Skip to main content
An Official Vermont Government Website

Career and Technical Education Regulations

Vermont Statutes

Vermont education statutes (Title 16), apply to all schools including Career Technical Education (CTE) centers.  The statutes apply specifically to CTE are located in Title 16, Chapter 37.            

State Board of Education Rules

The State Board of Education Manual of Rules 2370 through 2398 provides additional structure to the CTE system in Vermont. 

Non-regulatory Guidance

Federal Laws & Regulations

Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006

The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins IV) is a principal source of federal funding to states and discretionary grantees for the improvement of secondary and postsecondary career and technical education programs across the nation. The purpose of the Perkins Act is to develop more fully the academic and career and technical skills of students who elect to enroll in career and technical education programs.

Vermont’s Perkins State Plan is available for review. Vermont’s state profile includes performance data on the Perkins grant.

Notice
On May 1, 2020, The Agency of Education requested a waiver, pursuant to section 3511 of Division A of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), of requirements of State grants authorized by Title I of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006.

If you have comments about this waiver, please email aoe.edinfo@vermont.gov and include "VERMONT COVID-19 FISCAL WAIVER" in the subject line.

Civil Rights Methods of Administration Program

We actively support the mission of the U.S. Department of Education’s (USDOE) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) which is to ensure equal access to a high quality education for all students through the vigorous enforcement of civil rights.  As a recipient of federal financial assistance through the USDOE and in response to the Guidelines for Eliminating Discrimination and Denial of Services on the Basis of Race, Color, National Origin, Sex, and Handicap, we are required to conduct onsite civil rights compliance reviews of schools within districts and of postsecondary institutions that meet two criteria: 

  • The entity receives federal financial assistance through the AOE, and
  • Offers career technical education programs.

NOTE:  If you are seeking information about specific school-related discriminations issues, we encourage you to first contact your local school district. School district personnel assigned to receive inquiries, complaints and provide information may include:

  • Designated Employees as per the school’s bullying and harassment policy
  • Title IX and Tile VI Compliance Officer
  • Section 504/American Disabilities Act Coordinator (issues related to disabilities)

Review Schedule Determination Process

The CTE team at the AOE is required to conduct onsite civil rights compliance reviews annually for at least two secondary or post-secondary entities that meet the criteria mentioned above.  The selection of the entities that will be reviewed is determined by the AOE using a data informed process approved by the USDOE.  The data used includes demographic information relative to students enrolled in CTE programs and includes prioritization based on the time since the entity was last reviewed.

The purpose of the onsite civil rights compliance reviews (sometimes referred to as MOA reviews) is to assist school districts/technical centers and postsecondary institutions meet the requirements of the civil rights laws and regulations, to reduce the likelihood of future violations, and to offer technical assistance to the districts and postsecondary institutions where corrective actions are needed.

U.S. Department of Education regulations implementing:
U.S. Department of Justice regulations implementing:

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in employment, State and local government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities, and transportation. It also mandates the establishment of TDD/telephone relay services.

Onsite Civil Rights Review Process

The civil rights compliance reviews generally take two days, depending on the size of the campus, and are determined through mutual agreement early in the process.  The reviews consist of three phases:

Prior to the onsite review
  • Review of policies, handbooks, and other materials that are reviewed prior to the on-site visit.
  • Simple review of the entity’s website to determine the level of accessibility and to help the review team understand what information is available on the website.
Onsite review
  • Interviews with the superintendent/president, principals, directors, school counselors, designated employees, teachers, students, and in most cases parents and individuals from sending schools.
  • Classroom observations
  • Tours of the physical plant and grounds to assess the physical accessibility of the buildings, classrooms, and areas where CTE students may be (common areas) or are required to be as part of their program.
After the onsite review
  • Additional information may be requested.
  • A Letter of Findings is generated and the entity is given the opportunity to offer corrections to factual inaccuracies.
  • The entity is required to create a Voluntary Compliance Plan.  Compliance is not voluntary, however, the actions identified by the entity to correct any issues are.
  • Monitoring continues until all areas of non-compliance have been corrected.