This article asserts that the health of public schools depends on defining a new model of accountability--one that is balanced and comprehensive. This new model needs be one that involves much more than test scores. This article outlines the premises behind this argument asking for what, to whom, and by what means schools should be held accountable. It is argued that a balanced model, or "balanced scorecard" applied to education is the solution. Applying this four-part approach to education, the article asserts, the following aspects of school performance as the components of a balanced school accountability model can be used: (1) student learning; (2) opportunity to learn; (3) responsiveness to students, parents, and community; and (4) organizational capacity for improvement. Each of these aspects must be attended to and fostered by an evaluation system that has a sufficiently high resolution to take into account the full complexity and scope of modern-day schools. The article provides and in-depth analysis of each of these components and concludes it is of great importance to the health of public schools that this transformation is implemented as soon as possible to define a new model for school accountability, one that is balanced and comprehensive. Schools can and should be held accountable to their primary clients for much more than test scores, in a way that supports improvement rather than punishes deficiencies. The current model of using high-stakes testing is a recipe for public school failure, putting the nation at risk. (Contains 18 endnotes.)