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H 182VERMONTSession 2025-2026State Billin committee
High Impact

Vermont Establishes Licensing and Board for Early Childhood Educators

Original title: An act relating to the licensure of early childhood educators

Last action · May 14, 2025: Rep. Birong of Vergennes moved that the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs be relieved of the bill and that the same be committed to the Committee on Human Services , which was agreed toSponsors: Matthew Birong and 3 others

Companion · S 119same policy, Senate version
Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Would Do

This bill establishes a mandatory professional licensure system for early childhood educators in Vermont, creating a nine-member Board of Early Childhood Educators and setting education, experience, and fee requirements across three license tiers beginning in 2027.

Why it matters

Child care providers and preschool staff must obtain state licensure across three distinct tiers based on education and experience, pay initial and biennial renewal fees ranging from $125 to $275, and meet continuing education mandates to practice legally in Vermont.

Background
  • The Vermont General Assembly is the state legislature responsible for enacting laws regarding professional regulation and public education. context
  • The Office of Professional Regulation operates within the Office of the Secretary of State and oversees dozens of professional and occupational boards in Vermont. context

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Early childhood educators

Educators must meet new educational qualifications, pay initial and renewal licensure fees, and complete continuing education to practice.

Directly affected

Family child care home operators

Operators must comply with lead educator requirements or obtain transitional licensure while working toward degree requirements.

Directly affected

Office of Professional Regulation

The Office receives a $1,400,000 appropriation, is authorized to hire five new permanent staff positions, and provides administrative and legal services to the new board.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is required to be licensed under this bill?
Individuals providing care and educational instruction to children from birth through eight years of age in nonpublic or public settings must be licensed, unless they qualify for an exemption such as holding a teacher license with an early childhood education endorsement from the Agency of Education.
What are the education requirements for the three educator tiers?
Tier I requires an approved certificate or credential program requiring at least 120 hours and field experience; Tier II requires an approved associate's degree program requiring at least 60 college credits and field experience; Tier III requires an approved bachelor's degree program requiring at least 120 college credits and field experience.
What happens to current child care providers who do not yet meet the new degree requirements?
The Board will issue a transitional Early Childhood Educator II or III license valid for two years, which can be renewed for up to two additional two-year periods (and a final two-year extension under extenuating circumstances) while the individual works to obtain the required qualifications.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Procedural history

2 actions
  1. May 14, 2025HouseCommittee
    Rep. Birong of Vergennes moved that the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs be relieved of the bill and that the same be committed to the Committee on Human Services , which was agreed to
  2. Feb 11, 2025HouseIntroduced
    Read first time and referred to the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Matthew BirongPrimary sponsor
Lucy BoydenHouseDemocraticCosponsor
Daniel NoyesCosponsor
Kate NugentHouseDemocraticCosponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Shift to Mandatory Licensure for Early Childhood Educators

Vermont is moving early childhood educators into the Office of Professional Regulation framework, aligning them with other regulated professions like architects and peer recovery support specialists.

Vermont Board of Early Childhood EducatorsOffice of Professional Regulation

Connected Entities

Vermont Board of Early Childhood Educators, Lucy Boyden, Matthew Birong and 5 more
OrganizationVermont Board of Early Childhood Educators“New nine-member board created to govern early childhood educator licensure”Map →
PersonLucy Boyden“Representative from Cambridge who cosponsored the bill”Map →
PersonMatthew Birong“Representative from Vergennes who introduced the bill”Map →
PersonDaniel Noyes“Representative from Wolcott who cosponsored the bill”Map →
OrganizationOffice of Professional Regulation“Office within the Office of the Secretary of State housing the new board and sta”Map →
OrganizationAgency of Education“State agency licensing exempt teachers with early childhood endorsements”Map →
PersonKate Nugent“Representative from South Burlington who cosponsored the bill”Map →
OrganizationDepartment for Children and Families“State department defining center-based child care and preschool programs”Map →

Sources

Open source document

legislature.vermont.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance85
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy45
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz40
    Current news / social attention level

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