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103 Accountability Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

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Accountability is a fundamental aspect of personal and professional growth. Whether you are a student, employee, or leader, understanding the importance of accountability is crucial for success. Writing an essay on accountability allows you to explore various aspects of this concept and its implications. To help you get started, here are 103 accountability essay topic ideas and examples:

• The importance of personal accountability in achieving goals.
• How does accountability contribute to ethical decision-making?
• Exploring the relationship between accountability and trust.
• The role of accountability in building strong teams.
• Accountability and its impact on workplace productivity.
• Analyzing the consequences of a lack of accountability in an organization.
• How can leaders foster a culture of accountability within their teams?
• The connection between accountability and effective communication.
• The impact of accountability on individual and organizational performance.
• The influence of accountability on employee morale and job satisfaction.
• Exploring the accountability of leaders in times of crisis.
• How does accountability contribute to personal growth and development?
• The role of accountability in maintaining work-life balance.
• Analyzing the relationship between accountability and self-discipline.
• The impact of accountability on decision-making processes.
• The connection between accountability and resilience in challenging situations.
• The role of accountability in preventing and addressing workplace conflicts.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in educational institutions.
• The influence of accountability on student motivation and academic performance.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of social media and online behavior.
• The role of accountability in promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
• The impact of accountability on ethical leadership.
• Exploring the connection between accountability and organizational culture.
• The consequences of a lack of accountability in government institutions.
• The influence of accountability on public trust in political leaders.
• Analyzing the role of accountability in healthcare systems.
• The connection between accountability and patient safety.
• The impact of accountability on environmental sustainability.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in the criminal justice system.
• The role of accountability in promoting transparency and reducing corruption.
• The influence of accountability on financial management and reporting.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of international relations and diplomacy.
• The connection between accountability and human rights protection.
• The impact of accountability on peacebuilding and conflict resolution.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in the media industry.
• The role of accountability in promoting fair and unbiased journalism.
• The influence of accountability on corporate social responsibility.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of sports and athletics.
• The connection between accountability and fair play.
• The impact of accountability on sportsmanship and athlete behavior.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in the education system.
• The role of accountability in improving teacher-student relationships.
• The influence of accountability on educational policies and reforms.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of parenting and family dynamics.
• The connection between accountability and effective parenting strategies.
• The impact of accountability on children's behavior and character development.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in personal relationships.
• The role of accountability in fostering trust and mutual respect.
• The influence of accountability on relationship satisfaction and longevity.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of addiction recovery.
• The connection between accountability and successful rehabilitation.
• The impact of accountability on relapse prevention.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in the military.
• The role of accountability in promoting discipline and unit cohesion.
• The influence of accountability on military readiness and effectiveness.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of volunteer organizations and charity work.
• The connection between accountability and impactful social change.
• The impact of accountability on volunteer motivation and commitment.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in religious institutions.
• The role of accountability in maintaining ethical conduct within religious communities.
• The influence of accountability on religious leadership and followership.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of technology and cybersecurity.
• The connection between accountability and data privacy protection.
• The impact of accountability on combating cybercrime and online threats.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in the entertainment industry.
• The role of accountability in promoting diversity and representation in media.
• The influence of accountability on ethical content creation and consumption.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of entrepreneurship and business startups.
• The connection between accountability and entrepreneurial success.
• The impact of accountability on business ethics and sustainability.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in the tourism industry.
• The role of accountability in promoting responsible travel and cultural preservation.
• The influence of accountability on sustainable tourism practices.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of scientific research and innovation.
• The connection between accountability and research integrity.
• The impact of accountability on scientific discoveries and advancements.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in social welfare programs.
• The role of accountability in ensuring fair distribution of resources.
• The influence of accountability on poverty alleviation and social justice.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of humanitarian aid and disaster relief efforts.
• The connection between accountability and effective emergency response.
• The impact of accountability on fostering resilient communities.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in the transportation industry.
• The role of accountability in promoting road safety and reducing accidents.
• The influence of accountability on sustainable transportation practices.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of animal welfare and conservation.
• The connection between accountability and ethical treatment of animals.
• The impact of accountability on wildlife conservation efforts.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in food production and distribution.
• The role of accountability in ensuring food safety and quality standards.
• The influence of accountability on sustainable farming practices.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of mental health care and support.
• The connection between accountability and destigmatizing mental health issues.
• The impact of accountability on access to mental health services.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in urban planning and development.
• The role of accountability in creating sustainable and livable cities.
• The influence of accountability on community engagement and participation.
• Analyzing accountability in the context of cultural preservation and heritage protection.
• The connection between accountability and safeguarding cultural diversity.
• The impact of accountability on promoting inclusive cultural practices.
• Exploring the consequences of a lack of accountability in international aid and development.
• The role of accountability in ensuring effective allocation of resources in developing countries.
• The influence of accountability on sustainable development goals.

