Frequently Asked Questions:
What is the Vermont School Report?
The Vermont School Report is an annual report developed by the Vermont
Department of Education. The current report is a compilation of "indicators"
about Vermont public schools. The indicators are divided into seven sections:
(1) General Information, (2) Program Information, (3) Staff Information,
(4) Community Social Indicators (5) Financial Resources, (6) Financial
Expenditures and (7) Student Performance.
It was first released in February, 1996, and was modified and updated for
two years by an advisory group made up of superintendents, principals and
business managers as well as representation from the Parent Teacher Association
(PTA), Principals' Association (VTPA), School Boards' Association (VSBA),
Vermont Business Roundtable, Department of Education, Superintendents'
Association, Vermont Institute for Science, Math and Technology (VISMT),
Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) and the National Education
Association (VT NEA). It has been in its current form since Spring
1998.
WHERE DID THE DATA IN THE REPORT COME FROM?
Schools and school districts provide a great deal of information to the
Department of Education every year. Much of it has been previously used
to report to funding sources like the legislature or the federal government.
Some of the information included in the report comes from other state agencies
or organizations. In these cases, we tried to select and report on only
the data that is most directly connected with schools and school improvement.
Data in the Vermont School Report is collected and reported at many different
levels. At various places in the report you may be looking at (1) school,
(2) school district (LEA) or (3) town data. When you are making certain
comparisons make sure you are using similar levels of data.
From this website you can search for any public elementary, middle or high
school by "clicking" on the appropriate town and then choosing the school
you want to review. You can print a copy of the whole report or sections
of the report while you are online. You can also view and print copies
fo the definitions that describe the indicators
in the Vermont School Report. Statewide data appear next to your school's
data when appropriate.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE VERMONT SCHOOL REPORT?
The Vermont School report is designed to be an easy to access information
source for educators, parents, community members, school boards and the
business community to use as part of a locally developed public engagement
strategy to improve the quality of education. This data often allows for
comparisons of one school to another school(s) or to a statewide average.
Are schools working?... Are students learning?... Are we getting our money's
worth?... What should we do to improve? Educators, school board members
and others are being asked to provide more and more information about various
aspects of the education system. There is a wealth of local data to help
answer these questions, but it is not enough. To provide more complete
answers to these questions and others, accurate, easily available information
is needed that allows for comparisons of progress a school is making over
time as well as comparisons across schools.
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