Vermont Agency responds after report cites drop in student reading scores

Vermont’s Agency of Education has responded to a recent Boston Globe article that highlighted declining academic outcomes in New England schools, including Vermont. The Globe story, written by Christopher Huffaker and titled “New England schools are failing — and nobody seems to care,” examined what it called the “Northern nosedive” in student achievement across the region. According to Huffaker, “No state fell as far in early reading over the last decade as Vermont,” and he noted that regional leadership has shown limited interest in addressing this decline.

Vermont Secretary of Education Zoie Saunders acknowledged the concerns raised by the article. “As an education leader, and as a parent of school-aged children, these are difficult words to read,” said Saunders. “However, we need to own the reality that Vermont can do a better job of serving our students and supporting our teachers, particularly in rural and economically disadvantaged areas of the state.”

The Globe’s report compared educational progress in New England with gains made in other states such as Mississippi and Louisiana, emphasizing challenges faced by students from low-income backgrounds. Huffaker wrote: “Yes, poverty, trauma, and other problems at home make it difficult to learn, but they also make it all the more important.”

In 2024, Vermont ranked 37th nationally on fourth grade reading scores according to results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the Nation’s Report Card. While Vermont is relatively affluent compared to many states, analysis from the Urban Institute indicated that after adjusting for factors like income, Vermont performed lower than almost every other state for economically disadvantaged students’ fourth grade reading scores.

Dr. Erin Davis, Chief Academic Officer at the Agency of Education, addressed how systemic issues affect educational outcomes. “As a career educator, I know how important it is that we resist the urge to assign blame and instead recognize that many of our toughest challenges are deeply systemic,” Davis said. “This perspective is crucial for me as a proud product of Vermont's public education system and informs my commitment to collaborative, root-cause solutions that uphold the values of Vermont and honor the hard work and expertise of our educators."

In response to these challenges over the past year, Vermont’s Agency of Education has undertaken several initiatives:

- Development of a strategic plan alongside an agency reorganization.

- Collaboration with education leaders statewide to define goals around academic excellence, college readiness, school safety, health standards and personalized learning pathways.

- Publication of a Special Education Report identifying broader quality issues affecting all learners.

- Engagement with educators and communities on establishing statewide graduation requirements aimed at setting high standards for all students.

Secretary Saunders summarized recent efforts: “A commitment to education is woven into the fabric of Vermont,” she said. “Over the past year and a half we have focused on transforming our system — all in pursuit of education quality. Vermont has already taken a clear-eyed look at the challenges we face, and together we are charting a course toward an education system that will lead the nation.”