Vermont Agency of Education announces updates on assessments, scholar nominations, standards feedback

The Vermont Agency of Education has released its latest weekly field memo, highlighting several updates and opportunities for educators and school administrators across the state.

A virtual field meeting will be held on December 11 from 3:30 to 4:30 PM to discuss the upcoming ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS assessments. The session will cover topics such as scheduling, accommodations, student registration, test security, and handling assessment materials. While test coordinators are the primary audience, all interested parties are welcome to attend without pre-registration.

Nominations are now open for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program for Career and Technical Education students through an online nomination form. The deadline for submissions is December 8, 2025. However, the Vermont Presidential Scholars Awards program in the General and Arts categories is currently on hold pending confirmation from the U.S. Department of Education (USED) regarding sponsorship. "The Vermont Agency of Education (AOE) recognizes the value these programs add and remains committed to facilitating this award," according to the memo. USED has not yet provided states with information on this year's competition status. AOE will continue to seek clarification from USED and notify school counseling offices if nominations become available.

Feedback is being sought from administrators and educators regarding the District Quality Standards (DQS), which were adopted by the Vermont Agency of Education and became effective in July 2025 under 16 V.S.A. § 165. The agency is particularly interested in suggestions about self-evaluation rubrics in areas such as governance, facilities, assessment systems, continuous improvement, business operations, and data management. Feedback about the self-evaluation data collection process is also requested via a survey due by December 22, 2025.

Additionally, the Vermont Department of Health is partnering with Up For Learning to offer a free webinar introducing restorative practices in schools. This event targets educators, school-based prevention professionals, and mental health professionals seeking foundational knowledge about restorative approaches in educational settings.

For further details or participation instructions on any of these items, relevant contacts have been provided within each section of the memo.