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 builds on the lessons learned from the past 20 years of school accountability and examines what it would look like for a state to prioritize three different purposes that accountability systems have been asked to serve historically: (1) as a means for policymakers to intervene in schools; (2) as a tool for schools to improve instruction; and (3) as a platform to inform parents as they engage with their school communities and/or make school choice decisions.