Vermont Business Magazine In advance of the 2026 legislative session, the Agency of Education has published findings from its statewide planning retreat and 10 reports that update the General Assembly on key education initiates and decisions needed to support the goals of Act 73. Each report is informed by stakeholder engagement, grounded in research, and aligned with the Agency’s reorganization and commitment to meeting the evolving needs of Vermont’s education system. Together, the reports address key policy questions and advance a shared vision for building the best education system in America.
- The Key Themes from the 2025 Strategic Planning Retreat report captures findings from the Agency’s inaugural statewide planning event in November, including input on the vision for public education and feedback on efforts underway to strengthen continuous improvement efforts.
- The Statewide Graduation Requirements Recommendations Report is required by Act 73 of 2025 and provides recommendations to ensure that all Vermont graduates are set up for success in college, career, and civic life in alignment with requirements under Act 73.
- The Current State of Special Education Delivery Report is required by Act 73 of 2025 and identifies strengths, challenges, and opportunities in the delivery of services to students with disabilities.
- The Special Education Strategic Plan is required by Act 73 of 2025 and presents the prominent and cross-cutting focus on special education within the Agency’s multi-year strategic plan.
- The Educator Preparation Program Recommendations Report is required by Act 139 of 2024 and proposes ways to strengthen Educator Preparation Program (EPP) instruction in evidence-based literacy practices for consideration by the Vermont Standards Board for Professional Educators (VSBPE).
- In collaboration with the Vermont Agency of Human Services, the Joint Report on Elevating the Status of Early Childhood Education is required by Act 76 of 2023 and lays out a plan to achieve greater parity in decision-making authority, roles, and responsibilities related to early education and care across the Agency of Human Services and the Agency of Education.
- The Cooperative Services and Therapeutic School Oversight Report is required by Act 73 of 2025 and includes recommendations on the type and structure of cooperative education services within the context of larger school districts and the oversight of therapeutic schools at the state and local level.
- The Statewide Systems and School Construction Report is required by Act 73 of 2025 and provides a proposed implementation plan for statewide financial data and student information systems as well as considerations for a school construction division within the Agency of Education.
- The Transportation Reimbursement Guidelines Report is required by Act 73 of 2025 and includes considerations and preliminary recommendations for establishing an equitable and modernized education transportation system.
- The Merger Support Progress Report is required by Act 73 of 2025 and provides a progress update on developing guidance to school officials and school board members regarding the business processes and transactions involved in facilitating school district mergers under Act 73 and outlines the Agency’s change management strategy.
- The Afterschool Grant Report is required by Act 78 of 2023 and establishes a plan to fund grant programs for the expansion of summer and afterschool programs with an emphasis on creasing access in underserved areas of Vermont.
“Above all else, the Agency of Education is focused on providing every child in Vermont with an excellent education,” said Vermont Secretary of Education Zoie Saunders. “Centering the needs of students requires comprehensive, continuous evaluation of our education system, from transportation to special education, and it requires consistent engagement with stakeholders. The Agency is energized by input from the field, which has informed the realignment of our work to meet pressing needs, and we are ready and eager to lead on implementing statewide priorities.”
Each report identifies clear next steps and a process to engage the field in evaluating and refining statewide improvement efforts. Collectively, the reports are designed to advance the Agency’s strategic pillars, focused on improving academic excellence, expanding college and career readiness, promoting safe and healthy schools, strengthening operational effectiveness, and enhancing special education delivery and differentiated supports for all learners.
About the Vermont Agency of Education
The Agency of Education implements state and federal laws, policies, and regulations to ensure all Vermont learners have equitable access to high-quality learning opportunities. The Agency accomplishes this mission through the provision of its leadership, support, and oversight of Vermont’s public education system.
1.5.2026. Vermont Agency of Education education.vermont.gov.
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