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

Content:

Count on Vermont - Network Improvement Communities for the 2026-2027 School Year

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, Curriculum Directors, Mathematics Leaders, and Grades K-8 Educators

The Agency of Education is excited to share a Participants Agreement and schedule for each of the two Networked Improvement Communities (NIC) being offered during the 2026-2027 school year: K-5 Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics, and Grades 4-8 Teaching Fractions. To learn more about Count on Vermont, and have your questions answered, please visit our webpage and join our mailing list. Please complete and submit agreements by August 28.

Contact: Tracy Watterson, Count of Vermont Coordinator, [email protected]

Please register using our online forms

Strengthening Education Quality in Vermont: Elevating Instructional Coherence Through HQIM and Evidence-Based Practices

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, Curriculum Directors, instructional coaches, educators, Interventionists

Improving educational quality across Vermont begins with a shared commitment to strong instructional coherence. True coherence ensures that every student, in every classroom, receives rigorous, grade-level instruction grounded in Vermont State Board of Education approved standards, supported by High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) and evidence-based instructional practices.

To establish this foundation statewide, the Agency of Education (AOE) has published new HQIM expectations on the Curriculum & Instruction landing page. Districts are expected to actively leverage these resources as part of their local curriculum evaluation, selection, and continuous improvement processes.

The published guidance provides:

• Initial Review Criteria: Co-created criteria for Districts to systematically evaluate current and prospective instructional materials.
• Recognized Curricular Program Lists: Preliminary lists of programs recognized as HQIM by leading national evaluation resources. (The next step is for the AOE to review using our co-developed criteria in partnership with Vermont practitioners.)
• Frameworks for Alignment: Actionable guidance to bridge state standards with daily classroom instruction.

This year, the AOE will collaborate with Vermont field experts to develop a formal, state-specific HQIM review process. In the meantime, Districts should begin utilizing these tools immediately to eliminate instructional fragmentation, ensure equitable access to high-quality learning, and drive improved outcomes for all Vermont students.

Contact: Lori Dolezal at [email protected]

Curriculum and Instruction Division - Website

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, Curriculum Directors, instructional coaches, educators

The Curriculum and Instruction Division is in the process of developing their homepage which resides in the Teaching and Learning space on the Vermont Agency of Education's website. The Curriculum and Instruction page contains helpful information related to student learning standards and resources for various content areas within our division. This space also highlights guidance on high-quality instructional materials and evidence-based practices, as well as the current efforts and offerings within Read Vermont and the newly launching Count on Vermont approaches to improving teaching and learning in Reading and Mathematics. Sections related to Curriculum Coordination and MTSS are under development and will be updated throughout the coming school year. The following materials have been archived as they no longer align with the Agency's current vision for MTSS support:

• VTmtss Framework and Field Guide
• VTmtss Framework Tools
• Data Collection & Survey
• Professional Resources
• Educational Support Teams

Contact: Stephanie Vogel at [email protected]

Vermont Restorative Approaches Collaborative: Fall Professional Learning Announcement

Audience: School District Administrators and Educators

The Vermont Restorative Approaches Collaborative (VTRAC) is an inclusive community of trainers, coaches, researchers, Community Justice Center staff, youth, educators, administrators, and other partners committed to strengthening restorative approaches across Vermont. VTRAC is open to anyone interested in participating and learning alongside others engaged in this work. VTRAC formed in 2019 through a Vermont Agency of Education grant initiative designed to expand restorative approaches in Vermont schools. The grant brought together people with diverse expertise and experience to provide professional learning, training, coaching, and resources to schools and districts. UP for Learning is the Coordinator of the VTRAC and is excited to offer a free professional learning series this fall on restorative practices and approaches in education. Learn more about the VTRAC and the many shared resources on our website.

Contact: Jeneve Joslin at [email protected]

Resources and Trainings on Weight-Inclusive Practices

Audience: Educators, staff and Administration

Helping kids grow strong involves more than nutrition and physical activity; it also means supporting the development of healthy ideas about food, their bodies, and themselves. The Vermont Department of Health's Confident Kids campaign provides tools and language to help schools and families create supportive, weight-inclusive environments.

For educators, the Vermont Higher Education Collaborative offers a free training, "Weight-Inclusive Schools: How You Can Play a Role in Preventing Eating Disorders." This session provides practical strategies for K-12 school personnel and includes professional learning hours.

Contact: Jeneve Joslin at [email protected]

Vermont Department for Children and Families - Mandated Reporter Training Removal of Outdated Training Version

Audience: School district staff, administrators, and district staff responsible for managing online training portals

The Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF) has received outreach from school district staff who completed the updated mandated reporter training but cannot access their certificates. Some district training portals are still hosting the previous version of the training, preventing certificate access. Districts are asked to remove the outdated version of the mandated reporter training from their online training portals and direct staff to complete the current training through the website: Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect in Vermont.

Contact: VT DCF Family Services Division at [email protected]

Webinar Recording: Student Forms and Data for Vulnerable Learners

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]

Classroom Registration is open for Vermont's Kid Governor Program 2026-2027

Audience: Grade 5 Educators

Vermont's Kid Governor is a civic education program that teaches important lessons about state government, voting, elections, and civic participation. In Vermont, this program is run by the Vermont Secretary of State's Office. All grade five classes and home-school programs are invited to participate.

Timed to coincide with Election Day in November, classes can nominate a student to run for office, vote in the statewide election, or both! Free and state-specific lesson plans guide teachers through the program as students identify issues impacting their community, research solutions, create platforms to address those issues and make campaign videos. The winning student serves a one-year term as Vermont's Kid Governor and the six other finalists serve as cabinet members, working together to enact their platforms and engage all fifth graders in Vermont in making their communities a better place. For more information and to register your class, visit Vermont's Kid Governor webpage.

Contact: Robyn Palmer, State Coordinator at [email protected]

Vermont Agency of Agriculture - Calendar Coloring Contest

Audience: Vermont educators grades K-4, Art teachers

In 2024 the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets announced a new Agriculture Kids Calendar opportunity for students in grades K-4 to create agriculture imagery about our state. Vermont school classes that entered had the chance to have their imagery included in the 2025 Agriculture Kids Calendar. The Agency is once again offering that opportunity during the 2026-2027 school year. An email to elementary school Principals will be sent before classes start this year with a copy of the entry form and rules for participation. We hope this will spark conversations in the classroom about the many types of agriculture here in Vermont. Entries are due on November 1.

Contact: Scott Waterman at [email protected]

The Vermont Agency of Education is hiring

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:

View Current Openings on the VT Careers Website