Education

This bill sets specific property tax rates and funding levels for Vermont's 2027 fiscal year, including a nonhomestead property tax rate of $1.698 per $100 of value and specific dollar yields for homestead and income calculations. It also reserves $52.45 million in the Education Fund to help offset potential property tax rate increases in 2028, while correcting a definition related to statewide education tax calculations. The legislation refunds $150,576 to the City of Barre for overpaid education taxes from 2021-2024 and adjusts special education funding grants for inflation starting in 2027. Additionally, it updates how special education census grants are calculated to account for inflation over time.

H 480 requires all Vermont public school districts and independent schools to establish behavioral threat assessment teams by July 1, 2025, with full implementation of threat assessment programs by October 1, 2025. This includes training staff (with bias training), adopting policies, updating emergency plans, and educating school communities. The bill also creates a new framework for virtual learning, allowing Vermont public school students to enroll in supervised online courses that meet state standards, with districts counting these students in enrollment totals. Additionally, it exempts specific accredited colleges from certain education law requirements and clarifies that school nutrition contracts do not require public bidding.

H.454 establishes the Commission on the Future of Public Education to study Vermont's education system and develop recommendations for a statewide vision ensuring all students have substantially equal opportunities. The bill mandates creating new, larger school district boundaries effective July 1, 2027, and requires updates to career and technical education governance by 2026. It also plans for a full transition to these new districts by July 1, 2029, with funding and guidance to support the change. This directly affects Vermont’s 119 current school districts, students, teachers, and local communities by restructuring governance and resource allocation. The law, signed by the governor in July 2025, aims to address declining enrollment and unequal educational quality.