officer Justin Smith arrives at the federal courthouse for the day’s proceedings during the trial in the Tyre Nichols case Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Former Memphis police officer Tadarrius Bean, left, arrives at the federal courthouse with his attorney John Keith Perry, right, for the day’s proceedings during the trial in the Tyre Nichols case Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — An FBI agent who interviewed two former Memphis police officers on trial in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols testified Thursday that they accepted accountability for participating.

FBI Special Agent Anthony Householder took the stand in the federal trial of Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith, who have pleaded not guilty to charges of excessive force, failure to intervene, and obstructing justice through witness tampering. Two other former officers, Emmitt Martin III and Desmond Mills Jr., have testified after pleading guilty to depriving Nichols of his civil rights.

Householder said he interviewed Bean and Smith as part of the FBI’s investigation into the January 2023 beating.

Householder said Smith told him that he and Martin both punched Nichols. Smith said he should have stopped Martin from punching Nichols, Householder said.

Smith added that he didn’t tell emergency medical technicians about punches delivered to Nichols because he thought Nichols would be able to tell them himself, Householder said. Nichols died in the hospital on Jan. 10, 2023, three days after the beating.

The officers used pepper spray and a Taser on Nichols, who was Black, during a traffic stop, but the 29-year-old ran away, police video shows. The five officers, who also are Black, then punched, kicked and hit him about a block from his home, as he called out for his mother. Video also shows the officers milling about and even laughing as Nichols struggled with his injuries.

Smith “took ownership” and said he had failed, Householder testified. The FBI agent also acknowledged that Smith cried during the interview.

“He was certainly remorseful,” Householder said.

Bean also accepted responsibility and told Householder that he had previously omitted information about the beating because he did not want to be labeled a “snitch,” the FBI agent testified.

“He didn’t want to throw his team under the bus,” Householder said.

Householder said he did not record the interviews. Under questioning by Bean’s lawyer, John Keith Perry, Householder acknowledged that some agents do record such interviews, which are summarized by FBI agents and known as proffers. But the recordings are not required, Householder said.

Taylor Chesser, a nurse who treated Nichols in the emergency room, said he was in cardiac arrest and not breathing when he arrived at the hospital. Chesser said medical providers eventually were able to restore his heart beat.

Nichols was “dead until we intervened,” Chesser said.

Prosecutors rested their case after her testimony.

Lawyers for the three officers then requested an acquittal based on claims that prosecutors have failed to present enough evidence. U.S. District Judge Mark Norris did not immediately rule on the requests Thursday.

Earlier Thursday, Mills testified he had not previously seen Bean nor Smith participate in the “street tax,” which is police slang for punishing people who run away from police. Prosecutors maintain officers employed the “street tax” or “run tax ” against Nichols.

The officers were part of a since-disbanded crime suppression unit. Under cross-examination from Smith’s lawyer, Martin Zummach, Mills said he got to know Smith well in the two years they rode together with the Scorpion Unit. Mills said he had not previously seen Smith abuse people and Smith would not tolerate other officers mistreating suspects.

Mills, who used pepper spray on Nichols and hit him with a baton, said it’s possible that the beating could have ended if one of the officers had said to stop.

Mills, who cried on the stand and apologized during testimony earlier in the week, said Thursday that he “couldn’t hold it no more” after seeing the video of the beating.

“I wasn’t going to stand and say I did right,” Mills said.

Bean, Haley and Smith face up to life in prison if convicted.

The five officers also have been charged with second-degree murder in state court, where they pleaded not guilty. Mills and Martin are expected to change their pleas. A trial date in state court has not been set.

Associated Press reporter Kimberlee Kruesi contributed from Nashville, Tennessee.

116 Accountability Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best accountability topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on accountability, ⭐ simple & easy accountability essay titles, 🎓 good research topics about accountability.

