Accountability is the process through which public knowledge is created.
Its purpose is to test whether the selected means were sufficient to achieve the desired end. In this sense, public knowledge for accountability has both an informational referent and a value dimension. Public knowledge accounts both for what we understand and what we value. All states and schools will have challenging and clear standards of achievement and accountability for all children, and effective strategies for reaching those standards. President Clinton's Call to Action for American Education in the 21st Century Fix failing schools quickly and directly, even if it means closing them and then reopening them in a way that meets the needs of students, parents, and communities.