Vermont: College and Career Policies

Professional Program Standards and Requirements: Educator Preparation Policy

To be approved in Vermont, teacher preparation programs must meet administrative, student teaching, and other requirements outlined in the policy.

Content Standards: Standards Authority

The State Board of Education has full authority to adopt standards.

Content Standards: English as a second language

The English Language Learner (ELL) Program administers funds to support programs for limited English proficient (LEP) and bilingual students. These programs are intended to provide needed resources to support high-quality instruction to help immigrant children and youth meet the same challenging performance standards expected of all Vermont students. The program also support a variety of activities related to English language acquisition, language enhancement, academic achievement and immigrant education, including:

Educator Preparation and Licensure: Teacher Licensure Renewal

To renew the Level I endorsement(s) the educator must show:
1. Professional learning through completion of a minimum of three (3) credits or 45 hours in the endorsement area. At least one (1) credit or 15 hours must address the specific knowledge and performance standards of the endorsement(s) being renewed and must occur within the three (3) years preceding renewal of the Level I Educator License in each endorsement area.
2. If practicing in an endorsement area, documentation of a self-assessment in relation to the Core Teaching Standards and Progressions or the Core Leadership Standards.3) any required additional licenses or credentials specific to a particular endorsement.

Content Standards: English Language Arts

Vermont updated the literacy standards 2013. These standards are aligned to the Common Core State Standards.

Content Standards: Technology

Vermont has standards in 10 content areas including arts, family and consumer sciences, health education, history and social sciences, information technology, literacy, math, non-native languages, physical education, and science.

Graduation Requirements: English Language Arts

Content Standards: Career and Technical Education Standards

Student Assessments: English Language Arts

Established by the State Board of Education in 1996, the Vermont Comprehensive Assessments System (CAS) evaluates student performance in the state's schools, based on Vermont's Framework of Standards and Learning Opportunities,with the goal of improving teaching and learning. Statewide assessments include:

The New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) which was administered each fall, ending in October, 2013. Reading and writing assessments were administered in grades 3-8 and 11.

Content Standards: Health

Vermont updated the health education standards in 2008.

Content Standards: Mathematics

Vermont updated the math standards in 2010. These standards are aligned to the Common Core State Standards.

Graduation Requirements: Mathematics

Educator Professional Growth and Development: Administrator Licensure Renewal

In order to renew a license, administrators must complete professional learning activities through a minimum of 6 credit hours or 90 clock hours.

Student Assessments: Mathematics

The New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) which was administered each fall, ending in October, 2013. Mathematics was administered in grades 3-8 and 11.

Content Standards: Arts (Fine Arts)

Vermont updated the arts standards in 2016.

Content Standards: Family and Consumer Sciences

Student Assessments: Assessment Authority

The Vermont State Board of Education has full authority to adopt assessments.

Content Standards: Physical Education

On May 19, 2015, the Vermont State Board of Education adopted the 2014 SHAPE America National Standards and Grade-Level Outcomes for Physical Education to replace 2004 Vermont Grade Expectations for Physical Education (PE). These new standards for PE empower Vermont educators to use the most current, best-practices in design of proficiency-based instruction and assessment for learning. Furthermore, this move enables use of directly-aligned, nationally-developed tools for assessment and curriculum evaluation with the goal of developing student physical literacy.

Educator Performance Evaluation: Educator Evaluation Authority

In March 2011, the State of Vermont Department of Education created the Vermont Task Force on Teacher & Leader Effectiveness to develop guidelines for teacher and leader evaluation. Knowing and respecting the fiercely independent nature of Vermonters, Task Force members were committed to developing these guidelines for creating and assessing evaluation systems and not creating a plan or template for school districts to adopt. The Task Force developed standards for evaluation based on the InTASC standards for teachers. These standards were adopted by the Vermont Standards Board for Professional Educators in 2011.

Educator Professional Growth and Development: Professional Development

Vermont follows the Learning Forward standards of learning communities, leadership, resources, data, learning designs, implementation, and outcomes.

Educator Performance Evaluation: Educator Evaluation Policy

Content Standards: Science

The Next Generation Science Standards were approved by the Vermont State Board of Education in June 2013. These standards are now considered to be the foundation of all Vermont science instruction. School programs will gradually incorporate these standards into curricula and instruction. School year 2013-2014 is considered to be an awareness time, wherein teachers will begin to become familiar with these new standards and will blend portions of these standards into their existing instruction. Professional development and instructional resources will be available through the Agency of Education.

State Policy Database

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