Education

signed · Vermont · House May 29, 2026

H 955: An act relating to next steps in transforming Vermont’s education system

This bill outlines steps to reorganize Vermont's education system by renaming Boards of Cooperative Education Services to Cooperative Educational Service Areas and assigning each supervisory union to a specific regional area. It requires all school districts to join a study committee to evaluate creating unified union school districts and directs the Joint Finance Officer to hire a contractor to analyze how prekindergarten education should be funded. Additionally, the bill amends previous legislation to adjust its effective dates. These changes aim to improve resource sharing and equalize educational opportunities across different regions of the state.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill aims to reorganize and evaluate the education system to improve funding and structure for prekindergarten and unified districts.75% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Vermont · House May 29, 2026

H 930: An act relating to addressing and preventing chronic absenteeism

This bill defines chronic absenteeism as students missing 10 percent or more of their school attendance days in a year, regardless of whether those absences are excused or unexcused, and requires Vermont's Agency of Education to create a model policy to address the issue. It also clarifies definitions for terms like "absence," "truancy," and "excused absence," while expanding who counts as a parent or guardian to include older students, independent students, and unaccompanied homeless youth. The changes directly affect public schools, approved independent schools, and families by establishing clearer standards for tracking attendance and determining when absences are justified.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill addresses chronic absenteeism by requiring state policy development, expanding definitions to include vulnerable populations, and improving attendance tracking to enhance educational access and student engagement.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Vermont · House May 29, 2026

H 949: An act relating to homestead property tax yields, the nonhomestead property tax rate, and technical changes to education finance

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes specific property tax rates and funding levels for 2027, reserves funds for education, and provides tax refunds, indicating support for fiscal management and education funding.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill allocates $52.45M to Education Fund and sets property tax rates to fund Vermont schools, directly supporting education finance.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Vermont · House May 29, 2026

H 931: An act relating to miscellaneous changes in education law

This bill makes several changes to Vermont's education laws, including creating an exception to the current moratorium on new independent schools when a therapeutic school changes ownership, and allowing Vermont to join the Interstate Compact for Education to facilitate cooperation among states on education policy. It also renames cooperative educational service areas, temporarily excludes class size violations from counting toward potential state intervention for three years, and requires the Agency of Education to conduct criminal background checks on new employees or contractors who may have unsupervised contact with students. These provisions directly affect school administrators, independent school operators, the State Board of Education, and the Agency of Education.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill facilitates interstate cooperation on education policy and creates exceptions for therapeutic schools, indicating support for educational flexibility and access.75% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Vermont · Senate May 29, 2026

S 227: An act relating to creating immigration protocols in Vermont schools

S.227 requires all Vermont public and approved independent schools to adopt policies preventing the sharing of student information with federal immigration authorities without a judicial warrant. It prohibits schools from collecting immigration status data, designating such information as "directory information" under federal privacy law, or sharing student records with immigration agencies except as legally required. The bill mandates schools to provide immigration resources to staff and students, designate staff as immigration resource officers, and block federal agents from entering nonpublic school areas (like classrooms or cafeterias) without a warrant naming a specific individual. Schools are also barred from entering agreements that aid federal immigration enforcement, with the superintendent as the sole authority to approve any required federal agreements.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProtects student privacy and educational access by prohibiting schools from sharing immigration data with authorities, creating safer school environments for immigrant students.92% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationRestricts school data sharing with federal immigration authorities without warrant, prohibits collecting status data, aligns with protecting immigrant rights in education.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Vermont · House May 29, 2026

H 657: An act relating to various programming and requirements within the Department for Children and Families

This bill (H 657) enables unaccompanied homeless youth aged 16+ to access key services without parental consent. It creates a certification process where youth verified as homeless by school liaisons, shelter directors, or homeless service providers receive a standardized form from the Department for Children and Families. This certification allows youth to obtain medical/dental care, mental health services, driver’s licenses, housing, school enrollment, banking services, and vital records - without needing parental permission. The bill clarifies that parental consent is not required if parents forced the youth out, neglected them, or refused support, with the Department acting in place of a guardian.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnables homeless youth to enroll in school without parental consent, directly expanding educational access for a vulnerable population.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly enables unaccompanied homeless youth to access medical/dental care and mental health services without parental consent, improving healthcare access.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill enables homeless youth (16+) to access housing services without parental consent, directly addressing homelessness and facilitating housing access for vulnerable populations.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

passed · Vermont · Senate Apr 30, 2026

S 206: An act relating to licensure of early childhood educators by the Office of Professional Regulation

This bill requires Vermont's Office of Professional Regulation to establish a licensing system for early childhood educators working in child care programs regulated by the Child Development Division. It directly affects educators providing care and instruction to children from birth through age 8, creating three license levels (I, II, and III) based on education and experience. The bill establishes a nine-member Vermont Board of Early Childhood Educators to develop licensing rules, handle applications, and manage complaints. Key provisions include mandatory licensure for these educators, defined practice standards (like creating safe learning environments and family engagement), and a board appointment process ensuring diverse representation.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes licensing standards and oversight for early childhood educators, strengthening professional qualifications in early education access and teacher standards.95% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

Track

signed · Vermont · House Jun 16, 2025

H 454: An act relating to transforming Vermont’s education governance, quality, and finance systems

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates larger school districts, funding for transition, and equal opportunities for students per bill's goals.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education