Weekly Field Memo: Recent News and Items of Interest From the Agency

Content:

Audience: Vermont public and approved independent school leaders, educators, student support professionals, and other stakeholders interested in learning more about linguistic demands of learning and how to meaningfully support language development for all students including multilingual English learners.

Following the recent adoption of English Language Development Standards, the Agency is offering a series of professional development opportunities over the coming school year to support implementation and collaboration.

For more information about the opportunities, learn more here: 2026-2027 WIDA Professional Learning Opportunities .

Contact: Stephanie Vogel, at [email protected]

Audience: Special educators, multilingual educators, and any staff who work with dually-identified students

The Special Education and Multilingual teams at the VT AOE will be hosting a meet and greet on Monday, September 14th from 3:00-4:30. During this time, the teams will talk about resources available for working with dually-identified students. The remainder of the time will be spent on Q&As and breakout sessions to connect with other Vermont educators serving similar populations. The resources portion will be recorded for later viewing for those unable to attend. Attendees will also receive certificates of attendance that count toward professional development hours.

Please register using this link: Connect with Educators working with Dually-Identified Students.

Contact: Heidi Jo Bartlett at [email protected]

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, Data Manager, School Counselors

Act 77 of 2013 encourages Vermont school districts to expand high-quality, flexible learning pathways that support students' individual goals while meeting graduation requirements. Virtual learning is a key pathway, making accurate course enrollment data essential. The Agency of Education (AOE) has identified inconsistencies in district reporting and seeks to improve data quality through clear definitions and standardized reporting protocols. The Virtual Learning FAQs provide guidance to ensure consistent, complete virtual learning data and supports informed, data-driven decisions. Districts with additional questions should contact the AOE's Data Management Division or Flexible Pathways Team.

Contact: David Kelley or Ryan Parkman at [email protected] , [email protected]

Audience: Registrars, Data managers, Administrative professionals, MKV liaisons, School leaders

Thank you to everyone who attended the Student Forms and Data for Vulnerable Learners webinar on Friday, August 7. If you couldn't make it or want to view it again, please view the recording: Student Forms and Data for Vulnerable Learners .

After viewing the webinar, please complete our feedback survey to inform future trainings and guidance.

Please view and share the following resources as needed:

Contact: Lindsay Turgeon-Brown at [email protected]

Audience: Vermont Community Builders, All Educators

Registration has opened for the 2026 Vermont Community Leadership Summit: Stories. Skills. Action! The event is hosted by the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) and will take place on Tuesday, October 6 at Vermont State University in Castleton, Vermont.

This year's Summit is grounded in the newly updated Vermont Community Leadership in Action Guide , which will shape workshops, panels, group discussions, and networking throughout the day. Sessions will explore practical tools and strategies for leadership including facilitation skills, community engagement and volunteerism, local economic vitality, advancing community projects, and more.

See the full agenda and sliding-scale registration on our website. All who are interested in supporting their community and the future of the state are welcome and encouraged to attend!

Contact: Ryan Parkman at [email protected]

Audience: Teachers, Principals, Superintendents, Business Managers, Special Education Directors, General Public

The Vermont Agency of Education's updated Driver Education policy clarifies the requirements and responsibilities of Vermont schools for providing driver education to students who are regularly enrolled in a public or approved independent school. The policy supports schools in meeting the requirements of 16 V.S.A §1045-1048 and State Board of Education Rules, Sections 2350-2352 .

Developed with input from a variety of stakeholders, this policy establishes processes and expectations for the implementation of driver education programs in public and approved independent school programs.

Contact: Tammy Pregent at [email protected]

Audience: All Administrators, Educators and communities
The Vermont Agency of Education is hiring. To support our ongoing recruitment efforts and keep the field informed, all current open positions at the Agency will now be shared in the Weekly Field Memo (WFM). We encourage you to review, share, and distribute these opportunities throughout your schools, districts, and professional networks. View current openings on the VT Careers website . Thank you for helping us spread the word and connect talented professionals with meaningful work in Vermont education!

The following positions have been posted: