Contents: July 3, 2025
- Vermont Agency of Education Responds to Trump Administration Withholding Federal Funding
- Literacy Modules to Migrate From “Pepper” to “Playbook”
- Reminder to Update Contact and School Info Changes
- PE Standards Summer Trainings Announced
- VCRD Community Leadership Summit in August
- New Educator Licensing System Trainings Announced
Vermont Agency of Education Responds to Trump Administration Withholding Federal Funding
Audience: Vermont Educators, Superintendents, Parents, Students, Legislators, General Public
On Monday evening, the U.S. Department of Education alerted the Vermont Agency of Education of a decision by the Trump administration to withhold $26 million in congressionally approved funding that Vermont school districts have included in their budgets for the 2025-2026 school year. The Agency has issued a statement that details the specific program areas this decision will affect, including services and supports for English language learners, safe and healthy schools initiatives, summer afterschool programming, and adult education and literacy programs. Read the full statement on the Agency’s website.
Contact: [email protected]
Literacy Modules to Migrate From “Pepper” to “Playbook”
Audience: Vermont Educators
We are excited to inform you of upcoming enhancements to the Pepper learning platform. All content in Pepper, including the literacy modules developed by Public Consulting Group through a contract with the Vermont Agency of Education, will be migrated to a new training platform called Playbook. The user interface will be upgraded to incorporate new features and to align with industry standards related to accessibility and instructional design. Course content and records of completions will remain the same. Users should keep an eye on their email for new login credentials coming on July 17. Additional information is available from PCG.
Contact: Emily Leute at [email protected]
Reminder to Update Contact and School Info Changes
Audience: Superintendents, Business Managers, Data Managers
As SU/SD staff changes over the summer and into the coming school year, please remember to update the Agency on the primary contacts and grades offered in the schools in your Supervisory Union or District. This helps ensure the people working these roles are receiving the information they need from the Agency. Please use this form to see what we currently have on file, and to submit any changes.
Contact: SLDS (Statewide Longitudinal Data System) Support at [email protected]
PE Standards Summer Trainings Announced
Audience: Curriculum Directors and Educators
The AOE, in support of implementation of the recently adopted 2024 SHAPE America National Physical Education standards, has contracted with SHAPE America to provide three regional trainings to Physical Education educators in Vermont. The three trainings will be full-day sessions (8:30-3:30), held at the following locations:
- August 13, at Randolph Union High School
- August 14, at Manchester Elementary Middle School
- August 15, at Missisquoi Valley Union Middle and High School
All participants must complete the registration form to attend. Each site has a maximum registration cap, so please sign up soon, if interested.
Contact: Ian Burfoot-Rochford at [email protected]
VCRD Community Leadership Summit in August
Audience: Educators, Educational Leaders, Community Members and Leaders
The Vermont Council on Rural Development will hold its sixth annual Community Leadership Summit on August 11 at Vermont State University – Randolph. The summit is an opportunity to cultivate skills and connections with hundreds of community builders from across the state.
The Summit will offer workshops, panels, group discussions, and networking to share ideas and success stories, and to connect people supporting their communities. Attendees can join any session of interest or follow one of the participation pathways: Community Leadership Skills; Arts & Culture: Building Community, Solving Problems; From Idea to Action; and Navigating Change and Uncertainty. See the Agenda for the list of sessions being offered.
Registration starts at $75, however, the event is meant to be accessible to all without financial barriers, and no-cost options may be available. Reach out to Margaret at [email protected] to learn more.
Contact: Ryan Parkman at [email protected]
New Educator Licensing System Trainings Announced
Audience: Teachers, Principals, Superintendents, Administrative Staff, Higher Education
The Vermont Agency of Education and Level Data will be providing trainings on the new Educator Licensing System, VLSE, on July 15. These sessions will be held over Zoom. There is a training for district users at 1 p.m. and one for general users at 3 p.m. Links for attending these Zoom sessions are below.
- district user webinar: July 15, 1 p.m. EST (Zoom Registration Link)
- general webinar: July 15, 3 p.m. EST (Zoom Registration Link)
These trainings will be recorded and posted for those who cannot attend the live sessions.
As previously announced, educator licensing is transitioning to new software this summer. The Vermont Licensing System for Educators (VLSE) will go live later this month.
More information about the rollout is available on the Vermont Agency of Education website.
Contact: Katie Gagliardo at [email protected]