The 802 Ed
What's going on in Vermont education policy and practice
Welcome back!
This issue of the 802 Ed covers many topics that are immediately useful like the latest on the U.S. Department of Education’s shift of grant programs to other federal agencies, surprise recommendations of the state’s School Redistricting Task Force, and growing concerns about the Agency of Education’s data capacity for critical policy-making. Be sure to check out the research round-up on how the timing of attendance calls can affect absenteeism!
New to the lingo? At the suggestion of a reader we include a guide to common abbreviations, just scroll down past the news.
- Steven Berbeco, Editor
School Leadership
Octopus Schools. Harvard Business Review offers suggestions on helping organizations like schools transform, less like rigid machines and more like “nonlinear, uncertain, and constantly evolving” cephalopods.
Untapped Power of Workquakes. Higher Ed Jobs suggests job-hunters recast their career ladder as a career story driven by the applicant’s reaction to disruptive events.
“Way More Complex Than We Thought.” Seven Days VT sums up the School Redistricting Task Force’s final report to the legislature, recommending regional partnerships and school consolidation incentives through construction funds; the secretary of education offers a critique, and the governor sees the task force’s conclusions as a failure.
Public Comment Done Well. School Administrator hands the pen to a familiar name among Vermont’s school boards to give advice on making the most of public comments to the board. This was a popular item in last issue, so here it is again for readers who may have missed it.
Carving Up Ed. Politico follows the U.S. Department of Education’s decision to move grant programs to other federal agencies: “The shift is like asking states to fly with no air traffic control.”
Data in The Dark. Seven Days VT reviews the challenges that outdated technology can present to legislative decision-making: “[AOE] is very, very behind in data, and a lot of the data that they provided school districts this year was not correct.”
“There’s Just A Lot of Anxiety Here.” Vermont Public checks in on districts’ decisions to close or consolidate schools in anticipation of Act 73’s mandates, and the legislature’s tepid response: “Districts are not going to circumvent the legislative process by talking to one another.”
Turf War. Seven Days VT reviews community concerns of possible environmental risks over a proposal to install synthetic turf at a Vermont high school.
Better Drop-Ins. Edutopia gives advice on how to improve an open-door policy: “You can’t just say, do this on your planning time, or do this during lunch. There needs to be a coverage plan.”
Boards Tilt Left. Politico picks up the national story of Democrats’ successes in school board elections: “Americans writ large don’t want this divisive political climate.”
Toward Universal Child Care. Seven Days VT covers the success of Vermont’s push to support the state’s child care infrastructure, including a multi-year investment to expand subsidies for families: “People are pretty flabbergasted about what’s happening in Vermont.”
Timing Matters. Education Week points to research that suggests the importance of the time of day that attendance calls go out: “The takeaway is that early, empathetic outreach at the right moment can change behavior rather quickly.”
Heads Up, Vermont. States are taking innovative steps to support their students and Vermont school leaders and lawmakers should take note:
Nebraska’s legislature is set to receive a first-phase report on school finance reform with preliminary findings.
The rapidly-expanding school choice program in Arizona tends to benefit students from affluent backgrounds, according to a recent study.
School Shootings in 2025. Education Week’s tracker has logged 15 school shootings in 2025: “On Nov. 13, a student was shot and injured inside Skyline High School in Oakland, Calif.” Total school shootings in 2024: 39. As a reminder, DPS and AOE operate an anonymous school safety tip line for students, school staff, and their community: calling 1-844-SAFE4VT; texting SAFE4VT to 274637; or online at safe4vt.org. For questions about school safety training in Vermont, contact Sunni Erikson.
Buzz On The Street
This sections highlights recent op-eds and letters to the editor about education.
Cheryl Charles thanks the Act 73 redistricting task force: “Task force members openly questioned the assumption that simply consolidating would save the state money – a concern strongly supported by the research.”
