The 802 Ed
What's going on in Vermont's education policy and practice
Welcome back!
This issue of the 802 Ed covers many topics that are immediately useful like the latest on the governor’s proposal for the state’s education system, no-cost Black History Month lesson plans, and the start of AOE’s new “sprint teams.” Be sure to check out the sudden change in vacancies for teaching positions!
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
“Ending Radical Indoctrination in Schools.” The White House published an Executive Order that enshrines the “celebration of America’s greatness and history” and places many other ideological stakes in the ground.
The Department of Justice announced that it plans to work with the U.S. Department of Education to “pursue actions” against educational agencies, colleges, and universities engaging in “illegal DEI And DEIA discrimination.”
Superintendents in New Hampshire are nervous about what this means for them: “I think we’re going to have a lot of legal bills just to get advice on things like compliance.”
A high school in Denver has already caught the attention of the new administration.
Listen, Learn, Consolidate. There has been a lot of reaction to the governor’s plan for overhauling the state’s governance and finance systems for education.
Seven Days VT gives a thorough run-down of the governor’s plan, including reactions from legislators who can’t see how schools will get more out of spending significantly less: “I just can't fathom where the actual cost savings is coming from.”
VT Digger printed an opinion piece about one of the greatest drivers of education costs: “There is no point in dismantling our school districts until we fix our broken health care system.”
WCAX reports on concerns raised by some of the state’s smallest schools.
VT Digger ran a news analysis piece that suggested the proposal relies on data “condensed from incomprehensible rows and columns that all but the most spreadsheet savvy lawmakers will likely never see.”
Vermont Community News Service offers another possible motivation: “[The proposal] was shock value to propose something a bit more moderate.”
VT Digger brings us a read-out of the State Board of Education’s response to the governor’s plan to move its rule-making authority to AOE in light of the agency’s limited capacity to enforce even the existing rules: “I simply do not see the part that’s supposed to be happening, happening.”
The Chester Telegraph points out that the Commission on the Future of Public Education in Vermont isn’t fully on board with the proposal: “I worry about being co-opted by the administration.”
VT Digger gives the pen to someone in favor of consolidation in an environment where “every district jealously guard[s] its little bit of turf.”
No More Phones in School? Seven Days VT focuses in on legislators who have introduced H.54, which intends to do away with student phone use “given the known dangers and potential for harm caused by or experienced on social media.”
Perfect Storm. Valley News zooms into a district with superintendent and principal turnover, a challenging budget picture, and delayed plans to shutter one or both of the elementary schools: “We realize that it will take a bit more time before intelligent decisions can be made.” This was a popular item in last issue, so here it is again for readers who may have missed it.
Good-Bye, Free Lunch? WCAX reports on the governor’s proposal to eliminate the state’s $18 million universal free school meals program as a way to reduce taxes.
Reducing Restraint. VT Digger prints a former superintendent’s response to a recently published commentary that argued reports of restraint and seclusion in schools are not subject to public disclosure.
International Teacher Recruitment. Seven Days VT highlights a high school that has hired three teachers from the Philippines for hard-to-fill positions.
Department of Education Cheat Sheet. NPR offers a brief explainer about what the federal education agency does - and doesn’t do.
“Nation’s Report Card” for Vermont. VT Digger sums up results of a biannual standardized measure of student learning and the less than encouraging results, mirrored in student learning across the country.
Time To Exclude Inclusion? The Hechinger Report tips us off to a paper on special education about to be published: “We’re not saying that the evidence indicates full inclusion cannot work. We’re saying that the evidence in terms of where to place these children is extremely weak, is fundamentally flawed, and no conclusions can be drawn from the evidence.” Update: Check out the follow-up!
Fewer Dollars for PCBs. VT Digger points to what the governor proposes for clean-up of the toxic chemicals, less than a third of what legislators approved two years ago: “I don’t know that it’s going to cover everything.”
Starting with Youth Voice. The Winooski News brings us into a federally-funded program that connects students across the state: “It’s really eye-opening.”
“Secret Society” of Job Training. The Hechinger Report asks why there isn’t more up-take of a well-funded federal program for graduating students with disabilities.
Dis-Engagement. The Chester Telegraph follows up on the public relations firm hired by the Commission on the Future of Public Education in Vermont to support community engagement, and early barriers to participation.
Please, No “Public Spectacle.” VT Digger reports on a city’s letter to a school board member whom they allege doesn’t actually reside in the city: “The city respectfully requests you to voluntarily correct your voter registration and to resign from the school board.” Update: The school board member has resigned citing a “misunderstanding.”
Heads Up, Vermont. States are taking innovative steps to support their students and Vermont school leaders and lawmakers should take note:
Maine legislators have proposed adding to state’s hotel tax to provide more funding for school construction.
The legislature in New Jersey is working on improving the stability and transparency of school funding through a fast-moving Senate bill.
Alaskan lawmakers are pushing a bill that ties education funding to inflation.
Massachusetts and eighteen other states have laws or policies that support setting limits on students’ use of cell phones in school.
School Shootings in 2025. Education Week’s tracker has logged two school shootings in 2025: “On Feb. 1, a man was shot and injured during a band competition at Pasadena Memorial High School in Pasadena, Texas.” 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 Rob Evans.
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: What would a snow day in January do for you? Responses were strongest for Quick break to re-energize before diving back in, with just a few readers selecting Chaos as all my plans would need to be rescheduled or Great opportunity to sleep.. late..
This issue’s survey question: How many school districts should Vermont have? Please indicate your response by clicking a check mark.
✅ As many supervisory unions and districts as we have now
✅ Five districts sounds like a good idea
✅ One district for the state would be the best
Thank you to the reader from Addison 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!
