Working with Teachers and Teacher Leaders to Enhance Student Achievement
Founded in 1992 as The Vermont Institute for Science, Math and Technology (VISMT), The Vermont Institutes (VI) has a fifteen year track record of supporting standards-based curriculum, instruction and assessment in the areas of mathematics, science and technology.
Throughout our history we have provided professional development, technical support, leadership development and coaching, systems design, program evaluation, technology applications, and research services to Vermont schools. Thousands of teachers and tens of thousands of students in all fourteen Vermont counties have been impacted by VISMT/VI.
The Vermont Institutes has experienced three major phases in our evolution.
Phase I
The first five years were focused on the Vermont Statewide Systemic Initiative. Funded by the National Science Foundation, this initiative as was charged with dramatically raising student performance in science, math and technology for all Vermont students. A collaboration of government, business, and educational leaders formed a non-profit (501c3) organization to shepherd this important work in Vermont. This non-profit still operates as The Vermont Institutes.
The work of VISMT in those early years focused on professional development for teachers, curriculum, instructional strategies, and building school/community partnerships. Already in this early phase, we committed to equity of access and opportunity for students regardless of gender, income or geographic location.
Phase II
The organization was so successful in Phase I that Vermont was one of only eight states (of twenty-eight) awarded a Phase II Statewide Systemic Initiative. The emphasis in Phase II was on scale-up and sustainability. VISMT successfully expanded its outreach to all corners of the state with curruculum work, contributions to the Vermont Framework and to statewide assessment, leadership initiatives, and technology applications.
Beginning in 1998, VISMT entered into numerous partnerships with the Vermont Department of Education. These included development of blueprints for statewide assessments, the Vermont Teacher Quality Enhancement Project, support of principals, superintendents, and teacher leaders, and partnerships in the area of technology including development of the Interactive Learning Network. During this time the organization expanded the scope of work across all content areas.
Phase III
In 2002, VISMT, by this time known as VI, successfully collaborated with the Vermont Department of Education and the Vermont Mathematics Initiative in developing the Vermont Mathematics Partnership (VMP), funded by the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Education. This partnership focuses on seven Vermont supervisory unions, increasing effective mathematics instruction through in-depth professional development, strengthening of systems that support teachers and school leaders, and development of classroom assessment through VMP's Ongoing Assessment Project. At the same time, VI has increased work in reasearch and program evaluation. Phase III work will continue through 2009.
