Standards-based tracking of criteria concepts to confuse the hell out of everybody in Vermont.

"I think a standards-based progress report says everybody should be able to meet these standards," says Bill Olsen, assistant principal at Rutland Middle School.

Depending on the school or subject, concepts rather than a single subject are assessed on a three- or four-point numerical system. A higher score usually is equivalent to higher performance. A one means the student is not proficient or is not meeting standards; a two is equivalent to progressing toward the standard; a three means the student has met the standard. If and when a school uses a four, it demonstrates a student exceeds the standard....

explains the Rutland Herald, helpfully.

But Principal Ruth Ann Barker of Clarendon Elementary says, "I think there's still a lot of confusion about what we're doing."

"I hope that things can remain somewhat static for a while, because there's been terrific change — every few years things shift," said Barker of Clarendon. "If the state wants to set learning standards, perhaps they want to set up a report card for us."

Which will no doubt clarify things beyond repair.