Soft accountability: do national assessments without sanctions make a difference? The case of the school inspection in Chile

The most well-known and controversial version of accountability policies is high-stakes testing. However, various countries employ diverse instruments of ‘soft accountability’ or low-stakes accountability tools. This paper highlights the main results of a study conducted in Chile that examines the enactment of one of these soft accountability tools, namely the school inspection system, which is particularly complex as—unlike standardised tests—it involves a face-to-face assessment. The research project is a qualitative study following 12 ‘school inspection networks’ that include a documentary analysis of the school reports delivered (N = 12), as well as in-depth interviews with headteachers and the inspectors who assessed the schools (N = 24). The research findings question the contribution of school inspections. Even though this soft accountability technology can produce enriching information, while a performance-based accountability framework is maintained, the potential contribution of school inspection is trapped by the overall performance-based rationale.