These 103 accountability essay topic ideas cover a wide range of disciplines and industries, allowing you to approach the concept of accountability from different angles. Whether you are writing an essay for academic purposes or personal reflection, these topics will provide you with a solid foundation to explore this important subject. Remember to choose a topic that interests you and aligns with your objectives, as this will make the writing process more enjoyable and meaningful.

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Home — Essay Samples — Business — Accountability — The Importance of Accountability in Life

The Importance of Accountability in Life

• Categories: Accountability

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Words: 529 |

Published: Jan 30, 2024

Words: 529 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Table of contents

Definition of accountability, importance of accountability in personal life, accountability in professional settings, accountability in public and political arenas, accountability in education.

• Eden, D., & Eldor, E. (1993). Accountability, the Inability to Disconfirm, and the Psychotherapeutic Process. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 61(4), 629-635.
• American Society of Employers. (2018). The Impact of Trust and Accountability in the Workplace. Retrieved from https://www.aseonline.org/Insights-Resources/Blog/The-Impact-of-Trust-and-Accountability-in-the-Workpl
• Transparency International. (2020). Global Corruption Barometer. Retrieved from https://www.transparency.org/en/gcb
• National Education Policy Center. (2019). The Negative Consequences of High-Stakes Standardized Testing. Retrieved from https://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/negative-consequences

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25 Accountability Examples (How to Show Accountability)

Examples of accountability include taking personal responsibility, showing evidence of what you have and haven’t done, and regularly reporting on your progress.

Accountability is a trait of being responsible and open to having your decisions and actions scrutinized. An accountable person keeps their commitments and promises. If one thing goes wrong, an accountable person is open about their faults and failings.

Accountability is more often used as a term of self-governance, not an oversight of a body over an individual. Below are some of the best examples of accountability in personal and office situations.

Accountability Examples

1. accountable people have to work for their success.

An accountable person is responsible for the success or failure of their projects. As a result, they can’t just float under the radar. They have to step up and take action to ensure they are successful.

For example, in group work scenarios, there is a concept called interpersonal accountability. This means that every group member has a distinct group role . At group meetings, every group member must come and demonstrate that they have completed their assigned tasks. This is an accountable group.

By contrast, an unaccountable group will not assign group roles, which will likely lead to some group members coasting under the radar, while only a small number of the group members will carry all the hard work.

2. You take responsibility for failure

Failure happens to everyone. But only a small amount of people will own up to their personal failures. These are the people who hold themselves accountable.

Politics is a great example here. It’s rare to see a politician stand up and admit that they have failed or didn’t reach a goal they set. Instead, they will often try to blame someone else, talk about how the other guy is even worse, or just lie! They’re unaccountable.

By contrast, a person who takes responsibility will often step up and openly confirm that they failed, and potentially explain where they went wrong.

3. You are proactive and not reactive

An accountable person is more likely to take proactive action rather than simply react to problems. This is because they know that they will be accountable for failure.

Being proactive means attempting to prevent problems that you forecast or at least put preventive measures to reduce the damage. On the other hand, a reactive person waits for the damage to happen before they do damage control.

For example, let us say that you are managing a fleet of trucks. As a proactive manager, you take it upon yourself to put preventive measures such as ensuring that you have a process for checking the truck conditions before sending them off. This might include ensuring that all trucks have spare tires and tools necessary to replace flat tires on the road.

