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 news of a school district that activated a safety protocol in response to immigration enforcement, readers’ opinions on stipends for National Board Certified Teachers, and an announcement about Vermont’s Teacher of the Year. Be sure to check out the no-cost restorative justice microcredential for Vermont school staff!
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
Slow But Steady Wins The Race. Edutopia makes an argument for the benefits when school leaders go from a sprint to a more comfortable walk forward.
Next Gen Schoolbus. Stateline reports on the evolution of the schoolbus into a technological marvel, including on-board systems that alert the district to maintenance issues, late arrivals, and more.
“Decimating The Office.” NPR brings us up to speed on the federal government’s decision to lay off staff in the U.S. Department of Education’s office that supports special education services, and Politico gives the latest on a judge’s order to stop laying off unionized workers.
All Hands on Deck. WCAX reports on a Vermont school district that activated a new safety protocol on receiving credible information about local immigration enforcement: “Regardless of the politics, regardless of whether you agree or disagree with the immigration policies of this administration, we have a duty to make our students feel safe and like they belong in our community.”
Academic Effects of SEL. The Hechinger Report sums up recent research from Yale University that suggests students’ literacy and math skills improve with social-emotional learning interventions.
Take A Hike. NPR visits a school in Maine where students facing detention are given the option of taking a walk in the woods instead.
Possible Preemptive Merger. Valley News gets the scoop on three Vermont districts that are considering a merger in anticipation of the state’s redistricting efforts.
“Beholden to The Whims of Your Task Force.” Vermont Public follows up on strong reactions to a petition to close a local high school in the current climate of redistricting: “I feel lied to.” Late Breaking Update: A school board chair filed an ethics complaint against a state senator alleging a pressure campaign.
Pocket of Happy Dust. Times Argus follows up on a substitute teacher charged with allegedly bringing cocaine into a Vermont school.
“Rough-Edged Proposal.” VT Digger checks in on the state’s School Redistricting Task Force and the first, and so far only, map to be considered by the group. This was a popular item in last issue, so here it is again for readers who may have missed it
At War with Virtual Education. NBC News zooms into the lawsuits and countersuits between a New Mexico school district and a national provider of online learning.
“Education Is The Best Career.” The Winooski News interviews a middle and high school principal with more than a decade of experience.
Low State Test Scores. WCAX picks up the story of lackluster preliminary standardized assessment scores released recently, and a middling response from AOE.
Retention Through Moonlighting. Education Week explains why so many teachers are picking up a second job, and how schools that recognize this trend can support teachers better.
Heads Up, Vermont. States are taking innovative steps to support their students and Vermont school leaders and lawmakers should take note:
Afterschool and summer programs in California are pipelines for new teachers.
Maine’s education agency is going “back to the basics” to turn around lagging literacy and math scores.
High school students in North Carolina can now take advantage of a direct admission program to get into dozens of colleges based on their school grades and standardized test results.
Indiana schools may soon be graded A-F based on students’ academic results, as well as work ethic and collaboration: “We have to see the full human picture.”
School Shootings in 2025. Education Week’s tracker has logged 13 school shootings in 2025: “On Oct. 10, a 17-year-old was shot and injured after a high school football game at South Delta High School in Rolling Fork, Miss. In another incident on Oct. 10, two people were killed and at least one person was injured in a shooting during a homecoming football game at Heidelberg High School in Heidelberg, Miss.” 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.
Rama Schneider encourages the state legislature to push forward with mergers: “[…] Since Act 153 of 2010, it has been the stated policy of Vermont’s Legislature and governors that a larger school district of the supervisory district type is the preferred model.”
Jack Hoffman warns that changes brought about in Act 73 will reduce the number of Vermonters who will have the option of paying education taxes based on their income: “Vermonters with up to $115,000 in household income will pay based on a percentage of their home’s value (up to $425,000). As income goes up, that percentage goes up. Those with household income of $115,000 or more pay the full property tax bill on their home.”
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: Do you think the state should offer an additional stipend to National Board Certified Teachers? Responses were strongest for Yes, it would be a great incentive for teachers, with about half as many readers selecting No, it should be up to schools to offer incentives. For readers who selected What’s a National Board Certified Teacher?, here is more info.
