A Weekly State House Recap
by Maggie Lenz and Nick Charyk on behalf of Atlas Government Affairs
Part 1: If it Walks Like a Voucher…
This week, the Scott administration unveiled more details of its ‘Education Transformation Proposal.’ At first blush, it looks like your run-of-the-mill, every day, no-big-deal restructuring of the entire Vermont educational landscape.
The plan would consolidate the current 119 districts into five large regional ones and introduce “School Choice Schools” (SCS), where both public and private schools would compete for the same pool of public funds. Families would rank their preferred schools, and their base funding of $13,200 in taxpayer dollars would follow them to a public or private school. Admissions to SCSs would be determined by a lottery system that would leave families’ educational futures (and taxpayer dollars) up to chance. Which has a tinge of dystopia to it.
Currently, students in areas without local public schools can use public tuition dollars to attend private institutions. The governor’s proposal would extend that option to every student in the state. This has set off alarms among stakeholders and heightened concerns among public education officials. They argue the plan will divert resources from public schools to private institutions, including some that discriminate against LGBTQ+ students or those with disabilities.
On Friday, Secretary of Education Zoie Saunders insisted during a legislative hearing that this plan is not a voucher system, describing it as an “intentional ecosystem” meant to balance strong public schools with specialized learning opportunities. But many Vermont education leaders met this week’s rollout with a healthy dose of incredulity. The prevailing sentiment: if it walks like a voucher, talks like a voucher, and sends public dollars to private schools like a voucher, it might just be a voucher. Regardless of the branding.
Part 2: The Numbers Behind the Foreshock
A quick refresher: In 1997, the Brigham decision required Vermont to change how it funds schools, ruling that local property taxes created unacceptable inequities between wealthy and poorer towns. Ever since then, the state has tried to balance its constitutional mandate for “substantial equality of educational opportunity” with local control, where communities raise and spend their own education dollars.
Vermont’s current system pools local property tax revenue into a statewide fund and relies on higher “pupil weights” to help fund districts with needs such as high-poverty, rurality, and English language learners (ELL). The administration has proposed to instead set a base funding amount of $13,200 per student. And while some pupil weights would remain for additional needs, they would drop sharply from current levels: 1.03 to 0.75 for disadvantaged students and 2.49 to 1.5 for ELL, raising serious concerns that Vermont’s most vulnerable students could see far less support.
The administration cites a somewhat controversial 2024 report by Picus Odden & Associates, which contends Vermont is overspending by $400 million and advocates bigger schools, fewer teachers, and more consolidation. “Picus’ model does not fit the landscape of Vermont,” said Vermont-NEA President Don Tinney last year when the report was issued. “I’m not sure how he can reach conclusions about Vermont’s systems when he knows the model he’s using doesn’t fit.”
In a recent Commission on the Future of Public Education hearing, Dr. Picus was asked by a Vermont School Boards Association representative why his report suggests cutting ELL funding by up to 82 percent, given a district such as Winooski’s large population of New American students. He admitted “there is something of a disconnect” between his recommendations and local realities, describing ELL needs as “unique, for a short period of time.” Many education leaders counter that cutting ELL and lowering poverty weights would disproportionately affect communities serving large numbers of New Americans, since ELL education requires sustained support.
Meanwhile, Dr. Tammy Kolbe, Principal Researcher at the American Institutes for Research, has presented a different vision to lawmakers. This includes a higher base funding amount of $15,500 per student, with more substantial weights than the administration's, 1.75 for disadvantaged students and 2.33 for ELL.
Dr. Kolbe’s proposal hasn’t claimed the same spotlight as the governor’s plan, but she is a highly respected voice in the education space, and legislators have been listening intently and inviting her back for further testimony. Her proposal will likely receive more attention as the session unfolds.
Yes, the equity versus local control framing can feel like a broken record and a tired refrain, but it remains central to understanding the realities shaping all this work. As the debate over Scott's education proposal continues, lawmakers are going to be dizzy from navigating that persistent tension. Our education system is at an immense policy crossroads that will change how we fund, allocate, deliver, and experience education, and by extension, life in Vermont. The choices made here will create profound ripples, shaping classrooms, communities, and Vermont’s future for years to come.
Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas with State House Pages.
Curiosities: a weekly peek at the odd and intriguing happenings under the Golden Dome
Those who braved Thursday morning’s storm found a quieter-than-usual State House, as schools, businesses, and events across Vermont shuttered in the face of heavy snowfall. The vibe was pure snow day. Except for one group whose studies carried on uninterrupted: the legislative pages.
Each session, a handful of eighth-graders trade their classrooms for the halls of the State House. They spend several weeks delivering messages (the pen-and-paper kind), observing proceedings, and keeping up with schoolwork, all while sporting their signature green jackets.
This morning, Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas was spending some time getting to know this latest group, guiding them through the building and offering a lesson in democracy.
“Whenever I meet with young people, I remind them that democracy is about solving problems too big for one person to tackle alone,” she explained. “These students have a front-row seat to that process in action.”
As the group paused for a photo, Copeland Hanzas pointed to a quote on the wall from President Calvin Coolidge:
"If the spirit of liberty should vanish in other parts of the union, and support of our institutions should languish, it could all be replenished from the generous stores held by the people of the brave little state of Vermont."
As the snow blanketed and hushed the world outside, the moment resonated. “That one’s my favorite,” she told them. The pages nodded in agreement. Not a bad way to spend a snow day.
Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas meets with State House Pages.
2.8.2025. Atlas Government Affairs
To support vital journalism, access our archives and get unique features like our award-winning profiles, Book of Lists & Business-to-Business Directory, subscribe HERE!