Of course, you’re more likely to do this if you’re accountable : you’ve been assigned this job and if you don’t do it, it’s on you!

4. You take feedback

Accountability is also about being receptive to feedback. For example, your boss may speak to you about how you can improve your work, and an accountable person is going to want to listen to the feedback.

People who have no accountability avoid feedback and criticism, even constructive feedback. This is because feedback and criticism are mechanisms of accountability: it ensures people are held to account for what they did.

For example, your teacher might hold you to account for your learning by setting formative assessments and giving feedback to show you how to improve.

By contrast, if you don’t take feedback, then you’re never going to learn what you did well or did poorly, and as a result, you’re unlikely to improve. So, feedback and even constructive criticism are good things.

5. You show ownership of your work

Showing ownership over your work is necessary for accountability. Your work needs to be traceable so if you make a mistake, you can be tracked down and told about it.

For example, an author of a controversial book might write it under an alias if they don’t want any blowback. In this case, they can say anything they want and not be held accountable for it.

Similarly, in the workplace, by showing who did what, the manager can retrace the process and figure out where the mistakes were made and work with the person who made the mistakes to improve.

At the same time, if you show ownership of something done well, you’ll be held accountable for a good reason: people can tell you did it and congratulate you!

6. You keep a record of what you have done

Keeping a record of what you have done helps you to stay accountable to people. It means you can trace exactly every step along the way, which can actually be good because it protects you!

For example, if you get audited by the tax office, you can show all of your invoices and receipts as proof that your income is actually earned legitimately. If you don’t keep clear records, you may not be able to account for what you have done, which may land you a higher tax bill!

Similarly, in a math test, you might have to keep a record of your work when solving your equation to show that you didn’t just guess – you actually knew what you were doing!

7. You report to someone

Almost by definition, an accountable person needs to report to someone else about their progress. This might be a boss, team members, parents, teachers, or even yourself!

For example, in the workplace, you may have performance meetings with your line manager in order to show them what you have been doing with your time at work. A good accountable workplace structure would include incentives such as pay rises for people who have met their goals and disincentives (maybe even losing your job) if you do not meet the standards set.

Similarly, at school, we’re accountable to our teachers – which is the point of exams – as well as our parents, in the form of school reports. At the same time, teachers and parents are accountable to one another. Teachers expect parents to support the school, while parents expect teachers to educate their children well.

8. You speak up when needed

Accountability may mean you need to speak up when necessary, even if it means you are a whistleblower. If you see something unethical, you might feel accountable to your peers and community, and feel the need to report it.

Of course, one of the problems with being a whistleblower is that you can end up being ostracized. It is why many people keep quiet when they see things they know are wrong. Here, they’re not holding themselves or the perpetrators to account.

9. You keep an accountability partner

One of the best ways to show that you’re an accountable person is to keep an accountability partner. This is a person who you meet with regularly to discuss how you’re progressing with your goals.

This involves making sure you set goals for yourself (which is an essential step – if you don’t have goals and roles, you don’t have accountability).

Once you have set those goals, you need to tell somebody – this is your accountability partner. Your partner will also tell you their goals as well.

Then, you may meet up weekly or monthly to report to each other about your progress.

An add-on to this is to set rewards and punishments associated with the goals, such as having to pay your accountability partner $25 if you don’t meet your goals.

10. You don’t move the goalposts

Moving the goalposts is an analogy rather than anything literal. It means that you set your goals and you don’t change them.

If we were to look at the term literally, we might see a game of football where the team moves their goalposts further away from the opponent so the opponent can’t score a goal.

But we often use this term to describe someone who has changed their goals or promises to make themselves look better.

You might say that your goal is to make $1000 in a month. At the end of the month, you only made $800, so you say “oh, my goal was really $700”. Here, of course, the person hasn’t been held to account for their original goal.

At the same time, a boss might do this to your disadvantage. For example, the boss might tell you they will give you a raise if you get the company 5 more clients. You gain 7 clients, but the boss then says there’s not enough money right now, so you will get the pay rise in 6 months’ time instead.