Chaunce Benedict cautions that the task force overstepped its authority by ignoring state law, instead of following the reform process established by the legislature: “That 5,000 or even more people, who purportedly came forth to voice concern or opposition to the law, is transparently the result of organized, concerted political activism.”
Heather Duhamel and Kaitlin Northey argue that Vermont must continue to strengthen its early childhood education training programs: “Over the past 10 years, Vermont has lost several early childhood preparation programs, and faculty across the state told us that higher ed institutions are now making changes or reductions to programs in an effort to navigate federal funding uncertainties.”
Anthony Conwright points out that the original purpose of the U.S. Department of Education, to protect democracy by ensuring universal education, serves as a warning today: “Mr. Trump’s administration seems to be creating the same kind of oligarchy that the original Department of Education was intended to prevent.” Gift link
Reader Survey
In each issue we ask a survey question to get a sense of what is on our readers’ minds. Then, the following issue, we report back on what we learned.
Last issue we asked: Should students miss school for a family vacation? Responses were fairly evenly split among Yes, they can make up missing work; No, seat time is super important; and It depends on the student.
This issue’s survey question: Should teachers use AI to write IEPs? Please indicate your response by clicking a check mark.
✅ Yes, it can be a real time-saver
✅ No, there’s too much at stake
✅ Sometimes, and with parents’ consent
Thank you to the reader from Franklin County who suggested that survey question. What’s on your mind? Suggest a survey question to find out how your colleagues respond in an upcoming issue of the 802 Ed!
How Ya Doin’?
The start of the school year can be challenging for many reasons. It may be helpful to look for support around personal and professional issues. If you would like to schedule a time to talk with a rostered psychotherapist and VPA mentor, we can work on making small but significant steps that promote self-care, communication, and control. Sponsored by 802 Ed
Listen Up
Check out the 802 Ed’s conversation-style podcast! Generated by Notebook LM
Job Listings
Supercharge The Applicant Pool. The market for school staff in Vermont is fierce and it’s important to stand out when attracting quality candidates. Why get wedged in among thousands of open positions on SchoolSpring? Your opportunity can stand out in an upcoming issue of the 802 Ed, dropping into the Inbox of thousands of readers. Sponsored by 802 Ed
The Big List. Josh Czupryk compiles and publishes a monthly spreadsheet with nearly 600 job opportunities for remote work in K-12 education.
Looking for a Change? With so many ways to brush up the resume, there are sometimes unusual opportunities. For example, Car and Driver reports on an annual parallel parking contest in Pittsburgh. (Cue joke about trying to find a parking space in Steel City.)
Thank The Team
You read it, you love it, and now is a good time to say thanks. Cover our coffee budget! Writing, editing, researching… all of that is caffeine driven. Choose this option and the extra energy will go to finding a few more updates to share.
Note From The Editor
Attention school leaders, the Bots are knocking!
Would you trust the most intelligent person on Earth with your private chats, someone who remembers everything you say, never sleeps, and bears absolutely zero accountability? Because that’s essentially the sales pitch behind ChatGPT for Teachers, free until July 2027. Yes, free. And yes, until 2027. Cue the confetti cannons.
But hold up, district leaders aren’t throwing throwing a parade just yet. Instead, the mood has been: Sure, but please don’t make us fill out another form. Understandably so. After years of emergency decisions during the pandemic, many administrators break into hives at the phrase “pilot program.”
There’s something about the phrase “free until July 2027” that feels less like a gift and more like a sneaky game of educational Jenga. No one wants to be the person who gets everyone hooked on a shiny new tool, only to face a surprise price tag later and have to explain it to the board. An 18-month trial is generous but also suspiciously long. It’s like someone saying: Try this puppy for free and don’t worry about adopting it until 2027. How about some pricing forecasts before we get emotionally attached?
Then there’s the teacher sign-up problem. Many teachers have already created accounts, often before the IT department has even had their morning coffee. This bottom-up enrollment means tools enter the classroom before anyone officially approved them.