This issue’s survey question: Do you think students should be required to do community service as a graduation requirement? Please indicate your response by clicking a check mark.
✅ Yes, it helps students as well as community organizations
✅ No, students already have a lot on their plates
✅ I’m not sure
Thank you to the reader from Orange 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 about 600 job opportunities for remote work in K-12 education.
Looking for a Change? With so many open education positions in Vermont, there are sometimes unusual opportunities. For example, Vermont’s statewide public colleges system has opened a search for its next President and Vice Chancellor with a salary roughly five times what adjunct instructors are paid in those colleges.
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
I grew up in an age of Sunday newspaper comics. They wrapped around the impossibly large Boston Globe, which landed on the floor with a satisfying thud. It was also packed with fascinating store circulars and blah-blah news items for the grown ups to furrow their brows over.
One of those comic strips was Shoe, about a newspaper office populated by birds. I didn’t understand why it was called Shoe, or why they were birds, or most of the jokes if I’m going to be honest about it. Why were they always hanging out in a diner?
The one comic that stuck with me the most had the main journalist character, an eagle, sitting in front of a typewriter and thinking aloud: “Never pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel.”
Here in Vermont we don’t have much left in the way of printed newspapers, but there are plenty of news sites (and maybe ehem a Substack or two) where anyone can step on the soap box for a hot minute.
I’ve noticed, though, that interest in our schools seems to come and go, at least as measured by the ink that’s spilled. Sometimes there are a dozen letters to the editor and op-eds to review for the Buzz On The Street section of the 802 Ed; other times it gets much quieter.
The issues that our school communities care about haven’t changed, or frankly improved: school construction and PCBs, redistricting and merging, lousy results on standardized tests, changes to federal funding, and more. Lately it has been mostly radio silence.
And so here comes the ask. Dear reader, have you considered writing a letter to VT Digger, Seven Days VT, Saint Albans Messenger, Times Argus, Rutland Herald, or wherever you get your local news?
Because the truth of the matter is, it doesn’t take a barrel of ink to make a change for the better.
Eye on Data
The chart below tracks open positions for teachers in the past 90 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
Keeping The Kids Safe. AOE, DPS, and the Vermont School Safety Center announced the annual School Safety Conference on October 28, at the Killington Grand Resort Hotel, with 6 hours of credit for professional development available.
School-Based Mental Health Services. The U.S. Department of Education recently opened a grant competition to increase the availability of mental health providers for students. Deadline is October 29.
Room for Me. Vermont Afterschool recently announced a grant program to start, maintain, or expand afterschool and summer programs of any size. Deadline is October 31.
Restorative Justice Microcredential. Vermont Law and Graduate School is offering Vermont school staff the opportunity to take part in a pilot test of a new digital microcredential program that is 3-4 hours of self-paced learning. Pilot begins on November 3.
Improving Special Education. AOE has published an RFP for a contractor to develop a three-year plan “for implementing best practices that will lead to improved outcomes for all of Vermont’s learners,” especially around Special Education. Deadline is November 3.
Trauma Informed Care. AOE is offering an online training for early childhood educators on trauma-informed universal supports and practices, with a focus on regulation skills, de-escalation, and relational repair. November 13, 9 am to 4 pm.
No More (Reading) Wars. UVM has announced a presentation by a Stanford education professor on how to use evidence based practices to support literacy learners. November 17, 4pm - 5:30pm. Davis Center at the University of Vermont, Silver Maple Ballroom (4th floor), 590 Main Street, Burlington.
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.
If You Missed It
Speed Dial. AOE recently announced an update to its staff directory, making it easier to connect with state education specialists.
Educational Equity through Self-Assessment. An open-access tool is available to create equitable and effective education for multilingual English learners, published by a Vermont educator, education professor, and AOE program director.
Teacher of The Year. Congratulations to Linda Alvarez, a business and entrepreneurship teacher in Brattleboro!
“Those Were Not My Words.” Furloughed federal employees were surprised to learn their out-of-office messages were automatically updated to a message blaming the government shutdown on Senate Democrats. Update: the federal employees’ union has filed a lawsuit alleging that the out-of-office message violates their First Amendment rights.
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: It seems like those clever Little Free Libraries are everywhere, even the South Pole.