Links+for+Educational+Governance

**What national, state, and local educational standards and policies determine how we educate students in our school?**

National standards, and federal laws and guidelines:

 * At the national level, educational reform has been a perennial topic forever. After Sputnik, in the 1950's and 1960's, Congress authorized and funded legislation to jump start education (ESEA, and it's many re-authorizations). The current iteration, NCLB, has been in force since 2001, and has had a huge impact on education at the state and local level. The emphasis is on accountability and testing to assure adequate yearly progress that benchmarks student learning. Goals are that all students will be on grade level by 2014. Funding is tied to AYP. If AYP is not met, strict guidelines demand changes within a school or district. NCLB is up for re-authorization in Congress, and there are changes proposed that you should know about.**


 * Please add any other links, blogs or points of view that we should be aware of. Pros and cons are important for us to understand what the populace is thinking, because, at the bottom of the legislation, it is about how we make laws.**

**Race to the Top**

 * National Board of Professional Teaching Standards - [|Library Media Standards]**

State Standards, laws and guidlines:
====**State Boards of Education have to set up the governance of education within the states, and they are tied to the national educational plan. If local schools want to receive money from the feds, they have to follow the prescription set by the federal guidelines. The State Board of Education operates under rules and regulations set into law by the state legislatures, and signed into law by the state governors, and overseen by the state court systems. They recommend changes to the rules and regs, to garner new laws.**==== ====**There also has to be a funding mechanism adopted by the state legislatures, etc., to provide resources for local schools. Property taxes are used to support education in most of the states. As you well know, the topic of taxes is a top issue for everyone. Vermont has developed a system of taxation, that supposedly, balances property and income in the mix. Some folks think it is a fairer way to fund education, others, not so much. All politics is local, as they say (whoever they are).**==== ====**Currently, in Vermont, the Commissioner of Education, who is appointed to lead the Department of Education, the part of state government that runs the actual nuts and bolts of educational programs, is Armando Vilaseca. Various commissions are appointed by the state board to study educational issues in Vermont, and come up with ideas for improving education. One of the recent topics for discussion based on commission reports is to consolidate local school boards and close small schools and districts to save money, and to provide a more equitable education for children in rural areas of the state.**====

**Once again, feel free to add more to the list.**
====**Meet the Commissioner-Armando Vilaseca-There are some links to some of the important initiatives at the department. It pays to keep an eye on what the leaders are up to. Take a look at the link to his commentary about the Common Core Standards. http://education.vermont.gov/new/html/maindept.html**==== ====**State Board of Education-Overview page with links to Mission and Vision, Transformation of Learning in Vermont Document, and the Manual & Rules of Practice. http://education.vermont.gov/new/html/mainboard.html**====

[| common core 1.pdf]
====**School Quality Standards (2006) -document that lays out the sections of Vermont law pertaining to how school operate. http://education.vermont.gov/new/html/board/rules_fulltoc.html#SQS**====

**Pay close attention to specific sections:**
====**School Data and Reports-could be used to compare.contrast school spending, test results, etc. http://education.vermont.gov/new/html/maindata.html**====
 * ===**2120.1 Action Plans-How schools are supposed to develop their educational plans to improve student learning based on the Vermont Framework**===
 * ===**2120.8.2 Staffing-includes directions for staffing the school libraries with professional librarians**===
 * ===**2120.8.11 Requirement for school libraries in schools**===

====**DOE Publications-links to documents that guide administrators and educators in Vermont**. **http://education.vermont.gov/new/html/mainpubs.html**====

I**ncluded are links to pdf files:**

 * ===**Action Planning Guide**===
 * ===**Governance of Education in Vermont**===
 * ===**Roots of Success**===
 * ===**Vermont Framework of Standards and Learning Opportunities, and GLE's**===

Burlington School District
http://bsdweb.bsdvt.org/Board/BoardPolicy.php

Chittenden Central Supervisory Union
http://www.ccsuvt.org/

Addison Central Supervisory Union
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Chittenden East Supervisory Union http://cesu.k12.vt.us/

[]
 * Chittenden South Supervisory Union**

Franklin Northeast Supervisory Union

****Vermont Principals Association****
http://www.vpaonline.org/vpa/site/default.asp

Vermont Superintendents Association
http://www.vtvsa.org/