Vermont’s special education landscape is changing as more students require specialized services and support. 

The numbers tell part of the story. From the 2018–19 to 2023–24 school years, Vermont’s overall student enrollment declined 6.4%, while the percentage of students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) increased 7.5%. By 2024–25, more than 16,000 Vermont students ages 3 to 21 had IEPs. 

The needs are changing, too. More students are qualifying for extraordinary special education expenses, which the state says points to growing complexity and intensity of student needs. For schools and families, that makes access to the right expertise, services and learning environments increasingly important. 

It’s against that backdrop that we’re excited to welcome Sᴰ Associates to Aspire Living & Learning. 

Sᴰ Associates is now officially part of Aspire, bringing four established Vermont programs and an experienced team into our organization. The programs will continue serving children and adults across Vermont, now with access to additional clinical expertise, quality and safety resources, workforce support and operational resources through Aspire. 

For years, Sᴰ Associates has developed programs in response to needs in communities across Vermont. 

In northern Vermont, Sparklers provides early childhood ABA services. Sᴰ Associates’ school-based services bring team members directly into public schools, working alongside students and educators in the classroom. 

Alpine provides vocational and life skills programming for teens and adults, creating hands-on opportunities to build skills for work, greater independence and life in the community. In southern Vermont, Sᴰ Associates operates a year-round therapeutic school for students who need a more specialized educational setting, with the goal of helping students successfully return to their home districts when they are ready. 

Each program responds to a different need. Together, they provide services across ages, settings and stages of life at a time when Vermont needs more options for children and adults with complex needs. 

Becoming part of Aspire brings together strengths from both organizations. Sᴰ Associates brings deep knowledge of Vermont communities, established relationships with schools and families, and years of experience delivering services across the state. Aspire brings more than 45 years of experience, along with additional clinical expertise, workforce resources and organizational support that can support the teams and programs as they move forward. 

For the people who rely on these programs today, the services and relationships they know will continue. Looking ahead, it also creates opportunities to strengthen programs, increase capacity and reach more people seeking services across Vermont. 

The connection to Vermont is especially meaningful for Aspire. Vermont is where our organization was founded more than 45 years ago. Since then, Aspire has grown across the Northeast and into the Mid-Atlantic, but our connection to Vermont has remained foundational to our identity. 

Welcoming Sᴰ Associates builds on those Vermont roots while brining new colleagues, expertise and services into Aspire. 

There’s a lot to build on, and even more we will make possible together.