Updated on key education bills: water testing, Act 192, paid family leave, dual enrollment, and more. 

Campaign for Vermont (CFV) recently released an article titled “Vermont is in Trouble.” We were blown away by the response. Over just a few days it was seen by more than 30,000 people, garnered more than 200 comments, and was shared nearly 800 times.

“Over the last 20 years, the state of Vermont has authorized more than $10 million in payments to Keurig Green Mountain, Inc.”

So starts a new VPR investigative piece looking into how state funds have been allocated to the large company, specifically those given through the Vermont Employment Growth Incentive program (VEGI), and their return on investment.

However, there is no report. No numbers exist to show how much of Vermont tax payer’s money has been given to the coffee giant. No reports have been filed showing how those funds have been used. No data can be shown to prove their efficacy.

Key bills remain unresolved, and AOE announces new State Director of Special Education.

Thanks to our friends at VISA for this updated information. 

Vermont loves to tout its many media accolades, frequently showing up on top-ten lists praising us for our health, happiness, and sustainability. Pull aside the curtains, however, and anyone who is honest with themselves can only come to one conclusion: Vermont is in trouble.

The Legislature has been considering how to handle the State Board of Education’s forced merger plan since they convened the second week in November. Many towns feel they were treated unfairly, having submitted alternative governance proposals in line with the Act 46 process. They felt so strongly, in fact, that more than 35 towns have joined multiple lawsuits challenging the law and, perhaps more importantly, the manner in which the State Board of Education has implemented it.

Latest data shows Vermont's unemployment rate has dropped from 2.7% to 2.4% from February 2018 to February 2019. Below is a graphic from the Vermont Department of Labor (DOL) detailing our civilian labor force, as well as a statement from DOL Commissioner Lindsay Kurrle. 

Paid Family Leave update from week of April 2-6

Below are rough notes highlighting what happened in Education last week (April 2-6).