• Accountability and Outcome in the Counseling Profession A client involvement in the therapy process will determine the therapy outcome in addition to quality of the treatment choice. For a counselor, it is crucial to approach this process with honesty and responsibility in […]
• Accountability of Equipment in Military And, the last task a commander has to do before the change of command ceremony is to account for all the property they had signed for and meet with the property book officer and the […]
• Professional Accountability in Nursing According to professionals, the concept of professional accountability in nursing stands for the process of having full responsibility for one’s actions both to oneself and others.
• Professional Accountability of Nurses Further, when it comes to the nursing process, an example of a nurse demonstrating professional accountability will be the proper usage of equipment, adequate documentation of the information related to treatment, and the correct administration […]
• An Analysis of Accountability in Traditional, New and Networked Public Management This essay is divided into four main sections: an initial section that will examine the theoretical aspects of public accountability, after which it will delve into the 3 models of public administration in which the […]
• Accountability in Hotel and School Management From a certain perspective, it can be stated that accountability involves not only taking responsibility for when actions result in adverse consequences but also the use of a moral and ethical framework in a decision-making […]
• Nursing Accountability and Responsibility Issues Responsibility is mutable and changes depending on the nurse’s work, while accountability is unchanging and defined in a variety of documents.
• Why Forest Sustainability and Accountability of Its Use Is Challenging Since the concept of sustainability is at the centre of this analysis, the understanding of the challenges that prevent the effectiveness of sustainable forest management depends on the grasp of the concept of sustainability.
• Accountability in Sports Management Accountability of FIFA would help in improving the management of football. This is due to the various complex factors that are involved in management of football.
• Importance of Accountability in Healthcare This paper discusses the importance of accountability in hospitals and the role of leaders in maintaining positive organizational culture in their facilities. Medical facility staffs need to be accountable in their actions; this will facilitate […]
• Responsibility and Accountability Management Management is an indication of power, where, managers have the authority to give orders to their subordinates and influence them to work according to their policies.
• Standards and Accountability in Early Education To enhance the impacts of education assessment and get to the very root of the issues it was decided to create special programs targeting the youngest learners, one of which is called head Start.
• The Fast-Food Industry and Legal Accountability for Obesity The principle of least harm in ethics is closely associated with the fast food industry; this is mainly because of the basic fact that fast food increases chances of obesity to its consumers.
• Social Work Career, Professional Behavior and Accountability I have the desire to fight for human rights and social change, and I want to fight for justice in all corners to make society a better place.
• Accountability of Court Officials Therefore, just like the politicians and the government which is accountable to the citizens of the country, the judicial system is accountable to the citizens.
• Importance of Accountability: World War I It is clear from the beginning of this article, that the statistics on the World War I causalities indicates that the Germans suffered fewer casualties compared to their western counterparts, who are the French and […]
• Empowerment and Accountability in the High School Its personnel, teachers, and administration are not motivated to change anything or work efficiently, and students are not motivated to study and behave appropriately.
• Organizational Accountability for Safety to Avoid Accidents NTSB investigators are tasked with the responsibility of determining the possible cause of the accident and then implementing appropriate measures that can be used to prevent future occurrences of similar incidents.
• Private Firms’ Accountability to Their Customers By developing systems of control, motivation, and responsibility that compel organizations and the people, they serve to achieve ever-higher standards of performance at the workplace, in the classroom, in the playing area, as well as […]
• Police Accountability and Community Relations Contrary to expectations, the working of overtime police officers and regular police officers seems to differ, as the former is more hostile to the community.
• Feminist Accountability Approach Therefore, the feminist accountability approach involves the collective responsibility to fight social injustices regardless of gender and race. Therefore, integrating the global approach to social injustice promotes the aspect of universality and unity in promoting […]
• Pursuing Professional Accountability and Just Culture It is suitable to combine the quantitative and qualitative approaches to evaluate organizational culture since this ensures that the strength of the other adjusts for the shortcomings of one method.
• Journalistic Accountability and Financial Crash Through investigation of multiple sources, it is possible to see a rough outline of the relationship between the subject from the 20th century to the present.
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Marketing Process: Advertising Advertising is regarded as a vital type of information for medical service competitiveness due to the competitive nature of medicine and the firm establishment of practically all business sectors in the United States, presently deemed […]
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act: Privacy and Security Rules Violation Most cases present with the use of malicious malware to access protected data without the consent of the insurers and inappropriate use of that information.
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Importance of Accountability in Local Government

Government accountability is about maintaining trust between government and citizens. Here’s how to ensure ethics and accountability in local government.

