100. District
Quality Standards.
101. Statutory
Authority.
16 V.S.A. §
165(g); 2022 Acts and
Resolves No. 127, Sec. 14
102. Statement of Purpose.
As set forth in
16 V.S.A.
§
165:
(g) In addition to the education quality
standards provided in section (a) of this section, each Vermont school district
shall meet the school district quality standards adopted by rule of the Agency
of Education regarding the business, facilities management, and governance
practices of school districts. These standards shall include a process for
school district quality reviews to be conducted by the Agency of Education.
Annually, the Secretary shall publish metrics regarding the outcomes of school
district quality reviews.
The purpose of these rules is to improve school district
quality as a means to support the State's goal, set forth in
16 V.S.A.
§
165(a), "that all
Vermont children will be afforded educational opportunities that are
substantially equal in quality" and enable them to achieve or exceed the
education quality standards approved by the State Board of Education.
The State has ultimate responsibility for ensuring all
students receive substantially equal access to a quality education. This
responsibility originates from the Vermont Constitution and is more fully
described in
16 V.S.A.
§
1.
To fulfill its responsibility, the State delegates
considerable authority to school districts, supervisory unions (SU/SDs), and
superintendents. Therefore, the State has an obligation to provide public
assurance that its delegated authority is being exercised in a manner that will
likely achieve its responsibility. The State has an additional obligation to
ensure that students in Vermont public schools are provided educational
opportunities substantially equal to those provided in other public
schools.
The standards provided in these rules describe core elements
of a quality education delivery system. They also describe the role of the
Agency of Education in providing the necessary support and oversight to attain
those standards, so all students receive substantially equal access to a
quality education.
These rules are in addition to and, unless otherwise
specifically stated, do not supersede other Rules adopted by the Agency of
Education or the State Board of Education.
103. Definitions.
As used in this Rule 100 Series, words have the meaning as
defined or intended in Title 16, Vermont Statutes Annotated; provided, however,
that as used in this Rule Series, the term:
"Board" means the board of an SU/SD and, if applicable, the
board of each member school district within an SU.
"Governance" means the system and methods by which the SU/SD
is directed and overseen including the SU/SD's structure, the processes for
making decisions and for ensuring accountability, and the ways in which goals
are set and achieved, risk is assessed and mitigated, and performance is
maximized.
"Priorities" means the SU/SD's goals that are identified as
most important by its board.
"Processes" means structures established by the SU/SD to
support consistency, clear expectations, organization, and shared understanding
for how the work will be accomplished.
"Protocols" means the SU/SD's agreed-upon norms of behavior
and interactions to promote transparency, predictability, and functional group
dynamics.
"SU/SD" means a supervisory union, including a supervisory
district (a single-district supervisory union), in connection with:
(a) The duties it performs on behalf of the
supervisory union itself; and
(b)
If applicable, the duties it performs on behalf of its member school districts
or the duties for which it is responsible for ensuring performance on the
member districts' behalf.
110. District Quality Standards.
As required by
16 V.S.A.
§
165(g), each SU/SD
shall meet or exceed the following district quality standards.
111. Business Operations.
111.1 Budgeting and Accounting
The SU/SD follows consistent and financially sound processes
to effectively manage its budget, use resources most efficiently, and ensure
transparency of financial operations.
111.1.1 The SU/SD prepares and presents an
annual budget which ensures compliance with federal and other budgeting
requirements and demonstrates a clear connection to established SU/SD goals and
priorities and, if applicable, the goals and priorities of each member school
district within the SU.
111.1.2 The
SU/SD maintains accounting systems and records that ensure transparency and
accountability for all funds, regardless of source, and provide complete,
accurate, reliable, and timely data for reporting.
111.1.3 The SU/SD maintains accounting
records in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and
Governmental Accounting Standards Board principles (GASB).
111.1.4 The SU/SD records and reports
information consistent with the most current version of the Vermont Agency of
Education Uniform Chart of Accounts within the SU/SD's accounting
software.
111.1.5 The SU/SD employs
grants management practices that enable it to effectively and efficiently spend
its federal grant funds and prevent reversion of funds.
111.2 Risk Management and Internal Controls
111.2.1 The SU/SD completes required audits
in accordance with established deadlines and communicates audit results with
the SU/SD Board and, if applicable, the board of each member school district
within the SU.
111.2.2 The SU/SD
establishes, and complies with, a consistent records management process that
adequately addresses all State, federal, and local requirements related to
records and records retention.
111.2.3 The SU/SD takes adequate measures to
safeguard protected information and other information designated as sensitive,
consistent with applicable State and federal law.
111.2.4 The SU/SD implements and maintains
effective procurement and contract administration processes.
111.2.5 The SU/SD has incorporated a risk
management assessment, including liability insurance coverage and safe
cybersecurity practices, into its operational processes.
111.3 Personnel Management
The SU/SD and, if applicable, each member school district
within the SU employs staff in accordance with State and federal law and
implements equitable and inclusive personnel practices that support effective
recruitment and retention of staff.
