FACT SHEET: Vermont Agency of Education Releases 2023 Statewide Assessment Results

FACT SHEET: Vermont Agency of Education Releases 2023 Statewide Assessment Results

Context

During the 2022-2023 school year, Vermont schools administered the Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program for the first time. The Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program replaced the Smarter Balanced assessments in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics and the Vermont Science Assessment.  As with the previous assessments, the Vermont Comprehensive Assessment ELA and mathematics assessments are designed to measure students’ mastery of the Common Core State Standards; and the Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program science assessments are designed to measure students’ mastery of the Next Generation Science Standards.

About the Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program

The Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program is administered annually in the spring to students in grades 3 through 9 in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics; and to students in grades 5, 8, and 11 in science. The ELA and mathematics assessments are designed to measure students’ mastery of the Common Core State Standards. The science assessments are designed to measure students’ mastery of the Next Generation Science Standards.

The ELA assessments focus on reading skills related to the comprehension and analysis of texts, the analysis of pieces of writing and knowledge of standard language conventions, listening skills, and the production of writing while using standard language conventions. The mathematics assessments 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. The science assessments focus on important disciplinary core ideas, scientific and engineering practices (e.g., asking questions, developing and using models), and crosscutting concepts (e.g., patterns, cause and effect, stability and change) that apply across scientific disciplines.

Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program Results

Statewide average scaled scores and percentage of students proficient and above are presented by grade level and subject in Tables 1-3.

For the Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program assessments, the scaled score ranges from 1500 to 2000 for all subjects and all grade levels. In addition, the proficiency cut score has been set at a scaled score of 1750 for all subjects and all grades2023 English Language Arts Scores

The ELA assessments focus on reading skills related to the comprehension and analysis of texts, the analysis of pieces of writing and knowledge of standard language conventions, listening skills, and the production of writing while using standard language conventions.

Table 1: 2023 English Language Arts Results

2023 Mathematics Scores

The mathematics assessments 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.

Table 2: 2023 Math Results

2023 Science Scores

The science assessments focus on important disciplinary core ideas, scientific and engineering practices (e.g., asking questions, developing and using models), and crosscutting concepts (e.g., patterns, cause and effect, stability and change) that apply across scientific disciplines.

Table 3: 2023 Science Results

Results for Historically Marginalized Student Groups

Vermont also reports performance of historically marginalized students compared to students who are not historically marginalized.

Vermont reports these data by combining assessment scores of students from racial or ethnic minorities, students with disabilities, English language learners and students in poverty. Statewide average scaled scores and percentage of students proficient and above are presented by historically marginalized status, grade level and subject in Tables 4-6.

Table 4: 2023 English Language Arts Results by Historically Marginalized Status

Note: HM = historically marginalized. The proficiency cut score equals 1750 for all grades.

Table 5: 2023 Math Results- Historically Marginalized Status

Note: HM = historically marginalized. The proficiency cut score equals 1750 for all grade.

Table 6: 2023 Science Results- Historically Marginalized Status

Note: HM = historically marginalized. The proficiency cut score equals 1750 for all grades.