• The purpose of these rules is to ensure that all Vermont students are afforded educational opportunities that are substantially equal in quality and are equitable, anti-racist, culturally responsive, anti-discriminatory, and inclusive, thus enabling each student to achieve or exceed the performance standards approved by the State Board of Education.
• These rules prohibit discrimination
• Section 2113 (Federal and State Entitlements Nondiscrimination; Federal and State Requirement
• discriminating against any student pursuing an education or participating in the general life or activities of a school
• is contrary to the State Board’s intent that all students experience an equitable, anti-racist, culturally responsive, anti-discriminatory, and inclusive learning environment.
• require each supervisory union, supervisory district, and school district, to strive for a culturally responsive pedagogy that critically examines and imparts a comprehensive historical and socially conscious understanding of:
• causes and effects of bias and discrimination
• Section 2113 (Federal and State Entitlements Nondiscrimination; Federal and State Requirement; Student Records)
• why all persons should have equitable access to social and economic opportunity
• must identify and prevent individual, group, and systemic racism, discrimination, and all forms of unfair treatment;
• the positive and multi-faceted contributions of different social, cultural, racial, linguistic, ethnic, and indigenous groups to the historical and ongoing project of building and strengthening democracy in the United States and globally
• “Anti-discriminatory
• “Anti-racist”
• Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students
• “Equity” or “Equitable
• Ethnicity”
• "Evidence-based
• “Inclusion” or “Inclusive”
• Intercultural Competency”
• Linguistic Diversity”
• Neurodiversity
• “Racism”
• 2113. Federal and State Entitlements Nondiscrimination; Federal and State Requirement; Student Records
• 2113.2 Nondiscrimination
• Educators shall promote personalization and high expectations
• ractices employed by educators shall include examining and teaching a subject from multiple academic perspectives and encouraging students to engage with and synthesize diverse perspectives and narratives, including those from the students’ lived experiences, into a coherent understanding or analysis.
• nstruction shall include a range of evidence-based instructional strategies that most effectively improve student learning and engage all students, as identified by national and Vermont guidance, and locally collected and analyzed student data
• Educators shall be supported in
• Tiered System of Support
• system will result in the collaboration of all adults
• layered high-quality, evidence-based instruction, intervention, and assessment practices
• system shall be aligned with each school's personalized learning plan process
• educators shall work with students and their families to facilitate two-way communication and cooperative efforts to support each student’s success
• plans shall address individual needs with a tailored plan designed to help students personalize their learning, meet state learning standards, and remain on track to graduate
• personalized learning plan shall help inform the structures and services put in place to support individual student learning.
• educational support team composed of staff from a variety of teaching and support positions to
• which enrolled students require additional assistance to be successful in school or to complete secondary school
• indicators set forth in guidelines developed by the Secretary, such as academic progress, attendance, behavior, or poverty.
• times of academic or personal transition.
• educational support team would include students, administrators, teachers, a school psychologist, special educators, school counselor(s), parents or guardians, a social worker, and other staff with behavioral and/or academic expertise
• upport students who either experience or witness instances of racism and discrimination.
• The curriculum shall be equitable, anti-racist, culturally responsive, antidiscriminatory, inclusive, and accessible to families and community members.
• Knowledge of diverse cultures, languages, and perspectives shall be incorporated into learning activities and curriculum design, including connecting students' life experiences and ways of learning, to help students to access rigorous curriculum and develop higher order thinking skills
• (a) English language arts
• (b) Mathematical content and practices, including numbers, operations, and the concepts of algebra and geometr y.
• ansferable skills, which refers to lifelong learning and interdisciplinary skills that are vitally important for students’ personal agency and contributions as members of a diverse and democratic society, including communication, collaboration, creativity, innovation, inquiry, problem solving, critical thinking, the use of technology, and intercultural competenc
• Ethnic and social equity studies, as described in Act 1 (2019), which promotes critical thinking regarding the history, contribution, and perspectives of ethnic groups and social groups.
• nformed by ongoing review of new research, changing learning opportunities
• integrated with technology across all disciplines
• promote research, coordination and professional learning
• in ethnic and social equity studies that are integrated into all learning content areas
• systems for regularly, systematically, and continuously evaluating performance in attaining the above goals.
• 2120.8. Graduation Requirements
• Graduation policies must define proficiency-based graduation requirements based on standards adopted by the State Board. It is the responsibility of the supervisory union or supervisory district board to ensure alignment in expectations for all students within its schools
• students may receive credit for learning that takes place outside of the school, the school day, or the classroom.
• credits earned must occur under the supervision of an appropriately licensed educator
• ll classroom staff, including educational support personnel, shall have had adequate academic preparation and training to teach or provide services in the area to which they are assigned.
• total class roll of a teacher shall not exceed 100 students
• ning for all professional staff, including administrators and other staff involved in student instruction. This shall include ongoing resources and supports to create and strengthen an equitable, anti-racist, anti-discriminatory, and culturally and linguistically responsive, and inclusive school experience for all students
• Each school district shall provide anti-racist, culturally responsive, anti-discriminatory, and inclusive instructional materials and
• collection of accessible print, multi-media, alternate format (e.g., high-quality audio files, electronic braille, and other forms of E-texts), digital and technology resources
• dopt and implement written policies on electronic resources, acceptable internet usage, and procedures for handling complaints from both staff and students;
• 2123.2. Development and Implementation of Local Comprehensive Assessment System
• employs a balance of assessment types
• formative and summative assessments
• measuring proficiency-based learning, the social-emotional well-being of students, the existence and severity of opportunity and achievement gaps or deficiencies, and the state of progress
• student progression
• rovides data that informs decisions regarding instruction, professional learning, and educational resources and curriculum; and
• performance criteria
• clear and communicated to teachers, administrators, students and their parents or legal guardians, and other community members in their home language(s) and in an accessible format.