Additional Examples

11. You’re transparent – Transparency is closely related to accountability. It refers to the act of showing what you have done and not hiding anything. If you’re transparent, you’re one step closer to being held accountable.

12. You are paid based on merit – An accountable pay scale would involve paying someone based on their productivity, or how hard they work, which prevents people from slacking off and floating under the radar at work.

13. You show your receipts – Imagine you’re being accused of shop-lifting. If you have your receipts, you can show that you didn’t do it! Having receipts keeps you, and your accuser, accountable.

14. You provide regular updates – If you are accountable to someone, then you’re probably going to give them regular updates.

15. You set KPIs – KPIs, or key performance indicators, are ways to hold yourself and your team accountable. They’re very common in workplaces to maintain productivity.

16. You settle your debts – An accountable person will always settle their debts. If they don’t, then they won’t be trusted. They won’t be able to approach someone and say “you can hold me accountable – I’ve got a strong record here”.

17. You’re honest – When someone asks for feedback, and your honest feedback would be harsh, you might find yourself in a tough situation. If you are honest, then you may lose a friend. If you lie, you will be dishonest. The accountable person will likely try to be honest so they can be held to account for their answer and always say that at least the answer was not deceptive.

18. You show your work – Anyone who’s done a math test knows that you need to show your work to prove that you know what you’re doing and not just guessing.

19. You tell people what you’re going to do before you do it – If you tell people what you’re going to do before doing it, then you have a benchmark to see whether you succeeded or failed. If you don’t, then it’s hard to hold you to account.

20. You have a clear role – By having a clear role in an organization, people know what your job is. When something needs to be done, the person whose role it is to fix the problem will be accountable for fixing it. Without clear roles in the organization, then we don’t know who’s accountable for fixing the problems.

21. You don’t hide anything – By showing the good and the bad, you can show people that you’re not hiding anything. It helps to win trust and respect.

22. You are honest with your team – Often, lowly-ranked team members are held accountable to their bosses. But it’s also very helpful for a boss to be held to account by their team member. If the boss is open and honest with the team, then they will win respect from the team who are more likely to follow you and trust you.

23. You act in good faith – For example, in a business sale, you need to reveal all the positives and negatives of the business. You could try to hide some debts or market risks, but at the end of the day, if you don’t act accountably, it may land you in some trouble.

24. You accept democracy – Democracy holds people accountable. If someone does a poor job, they can be held accountable to the people by being kicked out of office. For example, if a president does a bad job, they’re held accountable at the next election by being voted out.

25. You keep your promises – Accountable people keep their promises because they know that if they don’t, there will be consequences.

Accountability is a sign of maturity . People who understand this concept will go far in their careers—they will get a promotion and succeed in life.

To be accountable, you must be able to transparently reveal the pros and cons so people can judge you fairly. If you handle this well, then you can actually win more respect from the people around you because they trust that you’re not going to be pulling the wool over their eyes.

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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Importance Of Accountability (Essay/Paper Sample)

Table of Contents

Importance of accountability

Accountability is the obligation bestowed on an individual or an organization to be answerable, take responsibility for its actions, and provide an account in a transparent manner. Achievement of this character trait in an organization requires every individual in an organization to own up to his or her responsibilities, their actions and the results after that. Accountability is crucial due to various reasons.

Accountability promotes trust. In different relationships, accountability means that one is ready to commit to something and be responsible enough to see it to the end. In such an event, one earns trust from the people around as they have established that one is trustworthy with a particular situation. Moreover, accountability is an expression of integrity towards accounting for their actions if they fail to honor their commitment and work towards making the situation better. A reliable individual enjoys autonomy, confidence, and leeway to conduct one’s work.

Accountability elicits responsibility. Responsibility is a virtue of showing that one is mature and a dependable person that an employer can trust. An employee shows responsibility by assuming all actions, products, decisions and failures of duty assigned. A responsible employee has an obligation to report any challenges, failures or successes of an assignment in an honest, straightforward and accepting of their faults manner and taking actionable steps to remedy a situation.

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Accountability ensures performance by making sure all employees work towards a common goal. When one is answerable to their actions, it eliminates events of them engaging in behavior and activities detrimental to their jobs. An organization achieves performance by the leadership outlining the goals and expectations of each employee and assigning tasks in this regard. Therefore, each becomes aware of his or her expectations and responsibilities hence, creates a sense of direction.

Accountability saves time and finances. When employees in an organization are answerable and responsible for their actions, utilization of time and funds is adequately spent in among others, identifying solutions towards a challenge as opposed to trying to determine the problem. In this situation, accountability means that every employee conducts their roles competently, and if a problem occurs, they raise it up instead of keeping quiet and letting it eventually create a bigger consequence.

Accountability also promotes confidence among employees when they achieve their goals. Confidence in employees is derived from an environment that accepts and facilitates honest interactions and criticism, that appreciates their ideas, incorporates them in an organization, and gives them the liberty to make decisions about their work. Additionally, confidence thrives when employees receive the mandate to make decisions to challenges. When an employer listens and shows interest in employees’ performance, they are likely to appreciate and put effort in their work.

Accountability makes a leader effective. Leaders set the ground for the behavior and performance of employees. If they take liability for their achievements and their failures, it makes it easy for employees to admire and emulate. Moreover, it sets the morals and principles that are essential towards achieving accountability.

In conclusion, the building of accountability in an organization is crucial. A leader does so by eliminating fear, developing trust among the employees, being open to their responses, ideas and rewarding them for their choice to be answerable to their responsibilities.

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Amna Khalid says institutions need to rethink DEI initiatives.

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Pushing back on DEI ‘orthodoxy’

Panelists support diversity efforts but worry that current model is too narrow, denying institutions the benefit of other voices, ideas

Nikki Rojas

Harvard Staff Writer

It’s time to take a harder look at the role of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in higher education.

That was the overall theme of a searing panel discussion at Smith Campus Center on Thursday. Titled “Academic Freedom, DEI, & the Future of Higher Education,” the event featured scholars specializing in law, history, politics, and diversity.

“The power of diversity for learning is irreplaceable,” said panelist Amna Khalid, associate professor of history at Carleton College in Minnesota. “It is incredible, and it is a value that I strongly believe in as someone who is the product of various educational systems.”

However, Khalid shared that she often finds herself at odds with the approach DEI practitioners take in higher education — an approach she termed “DEI Inc.”

Khalid wrote an opinion piece with Carlton colleague Jeffrey Aaron Snyder last year for the Chronicle of Higher Education. The essay, titled “ Yes, DEI Can Erode Academic Freedom. Let’s Not Pretend Otherwise ,” argues that under the logic of the prevailing DEI model, “Education is a product, students are consumers, and campus diversity is a customer-service issue that needs to be administered from the top down.”

All too often, Khalid said at the event, practitioners implement a “model underscored by a notion of harm and that students somehow need to be protected from harm.”

Jeannie Suk Gersen, John H. Watson, Jr. Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, agreed with that assessment and said that people who object to DEI do not often equate it to the idea of diversity.

“It’s, in fact, a set of ideas that have become very narrowed to one specific orthodoxy about what diversity means, what equity and inclusion mean, so that it shuts out a whole bunch of other ideas about what diversity, equity, and inclusion may be,” Suk Gersen said.

The lone voice to advocate for a professionalized and accountable DEI workforce was Stacy Hawkins, a Rutgers University law professor and scholar of DEI.

“Perhaps it’s simply just the introduction of diversity into our institutions that’s going to create discomfort — that’s going to make it harder to have the same conversations, to do the same things, to say and behave in the same ways that we used to,” said Hawkins, who underscored the challenge of welcoming diverse students without diverse faculty. “But that doesn’t mean that it’s not a worthwhile exercise to try.”

Panelists also fielded questions on academic freedom and free speech, and whether DEI infringes on those rights.

DEI is “almost always wrong in the sense that it subverts classical liberal principles of the academic mission of open inquiry, truth seeking, knowledge creation, research, and debating ideas,” responded panelist Ilya Shapiro, senior fellow and director of constitutional studies at the Manhattan Institute.

