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Vermont Educators' Bill of Rights

Learn more about the Vermont Educators' Bill of Rights

The people who work in Vermont’s public schools give their all to every student, every day, in every local community.

They deserve, like every employee, dignified and competitive compensation; to work and teach in safe conditions; and to have the time, resources, and autonomy to ensure that Vermont’s public-school students thrive and become happy, healthy, and successful adults.

Download the Vermont Educators' Bill of Rights

The Vermont Educators' Bill of Rights

With this educators’ Bill of Rights, Vermont-NEA and its local unions reaffirm their commitment not only to the people who work with Vermont’s students, but to the students themselves. After all, the working conditions of educators are the learning conditions of our children.
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Dignified, competitive compensation

All educators should be able to earn a stable, decent, middle-class living in the service of Vermont’s students, without having to work multiple jobs. To this end...

  • Support staff – bus drivers, maintenance staff, food service, administrative assistants, classroom paraeducators, etc. – should be paid a minimum of $30 an hour.

  • Licensed educators – classroom teachers, special educators, school nurses, school counselors - should be paid a minimum of $60,000.

  • One job should be enough for every educator. Support staff should not have to work multiple jobs to maintain financial independence.

  • Educators should be able to rely on a fully funded and guaranteed defined benefit pension.

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Safe working environment

All educators and students should be physically safe, emotionally supported, and respected. To this end, schools should...

  • Be fully and adequately staffed to meet the academic, physical, and emotional needs of all students.

  • Increase the number of nurses, school counselors, social workers, and other mental health professionals working in buildings.

  • Develop and implement clear and consistent procedures for addressing harassment and assault against educators and students.

  • Develop and implement consistent system-wide approaches to student behavior, through ongoing training for educators and students.

  • Adopt adequate leave policies for assault or injury incurred as a result of unsafe conditions.

  • Maintain safe and healthy school facilities that ensure optimal teaching and learning conditions.

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Time for planning and collaboration

All educators deserve to have the time to plan, prepare, and consult with their peers so that they can best teach and nurture their students. To this end, educators should have...

  • The time to do the job they were hired to do within the contract day.

  • Daily educator-directed prep time including additional time for collaboration with colleagues.

  • A predictable and consistent workday that respects educators’ ability to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

VT-NEA President Don Tinney addresses media at a microphone.
Every school must be a sanctuary for every student. And the way we achieve that is by strengthening our public education system and strengthening the educator voice within that system.
Quote by: Don Tinney, VT-NEA President
Use Your Educator Voice
Vermont Educators' Bill of Rights

Stand for the Rights of Vermont Educators!

Together we have a stronger voice to win the changes that we need and our students deserve. As Vermont educators, you deserve to be paid a good wage, work in safe classrooms, and be allowed to collaborate with your colleagues as you teach the state’s children.

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The Union of Vermont Educators

The Vermont-National Education Association is the union of Vermont educators, 13,000 professionals who teach the state's children every day. As the state's largest union, Vermont-NEA is proud to represent the people who make a difference in the lives of students in classrooms across Vermont.
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Join VT-NEA

The Vermont-NEA is a state affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States.

Learn more at NEA.org