Education
Vermont leads the nation in education but achievement gaps still remain; National education testing sidelines other school subjects
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Overview
For the second year in a row, Vermont was ranked “Smartest State in the Nation” by the Morgan Quitno Press. Smaller classrooms; comparatively high scores in reading, math and science; wide access to preschool programs; and a low dropout rate contribute to the state’s status as an education leader. But nationally, the bar is set low. Too many Vermont students are being left behind, scoring well below proficiency levels, repeating grades, and leaving school under-prepared for work and life.
Confined by shrinking budgets and pressed by national requirements in reading, math and science, schools are inclined to “teach to the test.” This phenomenon is narrowing the educational experience of Vermont’s youth, who have diminishing access to the intrinsic personal and social value of arts, history, social studies and other subjects.
- Vermont ranks second in the nation for making preschool and Head Start available to three-year-olds and fourth in the nation for making these programs available to four-year-olds. A partial state scholarship for these programs is largely responsible for these rankings.
- In 2005, Vermont eighth graders ranked second in the country for science and third for mathematics. Math scores in the state have increased every test year since 1996. Despite this, one in four Vermont eighth graders performs below grade level in science; and one in five performs below grade level in reading and math.
- A shortage of educators in urban and rural classrooms finds many teachers in these regions teaching outside of the subject areas for which they earned their degrees.
Read more about education in Understanding Vermont or get a copy of the entire publication.
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