An accountability policy is seen as having three basic elements: demonstrated student accomplishment, independent accomplishment audits, and public reports. It requires the regular independent review of results obtained for resources expended. Effects resulting from implementation of such a policy are: (1) the focus of schooling shifts from teaching to learning, from input to output, from process to product, from courses taken to competence demonstrated; (2) the independence of teaching and learning will be understood and appreciated; (3) accreditation will focus on achievement, accomplishment, and student competency; (4) the growth and adoption of criterion-referenced and performance standards will occur; (5) serious attempts will be made to truly individualize instruction; (6) educators will scramble to develop a technology of instruction--to find and use "what works"; (7) the educational practitioner will begin to distinguish between good educational practice, poor practice and malpractice; (8) serious efforts will be made to understand and develop productivity in education; (9) among more important issues confronted will be: what the unique contributions of the school system are to the broader societal education system, as well as its limitations; what and to whom are personnel responsible; and what arrangements and consortia can be developed to aid schools in jobs for which they lack the capability; and (10) performance contracting, PPBS, and performance objectives will be widely adapted and adopted. Guidance activities should take steps to provide an appropriate response to accountability. Steps that should be taken by pupil personnel administrators are stated. (DB)