This framework details Vermont's educational standards and learning opportunities for Kindergarten through grade 8. The standards are to be used to: (1) provide structure from which standards-based district, school, and classroom curricula can be developed, organized, implemented, and assessed; (2) provide the basis for development of a state, local, and classroom comprehensive assessment system; and (3) make explicit what may be included in statewide assessments of student learning. The assessment will focus on students' use of knowledge and skills from the three fields of knowledge to attain the vital results. Following an introduction with definitions, and instructions for reading the standards, the framework is organized into four main parts. The first part outlines the Vital Results, which are the responsibility of teachers in all subjects. These vital results are in the areas of communication, reasoning and problem solving, personal development, and civic/social responsibility. The second section of the framework presents the Field of Knowledge Standards, which are specific to each curricular field and must be applied to attain vital results. The fields are: arts, language, and literature; history and social sciences; and science, mathematics, and technology. The third section outlines learning opportunities or recommended practices, in the areas of access, instruction, assessment and reporting, connections (interdisciplinary and relevance), and best practices in the three fields of knowledge. The framework's appendices include questions and answers about how the framework was developed and about issues related to its use; and a bibliography of resources, organized by commissions for each of the knowledge fields. (HTH)