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• • Complete and share a Meaningful Making Project applying your learning through design, creating, and making
   
  • Plan a curricular unit or school project where creating and making are central to learning goals and provide opportunities for students to develop growth or proficiency of Vermont Transferable Skills
   
  • Connect with peers that best meets your needs
     PreK / Elementary /Middle School / High School

• About the Tests
• spring 2023 Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program (VTCAP) will be administered in a computer-based test (CBT) format
• VTCAP ELA and Mathematics assessments are administered as an adaptive assessment
• with some paper-based test (PBT) accommodations
• VTCAP Science is administered as an adaptive assessment for all grades, with the exception of accommodated forms
• Each assessment is comprised of two sessions, with the exception of the science accommodated forms, which include three sessions
• computer-based accommodated fixed forms include
• paper-based accommodated forms include:
• English Language Arts (ELA) assessments will focus on
• mathematics assessments will focus on applying skills and concepts and understanding multi-step problems that require abstract reasoning and modeling real-world problems, precision, perseverance, and strategic use of tools.
• science assessments focus on
• Test Administration Responsibilities
• District Test Administrator
• District Test Coordinator
• School Test Coordinator
• SCs’ primary responsibilities are to coordinate the administration of the VTCAP assessment and ensure that testing within their school is conducted in accordance with the test procedures and security policies established by the Vermont Agency of Education (AOE)
• SCs are responsible for the following:
• Establishing a testing schedule with DCs, teachers, and proctors based on test administration windows.
• Working with technology staff to ensure timely computer setup and installations.
• Working with teachers and proctors to review student information in ADAM to ensure correct student information and test settings for designated supports and accommodations.
• Creating teacher user accounts in ADAM if teachers will be reviewing and editing student accommodations in ADAM (optional)
• Identifying students who may require designated supports and test accommodations and ensuring that procedures for testing these students follow state and VTCAP policy.
• Attending all district trainings and reviewing all VTCAP policy and test administration documents.
• Ensuring that all teachers and proctors attend school or district trainings and review online training modules posted on the portal.
• Establishing secure and separate testing rooms if needed.
• Monitoring secure administration of the test.
• Monitoring testing progress during the testing window and ensuring that all students
• participate, as appropriate.
• Investigating and reporting all testing improprieties, irregularities, and breaches reported by the teachers and proctors.
• Attending to any secure material according to state and VTCAP policy.
• Teacher
• Teachers are responsible for the following:
• primary responsibility is to administer the VTCAP assessments
• Completing VTCAP test administration training and reviewing all policy and test administration documents prior to administering any VTCAP assessments.
• Viewing student information prior to testing to ensure that the correct student receives the proper test with the appropriate supports. Any potential data errors must be reported to School Coordinators (SCs) and District Coordinators (DCs) as appropriate.
• Administering the VTCAP assessments.
• Reporting all potential test security incidents to the SC/DC in a manner consistent with VTCAP, state, and district policies.
• Note: Teachers are not required to have user accounts created in ADAM. Teacher user accounts only need to be created in ADAM if teachers will be reviewing and editing accommodations in ADAM.
• Proctor
• do not need user accounts
• will administer tests using the Proctor Dashboard.
• Administration Policies
• Security Guidelines
• Security of Test Materials
• must be maintained before, during, and after the test administration.
• Be sure that all testing personnel have access to a central, locked storage space for the safekeeping of test materials until the materials are securely destroyed following administration
• What Is Considered Secure Material?
• All scratch paper must be collected and securely shredded at the school immediately following testing.
• Test Administrator and Test Coordinator manuals are not considered secure, but still should be destroyed or recycled locally after testing, as they are updated yearly and should not be used in subsequent years.
• Test coordinators must use the serial number located on the front cover of each test booklet to keep records of all the test booklets.
• Prohibited Activities
• Allow students to share information
• Provide assessment accommodations that do not have instructional relevance or are not connected to a specific skill deficit determined by the student’s educational team
• Allow students to have cell phones or electronic devices not medically necessary during test sessions;
• Testing Irregularities and Security Breaches
• Testing irregularities, such as potential cheating, and any suspected or actual breach of security should be reported immediately by the Proctor to the DC or SC.
• Invalidation of tests due to testing irregularities or security breaches shall be determined after a thorough investigation and consultation between the DA, DC, SC, and the AOE