December 29, 2020

Article highlights

• The importance of ethics in government accountability.
• Ways to create a culture of accountability in local government.

Accountability is an important part of any organization, but it’s especially important in local government.

Governments must responsibly use their resources to provide services that meet the needs of constituents. Local governments answer to state and federal laws and guidelines for effective operations.

But most of all, they answer to the people they serve.

As discussed in   an earlier blog post , creating a culture of accountability improves employee morale, increases effectiveness, and protects against liability risks.

Governments have many different departments, and there can be a wide variance in standards between them.

Accountability measures help departments meet goals and work together. Plus, organizations that emphasize accountability can recognize problems and continually improve.

However, accountability in local government is about more than just efficient internal operations. Ultimately, government accountability is about maintaining the trust between government officials and citizens.

The Importance of Ethics in Government Accountability

Local governments not only need to operate lawfully and ethically, but they need to work hard to avoid even the appearance of impropriety.

Accountability should be a concern for all local government employees, not just elected officials.

Governments won’t be able to fulfill their roles if citizens don’t trust all government employees to make decisions that serve the best interest of the community.

Even the appearance of questionable behavior can hurt public trust.

Therefore, accountability in local government requires strict standards and procedures to promote ethical behavior. As   a report by City Ethics   points out:

“Because we cannot know the character or motivations of those who manage our communities, and because we cannot know how much their personal obligations affect their decisions, we can judge them, and hold them accountable, only by their actions and their relationships as they appear on their face. “In other words, in government ethics, appearances are what matters most. Motivations, feelings, and character are irrelevant.”

Ways to Create a Culture of Accountability in Local Government

Values-driven leadership.

Integrity and accountability must be deeply ingrained in the culture of local government. This starts at the top.

Local governments should focus on ethical values.   Government agencies should teach leaders and supervisors to lead with those principles at the center of everything they do.

As Brent Gleeson wrote in   an article   in   Forbes :

“[Values-based leadership] just means leading the team and evaluating performance – both your own and the team's – based more so on the organization's set of values rather than specific metrics and milestones. Managers still have to oversee their team member's ability to execute and be accountable for their role in mission success, but values-based evaluations can't be an afterthought.”

For local governments, core values such as integrity, equality, and transparency should provide the foundation for every decision and policy.

Citizens won’t care if the government achieves results if government employees do it through misusing funds, cutting corners, or accepting bribes.

People need to be able to trust their local government to act responsibly. This makes transparency and public disclosure especially important.

Citizens should be able to see how the government is spending their tax money, what services the government is providing, and how government officials are working to improve the community.

The   International City/County Management Association   encourages local governments to focus on the fundamentals to build an ethical foundation.

”If the organization lacks a code of ethics or statement of values, implement a process that engages elected officials, staff, and residents in the definition of core values and acceptable conduct. If you have a code of ethics, is there clarity and agreement on the core values that drive critical decisions? Organizations or teams with shared values produce the best results. “Use council orientations and goal-setting sessions to encourage elected officials to understand how their conduct and commitment to public service values contribute to ethical government.”

Ethics training

Most employees don’t set out intending to act unethically. Employees may be intent on an end goal – completing a project within budget, hiring someone they trust, meeting a deadline – and just overlook a potential ethical problem in the equation.

As the   National Conference of State Legislatures   points out, “Many ethics violations occur when people are unaware or ignorant of the law as it pertains to their position.”

Of course, ethics is more complex than just following the rules. Laws can’t cover everything. And some have loopholes.

An action doesn’t have to be illegal to be unethical.   Employees need to know that they can follow the technical letter of the law and still be acting unethically. And even perceived ethics violations can violate public trust.

Ethics in government is different and more complex than personal ethics. Often, ethical accountability in local government has to do with the conflicts between the responsibilities of the government and an employee’s personal obligations.

It’s important for government employees to remember that they represent the government, so they need to uphold the integrity of the institution as a whole.

