The latest Vermont standardized test scores are out, and the results are not good, especially for students who have been “historically marginalized.” This is nothing new. The “achievement gap” has been persistent for decades.
Members of the Mount Ascutney School District Board say they plan to fire Windsor School Principal Tiffany Riley for comments she made about certain tactics of Black Lives Matter, but a St. Johnsbury attorney says doing so would violate the law.
Windsor residents and House candidates have strong and differing views about the school board’s punishment of a local school principal for Facebook statements questioning Black Lives Matters. And now the controversy has gone national.
I was much encouraged to read in multiple Vermont publications that many readers questioned the presumptive racist interpretations of both the State Street vandalism in Montpelier and the Facebook post by Windsor Principal Tiffany Riley.
The Vermont Agency of Education (AOE) has released an updated version of the Annual Snapshot with additional indicators and updated data. This release coincides with release of the 2019 Smarter Balanced assessment scores.
Gov. Phil Scott is concerned about the constitutionality of the Ascutney School Board’s decision to put Windsor School principal Tiffany Riley on leave for questioning some Black Lives Matter tactics.
Families are also figuring out that homeschooling can work better than conventional schooling. There may be a massive spike in the proportion of homeschoolers next year. The pandemic may ultimately lead to parents finding out what education systems work best for their kids.
This year’s crop of graduates don’t have to wait to hear what their planned commencement speaker might have said to them about their future. They can address it themselves by writing their own speech and sharing it with all of us.
The Vermont-NEA members have been hurt less financially than any other large group of employees so far. Let them not claim abuse if they are asked to give a little. After all, it is for the good of the kids.
A new RealClear Opinion Research poll of 2,122 registered voters found that a strong majority surveyed support school choice and 40 percent are more likely to pursue homeschooling opportunities after COVID-19 restrictions end.
Pandemic schooling is free of many of the nagging problems of traditional schooling, even private schooling. No disciplinary issues to speak of. No bullying. No threat of violence at all. The learning is insulated from the social distractions.
The VSC believes it must find $25 million right now to avoid system insolvency, even if the three schools are closed next September. With the pandemic disruption, there will likely be no sugar daddy to keep alive this system as now organized.