Abstract
The paper discusses the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation's goal of accountability. The paper discusses accountability in schools and who's responsible for it. The paper maintains that accountability in schools is important but it is not solely the teacher's responsibility. The writer of this paper is of the opinion that it is also the responsibility of the parents, the community, administrators and staff as well as the students.

Outline:
Abstract
Introduction
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Educators have faced an extremely difficult time over the last few years. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation has proven to force school districts and public school educators to give up their passion. No Child Left Behind requires testing in grades 3-8 in reading and math. Due to strict testing mandates of the NCLB regulation, many schools have begun to cut non-core curriculum (Neill, 2003). In fact, many schools limit classroom instruction to the material that appears on the mandatory standardized tests. This method of instruction represents a true teaching-to-the-test model (Neill, 2003). The focus has been redirected from molding students through experiences to drilling and being prepared to regurgitate what is found on standardized tests. Due to such high-stakes testing practices, teachers are encouraged to abandon open-ended test questions or project type assessment formats."

Tags:teacher, parent, school, student, standardized, tests, education

Abstract
This paper explains that accountability means that an entire organization must make certain that its products and processes do not hurt society or an individual in any way. Next, the author relates that the health industry is accountable for the life of a patient and for providing the necessary health facilities to the general public. However, society is accountable for its own health.The paper underscores that a positive work environment enables workers to accept their respective responsibilities or accountabilities.

From the Paper
"Checks and balances in an organization are affected by policies and regulations or physical restraints. Most members of an organization develop negative an attitude towards these checks and balances and the enforcers of such measures. The most probable reason for this could be the impractical nature of such restraints. In a successful organization, such measures are the ones developed with consultation from all the members of the organization. It should not be biased or the members feel as if it was imposed on them. They should feel some sense of ownership on these rules."

Tags:answerability death availability, checks and balances, performance

Abstract
This paper presents the case for the police being accountable to an empowered public oversight committee rather than that the criminal justice community should be accountable to itself without any public oversight.

From the Paper
"The police need to be accountable to an empowered public oversight committee because self-oversight invariably leads to a biased result, because of all the pressures exerted at various levels within the organization. The business of law enforcement is the business of the public, and must therefore be open and transparent to all, and this can only be true if there is public oversight of the police. Over the past years, police departments have rarely..."

Tags:civilian oversight, transparency

Abstract
This paper considers whether and how a more socially active and economically interventionalist state would likely lead to more effective, responsible, and accountable government. According to the paper, it is evident that an interventionalist approach to governing which evens the playing field would be in the best political, economic, and social interests of the majority of citizens. This would thus be the most effective, most responsible, and most accountable way to govern.

From the Paper
"In considering whether and how a more socially active and economically interventionalist state would likely lead to more effective, responsible, and accountable government, it is evident that an interventionalist approach to governing which evens the playing field would be in the best political, economic, and social interests of the majority of citizens, and would thus be the most effective, most responsible, and most accountable way to govern."

Tags:effective, responsible, government

Abstract
This paper explains that the top management of public sector organizations is accountable to the community and this accountability must be exercised in a manner which supports rather than stalls the efficient management of the agency. The author points out that the urgency for greater public sector accountability arises from the actuality that most agencies have a defined mission and objectives and exist and are given resources to provide value to the community in particular ways. This paper explains that, through legislation, standards of accountability are established and accountability is determined.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Increased Demand for PSA
Accountability Excesses
Conclusion

From the Paper
"The enactment of the Whistleblower Protection Act was done in the year 1889 in part as the Office of the Special Counsel or OSC was considered to be incompetent. During that period OSC had not brought to the notice of the Merit Systems Protection Board since 1979 on behalf of a whistleblower. Whistleblowers complained the Governmental Affairs Committee that they considered the OSC as an antagonist, instead of being an ally, and recommended the Committee for closure of the office for good. However, the Committee preferred to strengthen the office, thereby giving a further chance to act insistently on behalf of the whistleblowers. The Whistleblower Protection Act provided the OSC a new charter to "protect employees, especially whistleblowers, from prohibited personnel practices" and to "act in the interest of employees" who look forward for its assistance."

Tags:auditor, whistleblower, privatization, efficient, mission

Abstract
This paper examines Germany's involvement in World War I and why she was held responsible for the damages that occurred in Europe, through the eyes of three historians. The paper explains that Germany had rejected the attempts of mediation made by Britain and that it was the miscalculations of German Chancellor Bethmann Hollweg that caused all of Europe's superpowers to engage in a World War. The paper looks at how the three historians; Fritz Fischer, Gerhard Ritter and H. Jarausch discuss whom should be held accountable for the World War. In conclusion the paper shows that it is Fischer's persuasive arguments and ample evidence that clearly identifies Germany's faults in the causation of World War I.

From the Paper
"According to Fischer, Publicist Victor Naumann, who was an adviser of the German Foreign Ministry, engaged in a discussion with the permanent head of the Austro-Hungarian foreign ministry, Count Hoyos, about German aggression for the war in Berlin. He stated that the triple alliance of Italy, Austria-Hungary and Germany was powerful and that Britain would remain neutral because of the Anglo-German settlement in Africa, therefore stating that an attack against Serbia would be best if executed immediately. Ritter criticizes Fischer for bringing forward Victor Naumann as a witness to the Berlin Agreement as he was only a journalist and not a diplomat and therefore questions Fischer's credibility. However, Fischers claims are proven true when Count Hoyos met with the Austro-Hungarian ambassador, Szogyeny in Berlin on July 5th, 1914 and presented him with two documents: a memorandum that stated the situation of the monarchy and a proposal that insisted the only way to save the monarchy from being swallowed in the "Pan-Slav flood" was to "eliminate Serbia"."

