Education Committee

The House Committee on Education considers matters relating to education, libraries, literary and scientific subjects, and other similar policies.

The House Education Committee has been working hard  on Act 73 (An act relating to transforming Vermont’s education governance, quality, and finance systems) -- to the exclusion of most other issues in Vermont's education system. 

Members of leadership in the House and Senate, along with Governor Phil Scott and Agency of Education Secretary Zoe Saunders, are dead set on reducing the number of school districts in our state. The Governor in his annual budget address even threatened to veto the entire state budget if legislators didn’t come up with a map that satisfies his demands. Questions today include whether consolidation will be forced or include self-determination, whether all member towns would be represented on boards, and whether boards of collective education services (BOCES) would have an official role in the mix. 

One of the features of Act 73 is that it is in the creation of consolidated districts that new tax structures are unlocked, including new tiers of property taxation. Despite bills proposing otherwise, Act 73 has already been enacted into law, so this is currently the only way that particular change is going to come about, and, importantly, this is the only place we know a modicum of savings will occur. 

While neither John nor Elizabeth serve on the House Education Committee, we stand steadfastly against forced consolidation. We also want clear evidence that any significant changes to our education system will result in cost savings and improved educational outcomes. The week following Town Meeting Day is when the biggest decisions will be set, and we urge you to be engaged. For more information on background and what current maps are being considered, take a look at the website Elizabeth put together: https://sites.google.com/elizabethvt.com/act-73-compilation/home?authuser=0

Below is a timeline of decisions regarding Act 73.