Trust-Based Accountability

Cartersville City Schools- Trust-Based Accountability System

The Cartersville City School District is committed to the success of all our students. We make all our decisions- instructional, financial, and operational - with the awareness that we are "Building Legacies – One Student at a Time." CCS is at the forefront of the evolution of accountability in K12 schools. Our district is nationally recognized as a dedicated partner with several Trust-Based Accountability school districts around the country that are re-visioning what it means to be a successful teaching and learning organization. Our team is committed to building a Trust-Based Accountability System that guides us to focus on our mission every day.

CCS Mission - We inspire all students to build the skills and confidence to find their passions and achieve their goals.

What is a Trust-Based Accountability System? 

A Trust-Based Accountability System is a holistic approach to evaluating the success of a school district. Instead of focusing solely on standardized test scores, it emphasizes transparency, collaboration, and systemic progress. This model incorporates multiple dimensions of a district's work, including instructional, operational, and financial decisions, while engaging school leaders, teachers, and stakeholders to build schools that meet the community's aspirations for all students. The approach prioritizes educating the whole child and measures success through continuous improvement rather than solely on summative annual evaluations.

Our accountability system is built on 7-Pillars and 28-Guiding Questions that are the foundation of all the work we do as a learning organization. Our district is very fortunate to have incredible community support. We value and embrace the belief that our district is accountable to our community, ensuring we provide a world-class education. With this important concept in mind, we are implementing the Trust-Based Accountability Model to ensure that our community is educated on all aspects of our work and the goals, success, and areas of need that truly define our school system. This model enables us to shed the old and ineffective "Protectionist Accountability" system that schools have struggled with for decades. Our Trust-Based Accountability system allows us to work with all our stakeholders to declare the future we envision for our students and build the schools that deliver that future. We know that the success of any school can not be determined by one test given on one day every year. Rather, true accountability is a systemic, holistic review of the district's work that is grounded in forward-facing progress versus annual summative reviews with regard to educating the whole child.

The Trust-Based Accountability Signaling Charts below are used by the district and individual schools to identify areas from the 7-Pillars that need resources or focus on improving those areas and track areas that are meeting the district's goals and mission.

See School Signaling Charts & Data Pages below-