This brief is part of a four-part series examining the past, present, and future of modern school accountability systems. With the dual forces of the COVID-19 pandemic and the national call to action on racial inequity, the question of how we should measure and hold schools accountable for the impact they have on students is more urgent than ever. This brief examines how today's school accountability policies are supposed to work and how they have evolved over the course of several decades. The authors argue that the core objective of accountability--higher and more equitable outcomes for students--must remain at the center of policymakers' decisions, particularly as they navigate the uncertain landscape of schooling during a global pandemic.