What are Vermont’s Education Quality Standards?
History
The 2014 Education Quality Standards (EQS) replace the former School Quality Standards (SQS). Established by the State Board of Education, these standards “ensure that all students in Vermont public schools are afforded educational opportunities that are substantially equal in quality, and enable them to achieve or exceed the standards approved by the State Board of Education…These rules are designed to ensure continuous improvement in student performance, instruction and leadership to enable students to attain rigorous standards in high quality programs.” These revised standards signal the intentional shift from inputs to outcomes; from a focus on courses and Carnegie units (seat time) to a focus on mastery of content.
Relationship between Act 77 and the Education Quality Standards
The alignment between the EQS and Act 77 is highly intentional. While Act 77 is primarily about the shift to personalization in the educational experience, EQS is primarily about the shift to the demonstration of proficiency. This alignment recognizes that personalization and proficiency complement and reinforce one another.