The Massachusetts Office of Educational Quality and Accountability (EQA) was created by the Legislature in December 2000. The purpose of the EQA is to provide an independent mechanism to verify the efforts of school districts and charter schools to promote higher levels of academic achievement by students.

Purposes of the EQA framework for district accountability:

In accordance with its enabling legislation, the EQA process is designed to do the following:

• provide a comprehensive evaluation of a school district’s performance;
• provide reports on districts selected for review;
• monitor statewide public education performance to inform policy decisions; and
• provide public information that helps the state hold districts and schools, including charter schools, accountable.

The EQA's six essential questions:

1. Central Question: To what extent is the critical analysis of student achievement data a driving force in the planning, design, and implementation of the school and district improvement process?
2. Achievement/Proficiency: To what extent is the MCAS performance of all the district’s students meeting or exceeding state proficiency standards?
3. Equity of Achievement: How do MCAS performances vary among the district’s student subgroups?
4. Improvement: How has MCAS performance of all students in the district changed over time?
5. Equity of Improvement: How has MCAS performance of the district’s student subgroups changed over time?
6. Opportunity and Access: Are all eligible students participating in required state assessments?

The EQA framework for district accountability is standards based and addresses six standards of management or levels of inquiry:

1. Leadership, Governance, & Communication
2. Curriculum & Instruction
3. Assessment & Program Evaluation
4. Human Resource Management & Professional Development
5. Access, Participation, & Student Academic Support
6. Financial & Asset Management Effectiveness & Efficiency

The EQA examination is data driven and standards based. Standards are embedded in a three part process:

1. data analysis;
2. document review and analysis; and
3. site visit, including administrative team interview and classroom observations.

During the course of an examination, the EQA panel (typically five to seven members) spends four days on site applying six standards and 72 associated indicators.

After the examination is concluded, a report is written. This report is given to the district for a factual review and then presented to the EMAC for its consideration and action.  Once approved, the reports are posted on the Reports section of the EQA website.