by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Senate this morning voted down the nomination of Zoie Saunders as Secretary of Education after a tumultuous five weeks of political and public discourse. Immediately following the vote, Governor Phil Scott named her the interim secretary, which does not require confirmation. Scott announced on March 22 that the Florida educator would fill the position previously held by Dan French. The position has been vacant for just over a year.
Senators voting against her nomination mostly cited her lack of experience in working in public schools in general and her lack of knowledge in the complexities of the Vermont public education system. Unlike in many other states, the Vermont secretary has no control over either local curricula or local boards and budgets and that the bulk of the funding comes from the statewide property tax. The Senate vote was 19-9 against.
After a more than hour-long debate, Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman read the results: "Those voting aye 9, those voting nay 19, and you have not confirmed the appointment of Zoe Saunders as the Secretary of Education."
Three Democrats broke ranks and voted for her, Bobby Starr from Orleans County as well as the two Bennington senators, Brian Campion, chair of the Senate Committee on Education, and Dick Sears. Republican Richard Westman from Lamoille County did not vote, while the other six Republicans voted for her confirmation. The 30th seat is still open from the recent retirement of Senator Dick Mazza (D-Colchester/Grand Isle).
The process began on a contentious note with the Progressive Party, the teachers' union, other advocates and some Democrats coming out against her confirmation because of her long association with charter schools. There was also a suggestion by Zuckerman that she was associated with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, which turned out to be false.
Senator Randy Brock (R-Franklin) praised Saunders and scolded the process, in part saying: "This is been a very poisonous, poisonous atmosphere surrounding her confirmation. I've received hundreds of letters, many of them clear, focused on the issue of experience and the relevance to Vermont. But many of them also have been toxic. Talking about the fact that she is from Florida. And I raise the issue to the Presiding Officer of the Chamber (Zuckerman), as I did this morning, as to whether or not it is appropriate, and I leave it to him as a point of information, for him to continue the process that we believe should be impartial. Given the information that he released over the weekend, politically, essentially saying, among other things, that she had been awarded a certificate of commendation by Governor DeSantis of Florida. All information that I know is that she's never met him and has received no such certificate. It goes on to link the certificate she received from the governor of Florida to Florida's teaching in public schools, it's movement to the right wing, movement to ban books, etcetera."
Senator Sears said: "There will be no winners today." If Saunders is confirmed she will be dealing with a group that opposed her confirmation, what he called the most powerful lobby in the State House, "the education establishment." If she's rejected the governor may reappoint her or we may go through another year without an education secretary, he said.
Meanwhile, Senate President Pro Tem Phil Baruth (D-Chittenden), just prior to Tuesday's vote, praised the Senate and their confirmation process.
Baruth said in part: "I want to say that the behavior of the 30 senators here has been exemplary, in my opinion, as has the conduct of the education committee. They were asked to take on a difficult role. The chair worked with my office to make sure that there was a transcript available. There was a report from the committee and that the nominee had more than the standard time to make her case. All of this was difficult in this environment."
He sent this statement following the vote:
"It was of utmost importance to me to ensure a fair confirmation process and I believe we accomplished that. It's never easy to stand between an enthusiastic candidate and a powerful administrative position. But statute confers this responsibility on our chamber for a reason: agency secretaries wield vast authority – in this case over our entire educational system – and having another set of eyes on these nominations contributes to a more careful, deliberate approach. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred the Senate heartily endorses the appointee, but in this case a majority of the Senate found Zoie Saunders' resume a mismatch with the current moment. I personally wish her well, and I'm sure in that I speak for the Senate."
Governor Phil Scott today issued the following statement:
“I believe Vermont’s public education system has the potential to be the best in the nation, attracting the families we need to revitalize working class neighborhoods, refill our schools, and grow the economy in all corners of our state.
“In my first year in office – and every year since – I’ve asked the Legislature to work with me to stabilize the finances of the education system and make sure our investments are getting the best possible outcomes for our kids, from cradle to career.
“To accomplish this, we cannot be paralyzed by fear of change. And we cannot continue to preserve an unstable system of unaffordable tax hikes and unacceptable outcomes.
“To help make our public education system the best in the country, our Agency of Education needs a dynamic, intelligent, and compassionate leader. After the State Board of Education narrowed the long list of candidates to three, I was pleased to choose Zoie to be that leader. She brings experience managing complex educational challenges, improving academic outcomes, and building consensus on educational priorities, which we need now more than ever.
“Zoie’s professionalism, grace, and class throughout this process, despite the unfair, ill-informed treatment, has been truly remarkable and honorable. I’m very proud of her and how she has handled these hurtful, false attacks, which makes me and my entire team more confident than ever that she is the right person for the job.
“I want to extend my sincere appreciation to a majority of the members on the Senate Education Committee, including Senator Williams and Senator Weeks, as well as Senators Brock, Collamore, Ingalls and Norris. I also want to thank Senator Sears, Senator Starr and in particular Chair Brian Campion for providing leadership and showing real political courage. I know all too well how difficult it can be to stand up to the most partisan political activists in one’s party base to do what’s right. We need more legislators with this kind of integrity and courage in Montpelier – people who know the difference between the partisan way and the Vermont way.”
“Following today’s Senate vote, pursuant to my constitutional authority to fill vacancies, I have named Zoie Interim Secretary of Education.