OpenAI’s validation process checks if you’re a teacher, but it doesn’t check if your district said you could use the product. That’s like airport security looking at your driver’s license without checking if you have a boarding pass.
So, I’m excited about ChatGPT for Teachers, but.
OpenAI launching a sector-specific product for K–12 education is a milestone worth celebrating. Teachers are already embracing it. Lesson plans, feedback, IEP scaffolding, rubrics, parent emails, it’s all happening.
But district-wide implementation? That’s another story. Until the concerns of school boards, IT directors, and superintendents are addressed, ChatGPT for Teachers might be the most popular tool that never makes it past the IT office door.
AI is arriving in the classroom one way or another. The question isn’t whether schools will use it, but who will take responsibility for how it’s used. And maybe, just maybe, we should figure that puppy out before July 2027.
Eye on Data
The chart below tracks open positions for counselors in the past 60 days, presented as data points and a linear trend line. Data from SchoolSpring.
Pass It On
Like what you are reading? Hit the button below to send a copy to a colleague, friend, neighbor, your boss… whoever!
Grants & Opportunities
Harvard Service Fellowship. Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government recently announced a fully-funded fellowship for public servants, including public school teachers. Deadline is December 1.
NextGen Leader. The National AfterSchool Association is seeking nominations for a national award program. Deadline is December 5.
Happy Birthday, Vermont! AOE recently announced in-person professional development workshops on integrating the Vermont 250th Art Exhibition into classes. 9 am to 3 pm, December 11 in Milton, December 17 in St. Johnsbury, December 18 in Brattleboro.
Poops and Paws. Vermont’s Fish and Wildlife Department is offering a free curriculum in recognizing wintertime animals by their scat and tracks, intended for K-8 students. Register by December 15.
Clipping, Snipping, And Coloring. The state’s Department of Corrections published an RFP for a cosmetology and barbering instruction. Deadline is December 18.
Infant And Toddler Credential. DCF has posted an RFP for a contractor to develop courses and a practicum for an 18-credit early childhood professional qualification. Deadline is January 5.
If You Missed It
In Memoriam. We mourn the passing of Beth Cobb, a colleague and friend to many in the school leadership community.
UMatter Closing Up Shop. The Center for Health and Learning, a long-time provider of UMatter suicide prevention training for schools, is planning to cease operations by mid-December “due to significant Federal funding cuts and an uncertain economy.”
Cart Before The Horse? AOE recently posted a job for Education Transition Support Specialist - District Operations, “supporting major legislative initiatives related to education policy and school district transformation.”
Kid Governor. Congratulations to the newly elected Kid Governor from Highgate Elementary, after a recent statewide election among fifth graders.
Since 2021 the biweekly 802 Ed has brought together the latest from Vermont’s associations for principals, superintendents, and school board members, as well as state and national education agencies and many other news sources. We hope that you’ll find something useful in each issue and welcome comments or suggestions for upcoming issues: editor@802ed.com.
Abbreviation list: AASA School Superintendents Association, AOE Agency of Education, DCF Department for Children and Families, DMH Department of Mental Health, DPS Department of Public Safety, FERPA Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act, NAEP National Assessment of Education Progress, NEASC New England Association of Schools and Colleges, RFP Request for Proposals, SBE State Board of Education, SEL Social Emotional Learning, UVEI Upper Valley Educators Institute, VEHI Vermont Education Health Initiative, VPA Vermont Principals Association, VPO Vermont Political Observer, VREC Vermont Rural Education Collaborative, VSA Vermont Superintendents Association, VSBA Vermont School Board Association, VSBIT Vermont School Boards Insurance Trust, VSBPE Vermont Standards Board for Professional Educators, VTCLA Vermont Curriculum Leaders Association, VTSU Vermont State University.
Special bonus for making it to the bottom: Snow flurries, early sunsets, warm mugs of cocoa, and gnome-hunting. Yep, it’s that time of the year again in Vermont.