Listen Up
Check out the 802 Ed’s conversation-style podcast! Generated by Notebook LM
Job Listings
Superintendent. Come lead an extraordinary team of committed educators in the Barre Unified Union School District! Strong applicants will demonstrate leadership skills that focus on student learning, excellent community engagement, and outstanding fiscal and operational management. Applications due March 5. Sponsored by NESDEC
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
School Leader Vacancies. Latest report from VPA counts 25 school leader positions, like principal and assistant principal, that are turning over for next school year.
The Big List. Josh Czupryk compiles and publishes a monthly spreadsheet with more than 500 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 College of Fine Arts is hiring a Chief Academic Officer, for remote work except for two short residencies a year in the California mountains.
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
True story, I used to work in the nation’s capital back before government files were stuffed into a White House toilet. In fact, President Obama was my boss’s boss’s boss’s boss’s boss.
I was working for the U.S. Department of State, where I picked up a lot about the lives of diplomats: who are the cookie pushers, what makes a persona non grata, and what should I do with this damn napkin?
One of the skills that I watched exercised in formal social events, as well as in the less productive moments of my dating life, was the “slow walk.” This is where a skilled diplomat moves someone out of their conversational radius, with such felicitous ease that the person doesn’t know they have been slowly walked over to stand alone by the bean dip.
It’s an art form. And yet, I never expected that it would show up in the Green Mountain State as a slow walk in.
The administration has surely been pacing itself in bringing to the legislature large pieces of a proposal on education finance and governance. We are a quarter way through the session and still learning more about this fast-paced plan to move so much local control to Montpelier.
One may be tempted to ask why take so long to spell out how to overhaul the state’s education system, or ehem to “vastly underfund the current system?” Where are the details?
To quote a former state Senator: “This is no way to reinvent a massive governmental system.” To quote a more trenchant source: “The governor cannot possibly be serious about his education plan.”
Our legislators may feel like they’re being left to stand next to the bean dip.
The latest surprise is optional school choice, where students (and their funding) can choose to join a lottery for the public or private school of their liking.
Some people might call this “voucher” system a “voucher system.” However, the administration is adamant about people who call this a voucher system: “They are wrong.”
Now hold on there. If it walks like a voucher system and talks like a voucher system, I think that we can call it a voucher system.
Unless of course, the administration takes its cues from a different federal agency and next says that they cannot confirm nor deny that this is a voucher system.
This isn’t the first time that concerns have been raised about vouchers, but in the context of so many other proposed changes one wonders how much attention it will get.
More bean dip, anyone?
Eye on Data
The chart below tracks the number of open positions for teachers in Vermont in the past 90 days, presented as data points and no trend line this time. 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!
Colleagues on the Move
Congratulations to these colleagues who received administrator licensure from AOE since the last issue of the 802 Ed! Data from AOE.
Jennifer Coltey • Principal
Scott Rice • Principal
Melissa Sargent-Minor • Principal
Crystal Setzer • Principal
Do you know a colleague who has made a recent move? Let us know!
Grants & Opportunities
Where Teachers Stay and Thrive. NEASC is hosting a panel of school leaders on fostering positive school culture for staff retention. 9 - 10 am, February 11.
Support in A Flash. Vermont Humanities offers “rapid response grants” of up to $1,000 for small projects with a short timeline that offer humanities experiences.
Who Made That? Clemmons Family Farm is offering no-cost integrated curricula with Black History Month lesson plans, for grades K-12.
Building a Game Game. The State of Vermont recently issue an RFP to develop a hunter education course. Deadline is February 25.
Millions for Distance Learning. The USDA recently announced a $40 million grant program to support the purchase of audio and video equipment so students can participate in classes virtually. Deadline is March 6.
Supporting Protective Factors. Vermont Afterschool is offering in-person Thrive training, a strengths-based approach for supporting youth ages 9 to 24. 10 am - 4 pm, March 11 and March 18.
Superintendent of The Year. VSA has opened nominations for extraordinary education leaders. Deadline is March 14.
Parent Survey. AOE has published an RFP to conduct a parent involvement survey in response to federal reporting requirements for special education. Deadline is March 18.
Checkmate. The State Scholastic Chess Championships is open to students in grades K-12. Saturday, March 29 at Lamoille Union High School. Registration closes March 23.
If You Missed It
Festina Lente. AOE is establishing “sprint teams” to support changes proposed by the governor, in these areas: PreK; CTE; Accountability and Education Quality; Transformation Timeline; Governance including School portfolio, tuition-ing, and scale; Education Workforce; Afterschool; and Special Education.
How to Be A Scientist. Smithsonian Education celebrates the International Day of Women and Girls in Science (February 11) with a suite of toolkits: interactive games that simulate the work of three scientists, online webinars outlining the stories of their careers, and activities to use in the grades PreK-8 classroom.
Head to Heart. Vermont Afterschool has started a newsletter about social-emotional learning “in smaller, digestible bites.”
“Stranded on The Roster.” Vermont Secretary of State has published a legislatively-mandated study of barriers in the system of mental health provider licensing, including licensing for school counselors.
CTE Honors. Congratulations to AOE’s Director of Career Technical Education who received the prestigious Heart and Hope Award from the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity.
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. 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, ADM Average Daily Membership, AHS Agency of Human Services, AOE Agency of Education, CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDD Child Development Division, CVTSE Coalition for Vermont Student Equity, DAIL Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living, DCF Department for Children and Families, DMH Department of Mental Health, DPS Department of Public Safety, ED U.S. Department of Education, FERPA Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act, NAEYC National Association for the Education of Young Children, NEASC New England Association of Schools and Colleges, NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, PBIS Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, RFP Request for Proposals, SBE State Board of Education, SEL Social Emotional Learning, 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: A company in Canada sells toothbrushes made of teeth - and other things made of teeth that I really wish I hadn’t seen.