This report examines the origins, development, content, and implementation of state-level policies that were designed to establish or strengthen educational accountability and effectiveness in the 15 states that are members of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). It provides tables outlining the context and content of such initiatives in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. In the last decade, most SREB state have passed legislation calling for accountability in higher education. In seven states accountability legislation requires periodic reporting on a cluster of performance indicators. In some states, initiatives also require the development of assessment plans and activities, and in some cases specific assessments are mandated. Several policy options for dealing with the projected growth in enrollments, declining state appropriations, and increased expectations for quality and accountability are discussed. (MDM)