Action Alert!

Last week the House punted on education reform when they passed H.454, which delays making any structural changes to Vermont's education system until 2029. Even worse, it puts the same folks who designed and run today's failed system in charge of building the new one. You can find our full analysis of the bill here.

Dear Senate Education Committee,

Thank you for expressing a commitment to solving the issues with our career and technical education (CTE) system that have persisted for decades. We believe that this system will be critical to the success of our workforce in the 21^st century.

Seth Bongartz, Chair of the Senate Education Committee, drew a new map for education governance reform in response to Governor Scott's plan. The significantly reduces the number of governance bodies in the education system but also preserves inter-state and tuitioning school districts in most instances.

Representative Conlon joined the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday afternoon. The Committee wanted to hear from him about a “formal check in” from the Commission on the Future of Education in January.

Stephanie Betit-Hancock (Director of Student Support Services, Windham Central Supervisory Union) offered to outline their work and why they support the BOCES bill to the Senate Education Committee on Friday afternoon.

Secretary Saunders (Secretary, Agency of Education) joined the Senate Education Committee on Friday afternoon to discuss Section 1 of the property tax yield bill, H.887. The Agency supports this section which creates the Commission on the Future of Education. She did offer some clarifying language ensuring more representation of policy experts can be accessed. She her written testimony.

Chairman Campion brought the Senate Education Committee together on Wednesday afternoon, asking legislative counsel to give them a high-level overview and see what if any testimony or experts we want to call. He also highlighted Senator Weeks’ questions yesterday about whether the supervisory unions (SUs) could do some of this work.

It was noted that each of the seven possible regional Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) have to vote to both form and SUs have to vote to join. Campion added he may want to change the name of these organizations.

The Senate Education Committee reviewed adult education on Wednesday afternoon. Testifying first was Senator Westman who brought Representative Mihaly with him. Chairman Campion noted that the discussion before the Committee deals with the 60/40 split for adult education between the Education Fund and General Fund for adult education programs. Westman noted that going back before last year and over a period of some time there has been a large and targeted shift from the Education Fund to the General Fund, but he argued that regardless of age they are all students trying to get their high school degree. Last year a summer study was put together to review this issue and to make recommendations which they did this legislative session.

The Senate Education Committee got their first look at H.873 on Tuesday, which deals with school PCB testing. The House, faced with skyrocketing costs of the program and lack of funding and to determine whether to pause, discontinue, or shift to a universal school construction scheme. The bill they came up with does allow for continued testing, but limits funding and deadlines.

The Senate Education Committee reviewed H.630 on Tuesday. Chairman Campion requested a primer for “those of us who have not followed the bill” and what the Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) is attempting solve or improve.