• As required by state regulations, the DA must inform the AOE of a testing irregularity or security breach as soon as possible, using the Test Security Incident Form .
• Student Confidentiality
• Assessment Participation
• All students enrolled in grades 3–9 (who are enrolled in a public school and/or whose tuition is publicly funded) are required to participate in the VTCAP mathematics assessment except
• Is it necessary to assess students who enroll during the assessment window?
• What student categories are exempted from participating in the statewide summative assessments of ELA, Math, and/or Science?
• May home study students participate in state assessments if requested by the parent/caregiver?
• Can parents opt-out students from state assessments?
• the State does not have an opt-out provision and the Agency of Education does not support opt-out.
• A student counts as a participant if, at minimum, the student logs in to the computer-based test, whether computer adaptive or fixed-form accommodated. Assessments with at least five items responded to are considered attempted. All attempted assessments receive scores.
• Test Design and Durations
• VTCAP Question Types
• writing prompts (WRs)
• constructed-response questions (CRs)
• open-ended questions (OEs)
• one- and two-part, machine-scored questions (MS-1s and MS-2s)
• multiple-choice, multi-select, and various technology-enhanced interaction types, including the following
• Administration Times
• Administration time is the total time that schools should schedule for each test session.
• Test sessions are not timed. Times are provided for scheduling purposes.
• Session Testing Times
• Estimated Testing Time
• Calculators
• students may use hand-held calculators (provided by either the school or the student) as allowed by local policy.
• 3–6, students may use only four-function calculators with square root and percentage functions.
• 7 & 8, students may use only scientific calculators
• Practice Tests
• Accessibility Features and Accommodations
• Overview and Policies
• Accommodations and participation decisions will be made by each student’s educational team
• the use of each accommodation in daily instruction must have written documentation in the Individualized Education Program (IEP), 504, or EL plan
• Only students on IEP, 504, or EL plans are eligible for accommodations
• CBT administration, the DA, DC, or SC must assign accessibility features and accommodations during student rostering before the start of testing. TEs and Proctors cannot perform this task.
• Universal Tools, Designated Supports, and Accommodations
• embedded universal tools in the CBT platform available for all users:
• Embedded Universal Tools do not need to be updated in ADAM
• non-embedded universal tools available for all users:
• Non-Embedded Universal Tools do not need to be updated in ADAM
• embedded designated supports in the CBT platform available to all students with an identified need, but do not require an accommodation
• Embedded designated supports do need to be updated in ADAM
• non-embedded designated supports available to all students with an identified need, but do not require an accommodation:
• Non-embedded designated supports do need to be updated in ADAM
• embedded accommodations in the CBT platform available only to students who have an identified accommodation need
• Text-to-speech (ELA)
• A request must be made for this accommodation to be set for grade 6–9 ELA.
• Embedded accommodations do need to be updated in ADAM.
• non-embedded accommodations available only to students who have an identified accommodation need
• Non-embedded accommodations do need to be updated in ADAM.
• Print-Based non-embedded accommodations available only to students who have an identified accommodation need
• Print-based non-bedded accommodations do need to be updated in ADAM
• Before Computer-Based Testing
• Testing Disruptions
• Proctors must allow time for students to complete a test session in one sittin
• Students should be allowed to leave the testing room to use the restroom as needed during the test session.
• Except in the following circumstances, students are not allowed to stop in the middle of a session and resume at a point later than 5 school days after the start of the session
• these circumstances, students may be allowed to complete the session later, but they will not be able to change responses to any test questions already answered
• Preparing for Administration
• Preparing the Testing Environment
• includes making sure computers or laptops are fully charged
• workstations are ready for testing
• Materials Required, Permitted, and Not Permitted
• Calculators
• students may use hand-held calculators (provided by either the school or the student) as allowed by local policy
• For grades 3–6, students may use only four-function calculators with square root and percentage functions
• Test Administration Proctor and Student Codes
• Test Management > Administrations
• Test Administration Card
• Proctor Groups
• During Testing
• They are not to read, grade papers, or do other work.
• use of cellphones or any electronic devices during a testing session is strictly prohibited
• Proctor Dashboard for Computer-Based Testing
• Proctor Login
• Student Testing Experience
• Scripts and Directions for Test Administration
• Read the directions for students exactly as written, using a natural tone and manner
• CBT Directions and Scripts
• CBT Session 1
• Collect and store students’ devices according to the procedure at your school.
• At the end of the scheduled time, say the following
• CBT Session 2
• CBT Session 2

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