Of course, values-based leadership will help employees keep this in perspective. But ethics training is also an essential part of accountability in local government.

Ethics training should include discussions about values and standards for ethical behavior. The training makes employees aware of common ethical issues. And it gives them tools for making ethical decisions when faced with gray areas where laws may not clearly apply.

Ethics training is especially important for employees in certain areas.

For example, employees working in procurement, finances, permitting, and zoning positions may face ethical issues more than other employees.

However, accountability in local government should include ethics training for all employees and officials. Training should be part of the onboarding process, but governments should also conduct annual retraining.

City Ethics has a list of   good resources for ethics training .

Written policies and procedures

Part of accountability in local government is setting expectations in writing, and then consistently applying and enforcing those policies.

We’ve written before about why   policies and procedures are important   for every organization.

Policies and procedures help employees know how to do their jobs properly and effectively. They establish roles, acceptable behavior, and the responsibilities of each department and employee.

Policies and procedures also provide a framework for a culture of accountability and formalize accountability measures. But policies and procedures alone don’t ensure accountability.

Government leaders and administrators must have a way to make sure employees read and understand policies.   Policy management software   can help with this.

Policies should always start with the underlying principles and values of the organization. For local government agencies especially, it’s important for policies to include a code of conduct and a code of ethics.

The code of ethics may cover things like conflicts of interest, nepotism, and endorsement.

It should lay out the disciplinary actions for employees or officials who violate the code of ethics. It should also establish procedures for reporting unethical behavior and establish measures to protect whistle-blowers.

Of course, this also starts with a culture of accountability in local government.

When the agency’s culture is based on values and accountability, employees will feel safe to report bad behavior.   And citizens will know that government officials will be held accountable for unethical actions.

For a good place to start in crafting a code of ethics, see   City Ethics’ Model Code of Ethics .

Independent ethics commission or officer

To promote accountability in local government, the people overseeing the ethics program need to be independent of the government itself.

The City Ethics report   highlights why this is important:

“Since government ethics is all about conflicts, it is crucial that there not be any conflicts in the ethics program itself. In practice, this means that no official under the jurisdiction of an ethics program should have any special role in the program. “In addition, the selection of ethics commission members by high-level officials makes it look to the public like they control the program. This undermines trust in the program and means that citizens don’t bother filing complaints.”

The makeup of an ethics program may look different depending on the size and needs of a particular local government.

Small governments may not have the budget to hire an ethics officer. But they could consider teaming up with nearby cities or counties to create an ethics program that covers a broader area.

In any case, the person or group should enforce the code of ethics, propose ethics policies, and give advice on how to proceed with individual situations.

They should initiate investigations into potential violations and make sure the government follows through on proper disciplinary measures if an employee has acted unethically.

The   Office of Government Ethics   is a good place to find more information and training resources.

Accountability audits and assessments

To achieve a culture of accountability, local governments need to be aware of areas where there is a lack of accountability.

An accountability audit assesses how local governments use public funds and resources.

It evaluates whether the government has proper controls in place to make sure employees aren’t misusing resources. And it ensures that the government is following laws, regulations, and internal policies and procedures.

Some states require accountability audits.

For example, the state of Washington requires audits at least once every three years. But even if a local government isn’t legally obligated, performing regular self-audits or assessments is a good way to identify issues or potential concerns so they can be corrected.

Audits can be done internally or by the independent ethics council or officer.

Accountability in local government is more important now than ever before.

Ultimately, local governments are accountable to citizens, and they must show that they are worthy of trust.

Creating a culture of accountability will help local governments build trust with citizens, operate more effectively, and better serve the public.

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Essay on Accountability And Responsibility

Students are often asked to write an essay on Accountability And Responsibility in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Accountability And Responsibility

Understanding accountability.

Accountability is when you take ownership of your actions. It’s like saying, “I did this, and I stand by it.” When you are accountable, you accept the results of your actions, good or bad. It’s a key part of growing up and becoming a responsible person.

What is Responsibility?

Responsibility is closely linked to accountability. It means you have a duty or task to perform. For example, your responsibility might be to do your homework. When you fulfill your responsibilities, you show that you can be trusted and relied upon.