He went on to quote Hanna Holborn Gray, former president of the University of Chicago, who once said: “Education should not be intended to make people comfortable; it is meant to make them think.”

Shapiro proved the only panelist to argue for the total elimination of university DEI offices without replacing them with other structures designed to achieve diversity goals. Instead, he said that student affairs, compliance officers, and admissions should assume any responsibilities related to diversity.

Last week’s discussion was sponsored by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences’ Civil Discourse Initiative , the Harvard College Intellectual Vitality Initiative , and the Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics .

Also discussed were social media and the distorted views it surfaces on DEI.

Hawkins noted that DEI takes a real beating on the platforms, all while cancel culture is the true driver behind most modern outrage. “There is this heightened sense of awareness,” she said. “There’s this heightened sense of accountability. There is this heightened sense of threat. And this heightened sense of punitive action, all surrounding a larger cultural phenomenon that has nothing to do with diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

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Bay Shore case shows we must confront sexual abuse in schools

The allegations against teacher Thomas Bernagozzi, of the Bay Shore school district, are troubling and a stark reminder of the vulnerability of our children within the educational system. Credit: James Carbone

Recent reports of sexual abuse cases involving educators have once again brought the issue of safeguarding our children to the forefront of public discourse. Allegations against individuals like retired teacher Thomas Bernagozzi of the Bay Shore school district, and countless others nationwide, make clear we must address the systemic failures that allow such misconduct to occur and persist.

The allegations against Bernagozzi are troubling and a stark reminder of the vulnerability of our children within the educational system. Schools should be places of safety, trust, and growth; when those entrusted with our children’s education and well-being betray that trust, the repercussions are profound and long-lasting.

It is essential that we acknowledge the courage of survivors who come forward to share their stories, often in the face of skepticism and institutional resistance. Their bravery underscores the urgency for comprehensive reforms in how schools prevent, respond to, and address instances of sexual abuse.

First and foremost, accountability must be at the forefront of any response. Institutions must conduct thorough and impartial investigations into allegations of abuse, and perpetrators must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. This includes not only criminal prosecution but also civil remedies.

This guest essay reflects the views of Ralph Kohl, a graduate of Bay Shore schools, former state Assembly staff member, and government affairs professional specializing in health care in Alexandria, Virginia.

We also must prioritize prevention through education and training for educators, students, and parents. This includes fostering open dialogue about boundaries, consent, and healthy relationships from an early age, as well as implementing robust policies and procedures for reporting and addressing instances of misconduct.

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Beyond individual cases, we must also confront the broader cultural and systemic factors that enable sexual abuse to occur unchecked. This includes challenging harmful power dynamics, dismantling barriers to reporting, and fostering a culture of accountability and transparency within schools.

Ultimately, confronting sexual abuse in schools requires a collective effort from educators, administrators, lawmakers, and the broader community. It is incumbent on all of us to stand in solidarity with survivors, to demand accountability from those in positions of power, and to work tirelessly to ensure that every child has the right to learn and thrive in an environment free from fear and harm.

One of the most concerning aspects in Bay Shore is the apparent repetition of mistakes by the current administration, mirroring the mishandlings of past cases. By not believing their former students, victim-shaming, and failing to accept accountability, administrators not only undermine the trust of current students and parents but also send a chilling message that victims will not be believed or supported if they come forward with allegations of abuse.

This perpetuates an environment of fear, silence, and mistrust, further entrenching the barriers that prevent survivors from seeking justice and healing. Educational leaders must break this cycle of impunity and indifference by prioritizing the voices and experiences of survivors, fostering a culture of transparency and accountability and ensuring that every student feels empowered and supported to speak out against abuse. That’s how we can begin to rebuild trust, safeguard our children, and create safer learning environments for all.

It is time for the superintendent and school board to demonstrate courage and integrity by admitting the failures of the district, addressing them, and ensuring that survivors receive the support and justice they deserve. Anything less is a betrayal of trust and a grave disservice to the victims and their families, many of whom reside and have children in the district.

