Funding & Grant Opportunities
As Department of Education efforts become aligned with the Transformation of Education initiative, funding opportunities will increasingly reflect elements of the transformation based on one or more of the following principles: Student-centered Education, Leadership in a Student-centered Learning Environment, Flexible Learning Environments, Engaged Community Partners and Results and Indicators of Success. Use the link above to view current opportunities that are driven by or closely align with the transformation.
Secondary School Transformation Conference: A New Way (Updated 11/5/08)
The department invites every secondary school and regional technical center to a Secondary School Transformation Conference which will be held on November 20, 2008 from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at Lake Morey Inn in Fairlee, VT. There is a $75.00 per person charge for this conference so please have a purchase order number or check number ready when registering. Each school or regional technical center is encouraged to send teams of 3-4 individuals. Registraton has been extended from October 31 to November 7, 2008. For questions regarding this conference, contact Carol Duley at (802) 828-3843 or carol.duley@state.vt.us.
Transformation Update: State Board Meeting on August 26, 2008
The State Board of Education discussed current initiatives and future plans for Transformation work at their August 26, 2008 meeting. Topics included a description of current activities within the Department of Education, transformation-related funding opportunities for schools, recent outreach efforts by Department staff, progress on the four-state New England Consortium, and upcoming conferences in September and November focused on Transformation. Communications Director Jill Remick distributed and discussed a draft of the Transformation Communications Plan. The Board also briefly discussed a draft review of existing rules and regulations and their relationship to Transformation.
A highlight of the session was a presentation and discussion with Vergennes Union High School (VUHS) principal, Ed Webbley. Principal Webbley described “A Unified Vision for VUHS” and noted ten specific initiatives in place at his school that have positively contributed to making the school more student-centered and responsive to students’ needs. From a collaborative leadership model to targeted interventions with students in need of support, the efforts have collectively begun to change the culture and instructional practice at the school. For more information contact Ed Webbley at ewebbley@anwsu.org.
Finally Commissioner Talbott and Chair James discussed next steps focusing on potential legislative recommendations for the upcoming session and the connection between Transformation and the Board’s strategic planning process scheduled to begin soon. View a slide show from the update presentation.
The Future of Education in Vermont
In the Fall of 2007, the State Board of Education and former Commissioner Richard Cate articulated their vision for the future of education in Vermont. The vision document was the starting point for several public conversations that began with the October 16, 2007 State Board meeting at which students and parents participated in roundtable discussions on the future of education.
High Schools on the Move: Renewing Vermont's Commitment to Quality Secondary Education
In 1999, the State Board of Education charged the Department of Education to convene a task force to address critical issues facing Vermont’s secondary schools. This document, based on the work of the task force, presented a vision for secondary school renewal and innovation in the state. It served as a call to action and a toolkit to help educators and communities chart their own courses for secondary school change.
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