The Link Between Accountability and Responsibility

Accountability and responsibility go hand in hand. When you take responsibility for something, you are also accountable for the outcome. For instance, if you’re responsible for a group project, you’re also accountable for its success or failure.

Why They Matter

Both accountability and responsibility are important in life. They help us make good choices and learn from our mistakes. They also show others that we can be trusted and relied upon. By being accountable and responsible, we become better people.

250 Words Essay on Accountability And Responsibility

What is accountability.

Accountability is about being answerable for your actions. It means that if you do something, you should be ready to explain why you did it. For example, if you are a student and you did not do your homework, you should be able to explain why. This is what accountability is all about.

Responsibility, on the other hand, is about being in charge of something. When you are responsible for something, it means you have to take care of it. For example, if you have a pet, you are responsible for feeding it and taking care of it. This is what responsibility means.

Why are Accountability and Responsibility Important?

Accountability and responsibility are important because they help us to grow as individuals. When we are accountable and responsible, we learn how to make good decisions. We learn how to think about the consequences of our actions. This helps us to become better people.

How can we be more Accountable and Responsible?

We can be more accountable and responsible by thinking about our actions before we do them. We should ask ourselves, “Is this the right thing to do?” If it is not, we should not do it. We should also be ready to explain why we did something. This will help us to be more accountable and responsible.

In conclusion, accountability and responsibility are important qualities that everyone should have. They help us to grow as individuals and to make good decisions. So, let’s all strive to be more accountable and responsible.

500 Words Essay on Accountability And Responsibility

Introduction.

Accountability is like a promise. When we say we are accountable, we are saying that we will accept the outcomes of our actions, good or bad. For example, if you break a glass and then tell your parents about it, you are being accountable. You understand that there might be a consequence, but you accept it because you know it was your action that led to the broken glass.

Understanding Responsibility

Responsibility is a bit different. It is about doing tasks that we are expected to do. For instance, if your teacher gives you homework, it is your responsibility to complete it. You can’t pass it off to your friend or your sibling, it’s your job to get it done.

Responsibility, on the other hand, teaches us to be dependable. When people know they can count on us to do our tasks, they trust us more. This leads to better relationships with friends, family, and teachers.

Accountability and Responsibility in School

In school, being accountable and responsible is very important. Teachers rely on students to do their homework, study for tests, and behave well. When students are accountable and responsible, it creates a better learning environment for everyone.

In conclusion, accountability and responsibility are two important values that guide us in life. They help us become better people by teaching us to be honest, dependable, and respectful. By practicing these values in school and at home, we can build better relationships and create a positive environment for everyone.

Remember, it’s okay to make mistakes as long as we learn from them and take responsibility for our actions. That’s what being accountable and responsible is all about.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

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What the Prosecution’s Case Has Revealed About Tyre Nichols’s Death

Prosecutors called nearly 20 witnesses to make their case against three former Memphis police officers charged in connection with the fatal beating of Mr. Nichols.

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By Emily Cochrane and Ben Stanley

Reporting from Memphis

Federal prosecutors rested their case on Thursday against three former Memphis police officers who face civil rights and obstruction charges in the beating and death of Tyre Nichols last year.

Over a dozen days, prosecutors called nearly 20 witnesses as they pressed their argument that the former officers, Demetrius Haley, Tadarrius Bean and Justin Smith, had both deprived Mr. Nichols of his civil rights in a Jan. 7, 2023, traffic stop and conspired to lie about it.

Taken together, the testimony painted a picture of officers who did not stop one another from pummeling or restraining Mr. Nichols, a 29-year-old Black FedEx worker, even when he did not pose a threat. And it captured an overarching culture in the Memphis Police Department that allowed for secrecy and excessive punishment, especially when a person tried to flee police custody.

Here are some of the key revelations from the prosecution’s case.

Two former officers who took part in the beating testified that Tyre Nichols did not present a threat.

Five former Memphis officers, all of whom are Black, were indicted on federal charges last September . Two have since pleaded guilty to some of the charges.

