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		VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION/ VERMONT STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: THE TRANSFORMATION OF EDUCATION IN VERMONT (Updated 7/15/10)     OVERVIEW       The Vermont education system must prepare students for a future that is continuously being reinvented. The world’s accumulated information is estimated to literally double every two years. This means that this year’s kindergarten students who graduate from high school in 2022 will be entering a world that has 128 times more information than exists today. America’s education system – including the system in Vermont – is simply not adapting quickly enough to what has become a knowledge-based economy, nor is it keeping pace with continuing technological advances or the societal shifts of a growing, global economy. Fortunately, Vermont’s existing education system has a solid foundation on which to build on and prepare students for the future. But we need to keep accelerating those accomplishments in order to provide all Vermont students with the skills and opportunities they need and deserve to succeed. Therefore, the State Board, the department, and the education system of Vermont must embark on a transformation of education in Vermont. Transformative Education in Vermont Framework Summary (Added 7/15/10) This summary, prepared by Deputy Commissioner Rae Ann Knopf, provides an overview on the work to move Vermont's education system in a direction that converges efforts on the common goal of improving instruction and learning and the long term success of all of our young people. The Transformation of Education in Vermont This three page document outlines the framework for the transformation of education in Vermont. It describes the State Board and Department rationale for initiating this endeavor, explains what would be involved in the transformation, and what skills Vermont students need in order to succeed in the world that awaits them. It outlines actions the department expects to take in the next five years to ensure the success of this initiative. NOTE: This document was approved by the State Board of Education at a special meeting on July 30, 2008. Letter from State Board Chair Tom James and Acting Commissioner Bill Talbott Transformation: Setting the Context This PowerPoint presentation outlines the context, history, goals and timelines for the Transformation initiative. The Transformation of Education In Vermont: A Primer This document represents materials presented to the House and Senate Education Committees on February 18, 2009. It includes a one-page vision statement and Powerpoint slides. Transformation Policy Commission Appointed by the Vermont State Board of Education, the Education Transformation Policy Commission will be working over the next 9-12 months to bring policy recommendations to the Board for advancing transformation efforts in Vermont. Use this link to view archived commission resource documents, meeting schedules, meeting minutes, drafts of developing policies. Transformation Policy Commission Report: Opportunity to Learn The State Board of Education charged an Education Transformation Policy Commission in early 2009 to propose key policy actions that could support transformation. This report is the results of their nine months of work. The report is title "Opportunity to Learn" as it focuses on how every student can attain 21st century skills when provided with focuses and personalized opportunities for learning. The report is organized into five policy sections and addresses many specific policy actions, including new 21st century skills and revising the Vermont Framework, multiple ways of learning, learning outside of school, greater interdisciplinary learning, routine early college opportunities, multi-age small learning communities, learning focused on deep understanding of concepts rather than content details, proficiency based grading and graduation, and true personalization. The recommendations also address setting new standards for education quality and educator quality. While the report offers 41 distinct policy recommendations, it asks the Board to consider them as an integrated whole. Their successful implementation is interdependent. Maps of the 13 and 20 proposed governing regions were added to the document on December 17, 2009. NOTE: This file is 1.49MB.       Vermont Secondary Schools for the 21st Century While the transformation the State Board proposes encompasses all of Vermont’s schools, the purpose of this document is to describe what the state vision for transformation might mean for Vermont’s secondary schools. This document takes the vision to the next step, implementation.     OTHER LINKS & RESOURCES       Transformation Blog The purpose of this blog is to share news and generate discussion related to the Transformation of Education initiative currently underway at the Vermont Department of Education with the greater community. This is a collaborative blog written by department staff members and occasional guest bloggers. Funding & Grant Opportunities As Department of Education efforts become aligned with the Transformation of Education initiative, funding opportunities will increasingly reflect elements of the transformation based on one or more of the following principles: Student-centered Education, Leadership in a Student-centered Learning Environment, Flexible Learning Environments, Engaged Community Partners and Results and Indicators of Success. Use the link above to view current opportunities that are driven by or closely align with the transformation. Flexible Funding Matrix: Using Multiple Funding Sources to Support Transformative Practices This two-page funding matrix, with examples, highlights some of the multiple funding resources that may be combined to assist schools in implementing or expanding transformative practices. Note that the matrix is only designed to highlight possible uses. School administrators will still need to understand and follow eligibility and reporting requirements tied to those funds and follow "supplement not supplant" and "maintenance of effort" rules where they apply. Examples include Response to Intervention, Secondary Transformation – including Drop Out prevention strategies, Positive Behavior Supports, and Responsive Classroom. For each area of work, we have highlighted some of the major pieces of work, equipment, or activities that need to occur and be funded and listed potential resources for supporting them. For questions or information, contact Rae Ann Knopf, Vermont Department of Education ARRA Coordinator/Deputy Commissioner for Transformation at (802) 828-5101 or rae.knopf@state.vt.us. New England Secondary School Consortium (NESSC) Encompassing Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Vermont, the NESSC is a pioneering educational partnership committed to fostering forward-thinking innovations in the design and delivery of secondary education across the New England region. The Consortium's goal is to ensure that by 2016 every public high school student in the four partner states will receive an education that will prepare them for college, career and civic responsibility in the interconnected global community of the 21st century. Transformation Handout: Implementation Summary June 2010 This handout is an implementation framework summary for the transformation of education in Vermont. It includes State Board of Education Strategic Plan draft goals as of June 2010. Transformation Update: State Board Meeting on August 26, 2008 The State Board of Education discussed current initiatives and future plans for Transformation work at their August 26, 2008 meeting. A highlight of the session was a presentation and discussion with Vergennes Union High School (VUHS) principal, Ed Webbley. View the update and the update slide show presentation. The Future of Education in Vermont In the Fall of 2007, the State Board of Education and former Commissioner Richard Cate articulated their vision for the future of education in Vermont. The vision document was the starting point for several public conversations that began with the October 16, 2007 State Board meeting at which students and parents participated in roundtable discussions on the future of education. High Schools on the Move: Renewing Vermont's Commitment to Quality Secondary Education In 1999, the State Board of Education charged the Department of Education to convene a task force to address critical issues facing Vermont’s secondary schools. This document, based on the work of the task force, presented a vision for secondary school renewal and innovation in the state. It served as a call to action and a toolkit to help educators and communities chart their own courses for secondary school change.     FOR QUESTIONS OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION       For additional information, contact Rae Ann Knopf, Deputy Commissioner for Transformation, at (802) 828-5101 or rae.knopf@state.vt.us.             Vermont Department of Education Current Initiatives: American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 The Transformation of Education in Vermont The Future of Education in Vermont - - - - - Department of Education: Awards | Calendar of Events | Current Initiatives Organization of the Department Vermont Education in the News     PDF files require the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader. To download a free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader, click on the icon below. View Acrobat tips and information.
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