Tags:Germany, Serbia, Britain, fight, agreement

Abstract
Since NCLB legislation in 2001, schools have seen a drastic change in assessment methods for students and are under increased pressure to be held accountable. This paper details the current situation in which high-stakes testing is not congruent with state standards. The paper then goes on to suggest ways in which states and school districts can alter assessments to increase their validity. Also, issues of how to improve school accountability are discussed. The Nebraska STARS accountability system is also evaluated and recommended.

From the Paper
"While assessment of school systems has been an ongoing issue in the United States for many years, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) created a controversy over accountability of schools and school districts. While NCLB has many admirable goals, such as attempting to provide equal educational opportunity to all students, there are weaknesses in its provision for assessments that plague schools that must not be held accountable for student learning. Spring (2006) notes that while states are able to create standards to determine what is taught and what state tests should contain, there is a requirement that fourth and eighth grade students must take the National Assessment of Educational Progress examinations (186). This legislation, in effect, creates a national curriculum because students from all states are expected to pass a national test. Additionally, NCLB's assessment requirements have already led to many states adopting other high-stakes assessments for students, and then holding schools responsible for failure or success on these tests. However, recent literature suggests that there are better assessment systems that can create a balanced approach to accountability."

Tags:accountability, assessment, child, districts, education, high, left, nclb, nebraska, school, schools, sociology, stakes, standardized, stars, state, teaching, testing, tests

Abstract
The article "The New Realities of Non-Profit Accountability" by Peter Shiras discusses the accounting system for government and non-profit organizations and provides an overlook to the effects on our society and municipal lifestyle. This paper examines the article and discusses the main points put forward in the original article.

Outline:
What Is Different This Time?
Effects from September 11th
Failure of Government Regulators
Where Has The Sector Fallen Short?
Abuse of Trust and Privileges
Lack of Credible Self-Regulation
Crisis of Governance
Failure of Governance Denounced
Move Towards Increased Government Regulation

From the Paper
"The main thinking in the article was the point in which the author makes it clear that the failing of governance systems for NPO's does not make an impact on anyone at all when the situation went from bad to worse. Whether or not every charge or unethical practice in these articles is true, a clear pattern emerges. The author also discusses few other articles presenting the same idea "A failure of governance a persistent and systematic failure of boards to exercise their legal, fiduciary and ethical duties to oversee the policies, practices, finances and CEO's of the organizations they serve - is the single most persistent theme. Governing boards have ultimate legal and fiduciary responsibility for oversight of non-profit and philanthropic organizations and these articles indicate that serious and deeply rooted problems afflict the system of non-profit governance."

Tags:corporations, accountable, society, global, philanthropic, bureaucratic, accountability

Abstract
The paper discusses four characteristics that distinguish managerial accounting from other formats of accounting and then identifies the aims of this form of accounting. The paper explains the concepts of activity-based-costing, the balanced scorecard and bottleneck accounting and looks at the overall difference in 'traditional' and 'innovative' managerial accounting formats. The paper examines the responsibilities of the managerial accountants within an organization and then looks at important breakthroughs in managerial accounting, including the concept of grenzplankostenrechnung (GPK), lean accounting resource consumption accounting (RCA) and transfer pricing.

Outline:
Introduction
Managerial Accounting Defined
Aims
Common Managerial Accounting Practices
Responsibilities of the Managerial Accountants Within an Organization
Important Breakthroughs in Managerial Accounting
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Managerial Accounting, simply put, is the procedure whereby we can classify, calculate, assess, understand, and transfer all the relevant data that is needed to help a company attain its short-term and long-term objectives. Managerial accounting can also be called cost accounting. The primary distinction between the concepts and practice of managerial accounting and financial accounting is that the former is chiefly designed to assists the administrative units within the company to make assessments/conclusions and overall control over the company, while the latter is mainly a source of reference and information for peripheral bodies, like stockholders and brokers, outside the company."

Tags:activity-based-costing, balanced, scorecard, bottleneck, accounting, GPK, RCA, transfer, pricing

Abstract
This paper analyzes the factors necessary for a managerial accountant to succeed in an independent practice and within a larger organization. The author emphasizes that managerial accountants must set the standard for communication within their practices, particularly in regard to strategic issues and relationships between other accountants in their practice. Additionally, the paper shows that managerial accountants must be linked organizationally to the accounting department that they support, which includes training end users to become more proficient in interpreting financial documents. The author concludes that more research is needed in the area of managerial accounting communication so that managers responsible for making training decisions and communicating on a continual basis will have enough tools with which to base their decisions.

Outline:
Introduction to Communication within the Accounting Profession
Leadership over the Managerial Accountant
Leadership by the Managerial Accountant
Decision-Making by the Managerial Accountant
Staff Motivation through Communication by the Managerial Accountant
Communication and Compensation
Outside Training
Management Priorities by the Managerial Accountant
Communicating Expectations of Staff
Marketing
The Communication of Ethical Standards
Conclusion

From the Paper
"As a result, managerial accountants must be flexible to change and adaptation, and those with a broad spectrum of behavioral understanding in addition to financial skills are more properly suited for their positions. This includes a communication medium that reaches the intended audience efficiently and effectively. This paper will analyze the correlation between managerial accountants and their means of communication necessary for their practice to thrive. It will also provide recommendations throughout that managerial accountants can incorporate into their practice in order to bring the profession as a whole to a new level of success."

Tags:accounting, communication, organizational, behavior, managerial, accounting