Magazine: Vermont schools rank third in nation
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By Sarah Hinckley Rutland Herald - Published: January 4, 2007
When it comes to educational achievement in kindergarten through grade 12, Vermont ranks third in the nation behind Massachusetts and New Jersey, according to a report published by Education Week magazine.
The ranking is based on graduation rates and on the performance by Vermont students on the National Assessment for Education Progress (NAEP) and Advanced Placement exams, according to a written statement from the Vermont Department of Education.
It also takes into account improvements the state has made since the report's previous rankings were issued.
In another educational category, which it calls a "chance for success index," the magazine ranks Vermont ninth in the nation. That index uses 13 measures to assess a child's chances for success from the time of his or her birth to the time they find a job.
The release of the report coincides with the start of a new session of the Vermont Legislature, during which education spending is expected to be a major issue. State education officials said Wednesday the study, Editorial Projects in Education, Quality Counts 2007, could shine a positive light on the state's educational system.
"We're always glad when there is good news about how Vermont is doing nationally," said Jill Remick, an education department spokeswoman. "It's good timing."
In a written statement, Remick said the report also gave the state high marks for its Early Childhood Education policies. The report based that grading on the availability of state-financed preschool, on the existence of early learning standards, and on how both of those align with kindergarten – 12th grade standards.
Vermont ranked significantly lower — 25th in the nation — in what the report calls an "education alignment policies index." And it ranked 43rd in the report's "policy indicators index."
In a telephone interview, Vermont Education Commissioner Richard Cate took issue with portions of the report that were critical of the state's performance. For example, the report said Vermont is the only state in the country that lacks standards for assessing English language arts, and that the state lacks standards for assessing social studies.
Cate said both statements are inaccurate.
"We very clearly do have standards in those areas," Cate said.
The report said the top five states in student achievement in kindergarten through 12th grade were Massachusetts, New Jersey, Vermont, Connecticut and Minnesota. Mississippi ranked at the bottom of that list.
Cate said he'd like to see the state develop a way to assess student readiness for college or a career. Without a graduation exit exam, there is no way to make an accurate assessment, he said. Students take standardized tests up to their sophomore year, after which individual districts set standards for graduation and achievement.
Starting this fall, Cate plans to travel to 30 schools within a year, part of what he is calling "school quality visits." He hopes to be able to see what schools are doing to assess their students' readiness for college and careers, and to bring that information back to Montpelier. He said it will help Vermont create a student readiness assessment.
Editorial Projects in Education is a nonprofit organization that publishes education periodicals, including Education Week. Its research center collects data, conducts surveys and analyzes information on schools.
For more information about the report and how it ranks Vermont's educational system, go to www.edweek.org/rc.
Contact Sarah Hinckley at sarah.hinckley@rutlandherald.com
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