“I’m confident she is the leader we need as we move forward. In her short time at the Agency, she has identified challenges, which she is already addressing, including mobilizing support to help stabilize operations in the field in collaboration with education leaders.
“She has a clear and comprehensive 100-day plan as she continues her important work. It can be found below.”
Secretary Saunders
100 Day Plan
Message from Secretary Saunders
I am truly honored for the opportunity to serve as Vermont’s Secretary of Education at a time when the Agency of Education (AOE) needs strong, consistent leadership and stakeholders across the state are aligned in strengthening our public schools. I recognize that our public education system faces many challenges and that the work ahead will not be easy. However, I believe that together we will develop consensus on a path forward, building on the strengths of our public schools and Vermonters to create an even brighter future for students.
In my first two weeks on the job, I have traveled across the state to familiarize myself with the education landscape. I have enjoyed meeting with superintendents, principals, teachers, and community members who all share a deep commitment to our public schools.
I’ve heard a few key themes so far, which have informed my 100-Day Plan.
· First, there is a great interest in developing a unifying vision for the future of education in Vermont. This has been an overarching theme, touching on issues of education finance, education quality, enrollment, facilities, and workforce development.
· Second, there are questions about how we can balance Vermont’s motto of freedom and unity, as we strive to achieve shared education goals while celebrating local control and customization.
· Third, the issue of mental health has emerged as we grapple with ways to meet students’ expanding needs.
· Fourth, our public school system has experienced significant upheaval over the past five years. Our educators have exhibited resilience in responding to the challenges of the global Covid-19 pandemic and now are adjusting to a series of large-scale policy changes that impact operations, curriculum, and budgeting.
These topics require us to think strategically about how to provide equitable learning opportunities and support, increase academic achievement, and ensure sustainable education financing for the future. Spending time in the field has also reaffirmed my belief in the strengths of Vermont’s education system. I take great pride in our commitment to personalized learning, active community involvement, and inclusive approaches. As a mother of two school-age children about to enroll in Vermont’s public schools, I deeply understand the importance of my role in guiding the AOE.
My 100-Day Plan prioritizes listening, learning, and tackling emergent needs. I look forward to hosting town halls and focus groups across the state. These forums will create an opportunity for all of us – teachers, non-instructional staff, principals, superintendents, students, parents, and community partners - to come together to discuss our educational priorities. I recognize that there are also immediate needs related to issues such as compliance, data availability, and field support. Within my first 100 days, I will seek input on how the AOE can help support the field’s immediate challenges while building a strong foundation for the future.
I am a passionate believer in public education and trust that, together, we will elevate our public school system to new heights, making Vermont a national exemplar of educational excellence from early childhood to career. The best is yet to come.
Sincerely,
Zoie Saunders, M.Ed.
Secretary of Education
100-Day Plan
Focus
· Orientation
· Target Support
· Listen & Learn
· Capture Priorities
· Plan for the Future
Overview
This plan provides a roadmap for my first 100 days as Secretary of Education. It is my intent to listen and learn as much as possible. The activities outlined will help me and my team collect information, analyze strengths and challenges, build productive working relationships, and synthesize findings to direct long-range strategic planning.
· Orientation to the Field, AOE, Partners and Policy Makers (April; Completed)
o Meet with AOE staff and division leaders to get to know team members, align project plans, and identify time-sensitive issues and potential compliance concerns.
o Meet with legislators to discuss educational priorities statewide and within their respective districts.
o Meet with key education stakeholder groups, including leadership from the Vermont Superintendents Association, Vermont School Boards Association, Vermont Principals Association, Chambers of Commerce, Building Bright Futures, Vermont Student Assistance Corp., Community College of Vermont, among others.
o Engage with the State Board of Education, including participating in the April meeting.
o Host all superintendents calls to meet and greet state education leaders.
o Conduct field visits to gain a broad understanding of the education landscape in terms of geography, governance structures, and educational programs. Visits and outreach included the White River Valley Supervisory Union, Colchester School District, Winooski School District, Bennington-Rutland Supervisory Union, Windham Southwest Supervisory Union, St. Johnsbury School District, and Hartford School District.
· Target Support and Outreach (May)
o Analyze academic and non-academic data to develop a comprehensive understanding of statewide performance.
o Gather initial feedback on the impact of recent policy changes and the need for AOE technical support moving forward.
o Evaluate emergent needs of the field and process improvement priorities within the AOE.
o Mobilize AOE teams to provide targeted field support in coordination with superintendents and school boards.
o Conduct a review of State Education Agency compliance with federal requirements and federal grant utilization across Local Education Agencies.
o Engage key stakeholder groups to develop the listen and learn tour, building on existing convenings, outreach channels, and knowledge of effective engagement strategies.
· Listen & Learn Tour (June-July)
o Conduct focus groups with superintendents, principals, teachers, non-instructional staff, early education providers, afterschool providers, technical training providers, higher education institutions, health care providers that interface with schools, and the school safety center.
o Host regional town halls to gather broad input on education priorities across the state.
o Prioritize training and technical support to prepare for the 2024-25 school year.
o Organize summer planning for the field and gain feedback on most pressing needs related to AOE reports, tools, and support.
· Capture Educational Priorities & Plan (August)
o Publish a report of findings from the first 100 days, capturing the educational priorities and how the information will direct future planning and AOE initiatives in the 2024-25 school year.
Source: 4.30.2024. Montpelier, www.vermont.gov