Chronic Absenteeism Is a Crisis. Do Parents Get It?

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A majority of parents and caregivers of students with high rates of school absences are not concerned about their children’s missed school days, new research finds.

The findings by researchers at the University of Southern California come as schools take on the uphill battle of bringing down rates of chronic absenteeism that doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic. They suggest schools are facing a shift in attitudes toward absenteeism and need more targeted and effective messaging to help families rebuild strong attendance habits.

“If schools and districts are concerned about children’s absenteeism, they need to reach out to parents clearly, in ways that they understand,” said Morgan Polikoff, a professor of education at USC. “And they need to try and get to the bottom of what’s driving absenteeism, which is probably going to differ from kid to kid.”

Polikoff and fellow researchers surveyed parents and caregivers in 2,479 households between December 2023 and February 2024 to ask them about their children’s absences.

Five percent said their child had missed more than 10 days in the first semester of the 2023-24 school year, which meets the most common definition of chronic absenteeism: missing 10 percent or more school days in a year. Fewer than half of those respondents, 47 percent, said they were concerned about their child’s absences.

Eleven percent of respondents said their child had missed six to 10 days in the first semester, putting them at risk of chronic absenteeism, the USC researchers wrote in a March 26 brief for the Brookings Institution . Of those parents and caretakers, 29 percent reported concern about their child’s attendance.

Absenteeism rates remain high

National data on chronic absenteeism suggest respondents to the USC survey underreported—or weren’t aware of—the extent of their children’s school absences, the researchers wrote in a March 26 brief for the Brookings Institution .

National rates of chronic absenteeism doubled during the pandemic, reaching nearly 30 percent during the 2021-22 school year, according to Attendance Works, an organization that advocates for tracking and addressing student attendance. State data shows schools made some progress in bringing those numbers down during the 2022-23 school year, but they remain well above pre-pandemic levels in most places.

Concerns about parents understanding of attendance mirror a “perception gap” identified in previous research that found parents may not be aware of their children’s need for tutoring and academic acceleration following pandemic learning interruptions.

Poor student attendance patterns are affected by a range of systemic issues including poverty, healthcare coverage, and access to reliable transportation.

Education advocates have urged schools to take a multi-pronged approach to the problem that includes effective communication with families—everything from text message “nudges” that update parents on how many school days their child has missed, to districtwide campaigns about how attendance contributes to child well-being, to tailored strategies like home visits.

Previous research suggests the importance of a strong school-family relationship. An October study by the organizations Learning Heroes, an organization that studies parent attitudes about education, and TNTP, an organization that promotes effective teaching, found that schools where parents reported higher levels of trust in pre-pandemic surveys experienced lower levels of absenteeism after COVID-19 interruptions.

The USC survey data illuminates the challenges of crafting effective messages for parents. Respondents with children who were chronically absent or at risk of chronic absenteeism often did not identify a single, dominant reason for their absences.

Schools may benefit from explaining the value of in-person attendance, even if make-up assignments and classroom materials are available online, the researchers said.

Thirty-two percent of overall respondents said they weren’t concerned about absences because “everything their child needs to know is available online,” the survey found. Of respondents whose children missed six or more school days, 33 percent said they believed it was OK for their child to work from home if they preferred.

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Guest Essay

Don’t Overlook the Power of the Civil Cases Against Donald Trump

By David Lat and Zachary B. Shemtob

Mr. Lat writes about the legal profession. Mr. Shemtob is a lawyer.

For months now, the country has been riveted by the four criminal cases against Donald Trump: the New York state case involving hush-money payments to an adult film star, the federal case involving classified documents, the Georgia election-interference case and the federal election-interference case. But some have been postponed or had important deadlines delayed. The only case with a realistic shot of producing a verdict before the election, the New York case, involves relatively minor charges of falsifying business records that are unlikely to result in any significant prison time . None of the other three are likely to be resolved before November.

It’s only the civil courts that have rendered judgments on Mr. Trump. In the first two months of 2024, Mr. Trump was hit with more than half a billion dollars in judgments in civil cases — around $450 million in the civil fraud case brought by the New York attorney general, Letitia James, and $83.3 million in the defamation case brought by the writer E. Jean Carroll.

