House Ed heard testimony last week on reforms and updates to Vermont’s statewide pre-kindergarten program. Advocates are arguing to expand and extend the program, to improve services to students with disabilities, to overhaul the government oversight of the program and to tighten credentialing requirements for programs and teachers. Sarah Kenney of Let's Grow Kids provided a thorough analysis of the issues in her very detailed testimony.

Among issues that have come up among committee members is whether the bill should recognize the accreditations granted to staff in Montessori schools by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education. The Vermont Independent Schools Association is preparing testimony to be presented this week to show that the quality and legitimacy of this group’s credentialing meets the standards envisioned in the pre-K bill.