VRI at UVM Overview

The Vermont Reads Institute at the University of Vermont (VRI at UVM) has been providing professional development in Vermont for 10 years. VRI was conceived by Mark Hull, then Vermont Commissioner of Education, whose passion and knowledge fueled educational innovations that endure to this day. He worked closely with Sue Biggam to develop an organization that would provide the highest quality professional development in literacy.

For the first 3 years, VRI was housed at Vermont Institutes and was headed by Pat Halloran. At that time, it coordinated the Reading Excellence Act grant and subsequently the Vermont Reading First Grant. In 2004, the Vermont Institutes was restructured and Marge Lipson at UVM agreed to house VRI in the College of Education and Social Services, where it continues to grow and is headed by Mary Grace. Today, after 10 years, Mark’s legacy, Sue’s expertise, and Marge’s guidance have laid the foundations on which VRI has built school improvement projects, research, and state-wide initiatives.