Vermont schools are falling behind the state’s education goals, according to the state’s 2024-25 report card released Thursday. Each year, the Vermont Agency of Education tracks schools’ progress using data such as standardized test scores, graduation rate,s and college and career readiness across K-12 schools, and those outcomes are compiled into the annual report card. The report finds that more than half of Vermont public schools are not meeting performance expectations, with many showing no improvement over the previous year and others even showing declining student outcomes. “Our results are not surprising,” said Education Secretary Zoie Saunders. “They are consistent with what we have seen in our national report card, but do indicate that we’re not where we want to be yet.”Minutes after the report was released Thursday, Gov. Phil Scott released a statement and said the report underscores “why education transformation is not optional, it’s essential.”The governor said that transformation is about “closing the opportunity gap and delivering a more equitable education for our kids, and ensuring every student has access to a high-quality education regardless of their ZIP code. It’s about ensuring our teachers, who face an increasingly difficult job, are well-resourced and given more of the tools they need. It’s about building a better governance system that ensures more of Vermonters’ precious tax dollars are directly helping kids and teachers in the classroom.”However, some education leaders said change should also come from what’s already working in Vermont’s classrooms. “I think rather than turn this report card into a political football, Gov. Scott should probably look at the top performing schools and say what are the elements in those top performing schools,” said Don Tinney, president of the Vermont National Education Association. The English teacher of more than 30 years added that educators want to be at the table as solutions are discussed. “Give professional educators an opportunity to delve into the data, to study the data to see what that means for their school districts compared to other districts,” he said. Saunders said she agrees that collaboration will be key as the focus turns to transforming the outcomes of the report card into progress.”Ensuring that every student is getting the support that they need and that our educators are getting the support that they need for meeting the unique circumstances of each student in their classroom,” she said.
Vermont schools are falling behind the state’s education goals, according to the state’s 2024-25 report card released Thursday.
Each year, the Vermont Agency of Education tracks schools’ progress using data such as standardized test scores, graduation rate,s and college and career readiness across K-12 schools, and those outcomes are compiled into the annual report card.
Advertisement
The report finds that more than half of Vermont public schools are not meeting performance expectations, with many showing no improvement over the previous year and others even showing declining student outcomes.
“Our results are not surprising,” said Education Secretary Zoie Saunders. “They are consistent with what we have seen in our national report card, but do indicate that we’re not where we want to be yet.”
Minutes after the report was released Thursday, Gov. Phil Scott released a statement and said the report underscores “why education transformation is not optional, it’s essential.”
The governor said that transformation is about “closing the opportunity gap and delivering a more equitable education for our kids, and ensuring every student has access to a high-quality education regardless of their ZIP code. It’s about ensuring our teachers, who face an increasingly difficult job, are well-resourced and given more of the tools they need. It’s about building a better governance system that ensures more of Vermonters’ precious tax dollars are directly helping kids and teachers in the classroom.”
However, some education leaders said change should also come from what’s already working in Vermont’s classrooms.
“I think rather than turn this report card into a political football, Gov. Scott should probably look at the top performing schools and say what are the elements in those top performing schools,” said Don Tinney, president of the Vermont National Education Association.
The English teacher of more than 30 years added that educators want to be at the table as solutions are discussed.
“Give professional educators an opportunity to delve into the data, to study the data to see what that means for their school districts compared to other districts,” he said.
Saunders said she agrees that collaboration will be key as the focus turns to transforming the outcomes of the report card into progress.
“Ensuring that every student is getting the support that they need and that our educators are getting the support that they need for meeting the unique circumstances of each student in their classroom,” she said.