For Trump opponents who want to see him behind bars, even a half-billion-dollar hit to his wallet might not carry the same satisfaction. But if, as Jonathan Mahler suggested back in 2020, “visions of Donald Trump in an orange jumpsuit” turn out to be “more fantasy than reality,” civil justice has already shown itself to be a valuable tool for keeping him in check — and it may ultimately prove more successful in the long run at reining him in.

The legal system is not a monolith but a collection of different, interrelated systems. Although not as heralded as the criminal cases against Mr. Trump, civil suits have proved effective in imposing some measure of accountability on him, in situations where criminal prosecution might be too delayed, divisive or damaging to the law.

To understand why the civil system has been so successful against Mr. Trump, it’s important to understand some differences between civil and criminal justice. Civil actions have a lower standard of proof than criminal ones. In the civil fraud case, Judge Arthur Engoron applied a “ preponderance of the evidence ” standard, which required the attorney general to prove that it was more likely than not that Mr. Trump committed fraud. (Criminal cases require a jury to decide “beyond a reasonable doubt” that the defendant committed a crime, a far higher standard.) As a result, it is much easier for those suing Mr. Trump in civil court to obtain favorable judgments.

These judgments can help — and already are helping — curb Mr. Trump’s behavior. Since Judge Engoron’s judgment in the civil fraud case, the monitor assigned to watch over the Trump Organization, the former federal judge Barbara Jones, has already identified deficiencies in the company’s financial reporting. After the second jury verdict in Ms. Carroll’s favor, Mr. Trump did not immediately return to attacking her, as he had in the past. (He remained relatively silent about her for several weeks, before lashing out again in March.)

Returning to the White House will not insulate Mr. Trump from the consequences of civil litigation. As president, he could direct his attorney general to dismiss federal criminal charges against him or even attempt to pardon himself if convicted. He cannot do either with civil cases, which can proceed even against presidents. (In Clinton v. Jones , the Supreme Court held that a sitting president has no immunity from civil litigation for acts done before taking office and unrelated to the office. And as recently as December, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals made clear that even if the challenged acts took place during his presidency, when the president “acts in an unofficial, private capacity, he is subject to civil suits like any private citizen.”)

It may also be difficult for Mr. Trump to avoid the most serious penalties in a civil case. To appeal both recent civil judgments, Mr. Trump must come up with hundreds of millions of dollars in cash or secure a bond from an outside company. Although he managed to post a $91.6 million bond in the Carroll case, he initially encountered what his lawyers described as “ insurmountable difficulties ” in securing the half-billion-dollar bond he was originally ordered to post in the civil fraud case. An appeals court order last week cut that bond to $175 million — but if Mr. Trump cannot post this bond, Ms. James can start enforcing her judgment by seizing his beloved real estate or freezing his bank accounts. And even though it appears that he will be able to post the reduced bond, the damage done to his cash position and liquidity poses a significant threat to, and limitation on, his ongoing business operations.

Furthermore, through civil litigation, we could one day learn more about the inner workings of the Trump empire. Civil cases allow for broader discovery than criminal cases do. Ms. James, for instance, was able to investigate Mr. Trump’s businesses for almost three years before filing suit. And in the Carroll cases, Mr. Trump had to sit for depositions — an experience he seemed not to enjoy, according to Ms. Carroll’s attorney. There is no equivalent pretrial process in the criminal context, where defendants enjoy greater protections — most notably, the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination.

Finally, civil cases generally have fewer externalities or unintended consequences. There are typically not as many constitutional issues to navigate and less risk of the prosecution appearing political. As a result, civil cases may be less divisive for the nation. Considering the extreme political polarization in the United States right now, which the ongoing election will likely only exacerbate, this advantage should not be underestimated.

David Lat ( @DavidLat ), a former federal law clerk and prosecutor, writes “ Original Jurisdiction ,” a newsletter about law and the legal profession. Zachary B. Shemtob is a former federal law clerk and practicing lawyer.

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