When one of those two officers, Emmitt Martin III, took the stand, he described a tumultuous few days back on the job after he had been hit by a person fleeing in their car and sidelined to a desk role. Already angry about a lack of arrests that night in January 2023, he said he saw Mr. Nichols speed up to beat a red light and soon initiated a traffic stop.

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FBI agent says 2 officers accepted accountability in fatal beating of Tyre Nichols

Adrian Sainz

Associated Press

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

RowVaughn Wells, mother of Tyre Nichols, closes her eyes during a prayer vigil outside the federal courthouse during the trial of three former Memphis police officers accused of killing her son Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – An FBI agent who interviewed two former Memphis police officers on trial in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols testified Thursday that they accepted accountability for participating.

FBI Special Agent Anthony Householder took the stand in the federal trial of Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith, who have pleaded not guilty to charges of excessive force, failure to intervene, and obstructing justice through witness tampering. Two other former officers, Emmitt Martin III and Desmond Mills Jr., have testified after pleading guilty to depriving Nichols of his civil rights.

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Householder said he interviewed Bean and Smith as part of the FBI’s investigation into the January 2023 beating.

Householder said Smith told him that he and Martin both punched Nichols. Smith said he should have stopped Martin from punching Nichols, Householder said.

Smith added that he didn’t tell emergency medical technicians about punches delivered to Nichols because he thought Nichols would be able to tell them himself, Householder said. Nichols died in the hospital on Jan. 10, 2023, three days after the beating.

The officers used pepper spray and a Taser on Nichols, who was Black, during a traffic stop, but the 29-year-old ran away, police video shows. The five officers, who also are Black, then punched, kicked and hit him about a block from his home, as he called out for his mother. Video also shows the officers milling about and even laughing as Nichols struggled with his injuries.

Smith “took ownership” and said he had failed, Householder testified. The FBI agent also acknowledged that Smith cried during the interview.

“He was certainly remorseful,” Householder said.

Bean also accepted responsibility and told Householder that he had previously omitted information about the beating because he did not want to be labeled a “snitch,” the FBI agent testified.

“He didn’t want to throw his team under the bus,” Householder said.

Householder said he did not record the interviews. Under questioning by Bean’s lawyer, John Keith Perry, Householder acknowledged that some agents do record such interviews, which are summarized by FBI agents and known as proffers. But the recordings are not required, Householder said.

Taylor Chesser, a nurse who treated Nichols in the emergency room, said he was in cardiac arrest and not breathing when he arrived at the hospital. Chesser said medical providers eventually were able to restore his heart beat.

Nichols was “dead until we intervened,” Chesser said.

Prosecutors rested their case after her testimony.

Lawyers for the three officers then requested an acquittal based on claims that prosecutors have failed to present enough evidence. U.S. District Judge Mark Norris did not immediately rule on the requests Thursday.

Earlier Thursday, Mills testified he had not previously seen Bean nor Smith participate in the “street tax,” which is police slang for punishing people who run away from police. Prosecutors maintain officers employed the “street tax” or “run tax ” against Nichols.

The officers were part of a since-disbanded crime suppression unit. Under cross-examination from Smith's lawyer, Martin Zummach, Mills said he got to know Smith well in the two years they rode together with the Scorpion Unit. Mills said he had not previously seen Smith abuse people and Smith would not tolerate other officers mistreating suspects.

Mills, who used pepper spray on Nichols and hit him with a baton, said it’s possible that the beating could have ended if one of the officers had said to stop.

Mills, who cried on the stand and apologized during testimony earlier in the week, said Thursday that he “couldn’t hold it no more” after seeing the video of the beating.

“I wasn’t going to stand and say I did right,” Mills said.

Bean, Haley and Smith face up to life in prison if convicted.

The five officers also have been charged with second-degree murder in state court, where they pleaded not guilty. Mills and Martin are expected to change their pleas. A trial date in state court has not been set.

Associated Press reporter Kimberlee Kruesi contributed from Nashville, Tennessee.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Home — Essay Samples — Business — Accountability — Understanding the Impact of Accountability in Life

Understanding The Impact of Accountability in Life

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Published: Jan 15, 2019

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