Passing EQS: A Cause for Celebration!

We are excited to share that on May 18th, the Vermont State Board of Education unanimously passed Act.1’s  updated Inclusive Education Quality Standards (EQS). This means that there will be a clear policy mandate from the state for schools to uphold values that will allow students to show up as their authentic selves and see themselves represented in the curriculum and their classroom.  The new EQS is also about giving students and educators the tools needed to succeed. 

This victory was five years in the making. It took the courage and vision of community leaders to advocate for a law to transform the Vermont state standards. It took hard work, perseverance, and commitment from the Act 1 Working Group to make recommendations that represented the lives and voices of BIPOC, LGBTIQA+ and Students with disabilities. Thank you to all Act 1 Working Group Members, everyone who has given feedback in this process, and to those that spoke out at the state board last fall. Collectively we are changing the face of Vermont education. To learn more you can check out the full version here.

The new EQS challenges schools to develop curriculum that is restorative, culturally inclusive and universally designed. While these standards passed unanimously at the State Board Level, we still have two more hurdles to overcome. This month, the EQS will enter rule making and will have to go through two committees and receive further public comment. Once fully passed, It is up to education leaders, educators, caregivers, students, and community members to ensure these updated Inclusive EQS are implemented with justice and integrity. 

What’s next for Act 1?

Currently, the Act 1 Working Group is working with ethnic studies experts to create a Vermont Ethnic Studies Standards Framework that would help guide curriculum and instruction. It is expected that the framework be used  across various grades and subject levels and used by local school districts to bring Ethnic Studies to their  curriculum design so that our students receive  more truthful, inclusive, and justice aligned experiences. This  framework will be sent to the State Board in the next few months when they will begin the process of review, public comment and adoption.  If you’d like to provide feedback on the framework, you can email Amanda Garces at Amanda.Garces@vermont.gov 

Come Learn with us this Fall!

This fall, the EdJ Coalition is launching statewide hybrid study groups to support educators to shift their practice towards the Inclusive Education Quality Standards Teaching Practices. We’re excited to build on all the good work already happening in Vermont and to create supportive spaces where educators can reflect and build their practice. For this program we’re offering free food, books, a BIPOC affinity space, BIPOC stipends, and hopefully an option to receive graduate credit. Want to join us this fall as a participant or study group leader? Fill out this brief interest survey and you’ll be the first to know about the project launch.