Vermont
Current Status and Proposed Initiatives

Annual Testing
Current Status
Proposed Initiatives

Measuring Annual Yearly Progress
Current Status
Proposed Initiatives

Highly Qualified Staff
Current Status
Proposed Initiatives

MNEP Services

VT Links and Resources

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Annual Testing

Current Status:

In June 1997, Vermont submitted evidence to the U.S. Department of Education that the State had adopted challenging standards in mathematics and reading/language arts based on comparable student performance on NAEP and on the New Standards Reference Examination (NSRE) in mathematics. In November 1997, then Assistant Secretary Gerard Tirozzi accepted the evidence that Vermont submitted to demonstrate that challenging and aligned standards were in place, with at least three levels of proficiency, in at least mathematics and reading/language arts.

Proposed Initiatives:

• Vermont expects to develop or adopt new or additional assessments to meet the Grade 3-8 requirement by school year 2005-2006. Evidence that the standards continue to meet the requirements of Sec. 1111 after any necessary modifications as part of this process will be submitted, as available, no later than the December 2006 requirement.

Measuring Annual Yearly Progress

Current Status:

• The state's rules for accountability to meet requirements of Act 60 were approved by the State Board of Education in July 2000. Due to significant new requirements in NCLBA, however, the system is currently under revision. It is anticipated that the Vermont Department of Education will have completed the definition of accountability by February 2003.
• Act 60 also requires the commissioner to make biennial determinations of whether schools are meeting the standards defined in the School Quality Standards outlined in the State Board Manual of Rules and Practices. These standards address a school's physical, social and academic climate. An accountability system to support the commissioner's determination is under development.
• Vermont's current School Accountability System Based on Student Performance was adopted by the State Board of Education in July 2000. This was the system that Vermont submitted as part of its approved 2001 Ed-Flex application.
• A comparison of Vermont's current accountability system to the statutory requirements in Sec. 1111 of Title I indicates that we will need to make significant changes to the current system in order to meet the ESEA requirements for Adequate Yearly Progress with a single statewide State accountability system.
• Vermont's current system is based on two-year indexes (combination of all assessments and all performance levels, assigned a weighted point value). One index (Status) looks at the most recent two years and another index (Baseline/Change) tracks change from one two-year period to another two-year period. Only state assessments are included in the Status Index, while schools can optionally include "local" assessments in the Baseline/Change Index.

Proposed Initiatives:

• This index structure will need to be changed to a subject specific, conjunctive model that utilizes a single year of data or two or more years of data in a rolling average that is applied to schools and LEAs annually. Under the 1994 accountability requirements, Vermont had a waiver to combine two years of data into a single decision point. This is a key feature of alignment to state requirements that will need to be changed. In the new model, Vermont will also need to track the percentage of students meeting or exceeding the standard rather than including the performance of all students in a weighted calculation. The subgroup requirement will need to be added, once appropriate minimum "cell" size has been determined.
• Vermont's system was based solely on assessments; however, other indicators were to be added when the necessary student level data system was available to include drop-out or graduation rate. As the system is modified to meet ESEA, requirements for other indicators will be addressed, but accountability will continue to be based primarily on assessments.

Highly Qualified Staff

Proposed Initiatives:

• The purpose of subgrants to eligible partnerships will be to promote teacher and principal training and recruiting. Priority will be given to eligible partnerships that can provide high-quality, scientifically based professional development as defined by 9101(34) of the ESEA in the areas of reading/ English language arts, mathematics or science instruction or that promote the development and recruitment of highly qualified teachers and principals. Successful applications will:
  • Align with the requirements of the ESEA;
    
  • Promote the achievement of Vermont's student performance standards and the ESEA performance goals and indicators;
    
  • Focus on strong academic content and pedagogical components;
    
  • Include effective strategies, techniques, methods and practices for meeting the educational needs of all students in achieving rigorous State and local standards in reading/ELA, mathematics, and science;
    
  • Be grounded in scientifically based research
    
  • Be of sufficient intensity and duration to have a positive and lasting impact on teachers' performance in the classroom or principals' performance as school leaders; and
  • Have an orientation toward continuous improvement.
    
• Proposals must assure that professional development programs will provide opportunity for equitable participation of teachers from independent schools and take into account the need for greater access to and participation in the academic areas (reading/language arts, mathematics or science) for teachers of students from historically under-represented and under-served groups including females, minorities, migrants, individuals with disabilities, individuals with limited English proficiency, economically disadvantaged individuals, and geographically isolated and gifted and talented students.