ADVOCACY · SUPPORT · COLLABORATION
A United Voice for Vermont's Therapeutic Schools
We are a coalition of therapeutic schools from across Vermont, working together so that students — including those with the most complex needs — receive the education they deserve.
28
therapeutic schools across Vermont
725
students placed in therapeutic schools statewide
WHO WE ARE
Small Schools with Big Impact
The Vermont Therapeutic School Coalition brings together programs serving students whose social, emotional, or behavioral needs cannot be fully met in a traditional classroom. While we vary in size, setting, and specialty, we share a mission, and now we share a voice.
Advocacy
We educate lawmakers and administrative officials about therapeutic education and advocate for continued support of these schools within the education continuum.
Support
We share resources, training, and best practices across member schools.
Collaboration
We partner with districts, families, designated agencies, and state leaders to strengthen the supports necessary to meet the needs of Vermont's highest-needs students.
THE BASICS
What is a therapeutic school?
Therapeutic schools are AOE-approved therapeutic schools that enroll students on an IEP or 504 plan through a written agreement with the student's home district. They combine academics with intensive clinical and behavioral support, so students with the most complex needs can learn, grow, and stay connected to their home communities.
Without them, many of these students would face residential placement far from home — a more restrictive and far more costly outcome, for the student and for Vermont.
What our schools provide
- Small classes and appropriate staff-to-student ratios
- Academic instruction integrated with clinical and behavioral support
- Trauma-informed, relationship-based and behavioral approaches to learning
- Close partnership with families, districts, and community providers
- A path that keeps students close to home and family
ADVOCACY
A seat at the table
Vermont is in the middle of a once-in-a-generation conversation about how education is structured and funded. As lawmakers weigh reform, therapeutic schools — and the students they serve — must not be an afterthought.
The coalition coordinates testimony, engages with legislators and Agency of Education staff, and gives a collective voice to schools whose perspectives are often heard one at a time, or not at all.
Our policy priorities
Summarize the coalition's current legislative priorities in two or three lines, with a link to a one-page PDF.
Recent testimony
Link to recent testimony from member schools before the House and Senate Education Committees.
OUR MEMBERS
Member schools
Coalition members are located throughout Vermont, each serving its own community and student population.
Winooski
Aspire Living & Learning
Serving students with autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities through individualized, evidence-based education. A person-centered approach extends support across school, home and community, helping students build skills and work toward greater independence.
Brattleboro
Community School House
We offer a structured short-term residential stabilization and assessment program to assist children ages 5-12 who are generally under the care of the Vermont Department for Children and Families, or the Vermont Department of Mental Health. These children may be in a placement crisis and typically, they present with behavioral difficulties and require short-term residential treatment services.
Winooski
The Mill School
We recognize and appreciate the differences in each student and work to develop a plan based on the student's strengths and interests. We are relentlessly optimistic. We believe in preparing learners for life… no matter what.
Montpelier
The New School of Montpelier
The New School of Montpelier is a learning community committed to preparing individuals with unique and complex challenges for successful lives. We use evidence based practices to promote independence, communication, social/emotional skills and academic growth, within a culture of safety and belonging.
Foundations
Foundations, a K-12 therapeutic school in Windsor, serves students from throughout the Upper Valley and beyond who struggle with significant behavior and communication challenges. Our ABA based program provides a rich curriculum tailored to each student's needs for skills to increasingly participate productively in community life.
Your school here
Membership is open to AOE-approved therapeutic schools across Vermont.
MEETINGS
Upcoming meetings
Coalition members meet regularly to share updates, coordinate advocacy, and support one another's work. All member schools are welcome.
Next meeting
Statewide Gathering of Therapeutic Schools
Date: Late January — exact date TBA (November meeting postponed)
While you wait
Share your input for the 2026 session
Help the coalition identify shared challenges and set priorities for the upcoming legislative session. Takes about 10 minutes.
Take the 2026 Survey →
GET IN TOUCH
We'd love to hear from you
Whether you're a member school, a family, a district, or a policymaker — reach out. We're here.