111.3.1 The employer establishes clear and
consistent policies and processes for equitable hiring of staff.
111.3.2 The employer ensures that all
employees, volunteers, and other applicable staff have completed all required
background check requirements in accordance with law.
111.3.3 The employer ensures that all
positions that require professional licensing meet current licensing
requirements throughout the duration of employment.
111.4 Data Management
The SU/SD ensures systems are in place for the efficient and
purposeful collection, use, and sharing of data.
111.4.1 The SU/SD reports accurate and timely
data as required by the Secretary of Education.
111.4.2 The SU/SD uses a single student
information system for all public schools within the SU/SD as a data source for
up-to-date educational records.
111.4.3 The SU/SD's student information
system meets interoperability requirements as specified by the Secretary of
Education.
111.4.4 The SU/SD
demonstrates purposeful use of data in identifying needs, evaluating program
effectiveness, and communicating the current state of educational
outcomes.
112. Facilities Management and Safety.
112.1 Facilities Management
The SU/SD adequately maintains and cleans the facilities for
which the SU/SD or, if applicable, a member school district is responsible, and
has developed the plans necessary to ensure current and future
operations.
112.1.1 The SU/SD
maintains a comprehensive school facilities Operations and Maintenance Manual
(OMM) for each building and other facility for which the SU/SD or, if
applicable, a member school district is responsible.
(a) The SU/SD ensures that educational and
program facilities are accessible, clean, safe, secure, well-lit,
well-maintained, and conducive to student learning, including having adequate
access to technology.
(b) The OMM
describes regular cleaning routines and maintenance tasks such as the periodic
cleaning/changing of HVAC filters and other mechanical systems to ensure good
air quality.
(c) The SU/SD updates
the OMM as changes to facilities or staffing occur and provides training to
staff on how to implement the OMM.
112.1.2 The SU/SD maintains a five-year
Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for each building and other facility for which
the SU/SD or, if applicable, a member school district is responsible and
updates it annually.
(a) The CIP describes
future capital development and improvement needs, including the need for
adequate-sized facilities based on enrollment projections.
(b) The CIP also addresses the following
categories in addition to capacity:
(i) Safety
and security infrastructure;
(ii)
Accessibility;
(iii) Technology
infrastructure;
(iv) Capacity to
deliver STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) programming;
and
(v) Building systems' condition
and performance, including energy efficiency improvements and indoor air
quality to address the health and safety of students and employees.
112.1.3 The SU/SD
designates a person with responsibility for facilities management with the
SU/SD. The designee receives the necessary training and certification to ensure
compliance with these standards.
112.2 Facilities Safety
The SU/SD ensures that the facilities for which the SU/SD or,
if applicable, a member school district is responsible are safe, and maintains
up-to-date operational plans to ensure staff and other stakeholders can respond
to threats.
112.2.1 The SU/SD
maintains a comprehensive Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) in the format
prescribed by the Secretary.
(a) SU/SD
leadership and, if applicable, the leadership of each member school district
within the SU reviews and updates the EOP annually to ensure that it includes
the essential processes, operations, and assignments that are required to plan,
prepare, mitigate, respond to, and recover from an emergency or
disaster.
(b) The SU/SD ensures
that all drills, practice exercises, and other emergency processes required by
the EOP are conducted at each building or other facility.
112.2.2 The SU/SD ensures that each building
and other facility has adopted an appropriate approach to physical security
measures to ensure each facility is a safe and secure environment.
112.2.3 The SU/SD ensures that all SU/SD
staff and, if applicable, member school district staff within the SU/SD are
trained in emergency operations including threat assessment
protocols.
113.1
Governance Priorities
Through an equity lens, the Board of each SU/SD and, if
applicable, of each member school district within the SU, adopts a vision and
measurable goals to support continuous improvement and monitors student
academic progress and wellness.
113.1.1 The Board follows an inclusive
process to invite and incorporate community input into the vision and goals for
the school system.
113.1.2 At least
annually, the Board sets measurable goals and regularly reviews the progress
toward those goals.
113.1.3 At
least annually, the Board monitors student academic progress and
wellness.
113.1.4 At least
annually, the Board formally evaluates the performance of the superintendent,
based in part on the superintendent's progress toward meeting agreed-upon
goals.
113.2 Governance
Protocols
The Board of each SU/SD and, if applicable, of each member
school district within the SU adopts, reviews annually, and revises, as needed,
operating protocols for how it does its work and annually reads foundational
documents such as articles of agreement.
113.2.1 The Board annually assesses its
performance, including adherence to agreed protocols, processes, and
policies.
113.2.2 The Board
annually reviews whether and/or how its actions and contributions have impacted
the school system's success in meeting goals.
113.2.3 The Board annually evaluates the
effectiveness of community engagement and public communication
efforts.
113.2.4 The Board
undertakes its own continuous learning and development and provides members
with opportunities for ongoing training and support to maintain and increase
their skills and understanding.
113.3 Governance Processes
The Board of each SU/SD and, if applicable, of each member
school district within the SU establishes and follows inclusive, transparent,
and predictable methods to conduct its work.
