Who We Are:

The VT-HEC was formed in 2000 in response to Act 117 of the Vermont Legislature.  It is the joint work of the Vermont Department of Education, the Vermont State Colleges and the University of Vermont.  Our mission is to work with these organizations, Vermont school districts, regional mental health agencies, and other professional organizations as well as some of our private colleges to make quality preparation, training and support programs accessible to educators and educators-to-be in critical need areas.

What We Believe and Practice:

The VT-HEC has adopted a set of principles and practices to support our work with educators in their professional training and enhance their innate capacity to learn.  These principles include:

*  A respect for the learner as an adult

*  Accountability on the part of the organization, the instructors and the students

*  Immediacy, relevance and congruence in the information that we teach

*  The practice of using a dialogue approach in our teaching to ensure an exchange of opinions and ideas.

Our Unique Nature:

Because of the collaborative nature and flexibility of the VT-HEC, we have been able to respond to the needs of the field in a timely way and create capacity by pulling together a variety of experts and stakeholders to address critical needs.  These educational experts have provided valuable input into the development of program and coursework as well as share their knowledge and expertise as instructors in the classroom.