According to Merrifield (1998), in order to meet the demands of accountability, delivery agencies that provide educational services need the capacity to perform-that is, to achieve the performance goals, and to be accountable-that is, to document achievements. The findings from this survey indicated that many respondents are mandated by funding agencies to conduct comprehensive, on-going, and exit assessments, yet they do not have the capacity to fulfill this mandate.
While many respondents wanted more release or paid time for existing staff to administer and interpret assessments, others wanted to hire one person to conduct initial, on-going, and exit assessments. In fact, respondents from seven jurisdictions expressed a desire to have one person responsible for assessment. These quotations reflect the need for a new, expanded organizational capacity in community-based programs, colleges, and school boards:
Assessment would be done by one person whose job it was to assess the student, develop a learning plan with the student and evaluate progress on a regular basis - at least every three months. That person would have regular session with the tutors, to set learning goals and make sure the students were supported in the endeavor to achieve these goals. (Community-based program director)
I would have the money to pay one person to be our assessment expert. She would have time to spend outside the classroom with each learner for initial assessment and training plan development. (ABE school district director)
There would be an individual who devoted time and energy to assessing, evaluating, counseling, and supporting students in their development-full time-only job-work with, guide, support students. (ABE college director)