113.3.1 The Board discusses, adopts, and
revises policies on a regular basis to ensure the system is supporting and
meeting the needs of every student.
113.3.2 The Board ensures its annual budget
aligns with its stated priorities and provides an equitable distribution of
resources to help meet the needs and goals of every student.
113.3.3 The Board ensures its members are
aware of conditions set forth in negotiated agreements and contracts.
113.3.4 The Board ensures its members
understand and comply with Vermont statutes and regulations relevant to board
work and public education.
113.3.5
The Board stays apprised of proposed legislation and policy-making that may
affect its school system and students.
113.3.6 The Board maintains an ongoing
relationship with locally elected officials.
130. Quality Assurance.
131. District Quality Review Process.
131.1 Self-Evaluation
131.1.1 Annually, the SU/SD shall evaluate
its performance under each District Quality Standard set forth in Rule 110
above and the following Education Quality Standards (State Board Rule Series
2000):
-- SBE Rule 2120.6 Curriculum Coordination
-- SBE Rule 2120.8 Local Graduation Requirements
-- SBE Rule 2121.3 Needs Based Professional Learning
-- SBE Rule 2121.4 Staff Evaluation
-- SBE Rule 2121.5 Tiered System of Support
-- SBE Rule 2122.2 Access to Instructional Materials
-- SBE Rule 2123 State and Local Comprehensive Assessment
System
-- SBE Rule 2125 Continuous Improvement Plan
131.1.2 Annually, on or before a
date determined and announced by the Agency, the SU/SD shall submit its
self-evaluation electronically to the Agency.
131.1.3 The SU/SD shall conduct and submit
its self-evaluation on a form developed by the Agency, which the Agency may
update as necessary or as it deems advisable.
131.1.4 Based on the results of the SU/SD
self-evaluation, the Agency may require the SU/SD to participate in training to
improve its practices related to one or more District Quality Standards and/or
Education Quality Standards listed above.
131.2 Three-Year Intermediate Reviews
131.2.1 The Agency shall evaluate each
SU/SD's performance under the Education Quality Standards listed in 131.1.1
above by reviewing the State assessment proficiency scale scores of each SU/SD
and each SU/SD's progress in achieving adequate growth in proficiency,
including proficiency of historically marginalized student subgroups.
131.2.2 Not less than every three years,
based on the evaluation in 131.2.1, the Agency shall identify for an
intermediate review each SU/SD that the Secretary determines is not meeting
Education Quality Standards or that is not making sufficient progress in
improving student performance as required by
16 V.S.A.
§
165(b). The Agency
shall inform each SU/SD in writing whether it has been identified for
intermediate review.
131.2.3 An
SU/SD identified for an intermediate review will be evaluated by the Agency for
compliance with the Education Quality Standards listed in 131.1.1 above. The
Agency shall notify the SU/SD in writing of the outcome of its review not later
than one year from the date of written identification in 131.2.2.
131.2.3.1 The notification shall identify any
standard the SU/SD failed to meet.
131.2.3.2 The notification shall identify the
specific actions the SU/SD must take to meet any standard it failed to meet and
establish a deadline by which the action must be completed.
131.2.3.3 The notification shall identify the
manner in which the SU/SD shall confirm that it has taken the identified
actions (e.g., in writing, in an electronic meeting, at an in-person
meeting).
131.2.3.4 The
notification shall describe the technical assistance the Agency will provide to
the SU/SD.
131.3 Enforcement
In order to ensure that students in Vermont public schools
are provided educational opportunities substantially equal to those provided in
other public schools, and to ensure that all Vermont public schools can
demonstrate satisfactory ability to meeting the Education Quality Standards,
the Secretary shall take the following actions:
131.3.1 If an SU/SD fails to take corrective
actions identified in the Agency's notification issued under 131.2.3, then,
within two years of the date of notification, the Agency may make a
recommendation to the State Board for one or more of the following actions,
pursuant to the process described in
16 V.S.A.
§
165(b):
(a) the Agency shall continue to provide
technical assistance for one more cycle of review;
(b) the State Board shall adjust supervisory
union boundaries or responsibilities of the superintendency pursuant to
16 V.S.A.
§
261;
(c) the Secretary shall assume administrative
control of an individual school, school district, or supervisory union,
including budgetary control to ensure sound financial practices, only to the
extent necessary to correct deficiencies;
(d) the State Board shall close an individual
school or schools and require that the school district pay tuition to another
public school or an approved independent school pursuant to chapter 21 of Title
16; or
(f) the State Board shall
require two or more school districts to consolidate their governance
structures.
132. Publication of "Metrics Regarding the
Outcomes" of District Quality Reviews.
132.1
Within 60 days of the deadline established for submission of the original self-
evaluation in 131.1 above, the Agency shall publish on its website each SU/SD's
measurements under the district quality standards.
132.2 Within 7 days of the written
identification in 131.2.2 above, the Agency shall publish on its website a list
of SU/SDs identified for a three-year intermediate review.
140. Effective Date.
These rules will take effect on July 1,
2025.
