By Guy Page

A proposed amendment to Act 73, Vermont’s sweeping education reform law, would create a single, unified statewide school district in which parents to allocate tuition dollars to any public school.

Sponsor Steve Heffernan (R-Addison) ran through the bill, which is scheduled for introduction, Wednesday afternoon in Senate Education. 

The proposal was introduced Wednesday afternoon in the Senate Education Committee by Sen. Steve Heffernan (R-Addison).

The amendment would move Vermont toward a Unified School System designed to create a more efficient, transparent, and accountable and cost-effective education structure. 

Supporters say it mirrors reforms under consideration in states such as Delaware, New Jersey and Wisconsin, and reflects the long-standing statewide model used in Hawaii, which operates a single public school system serving about 165,000 students across its islands.

Under the proposal, Vermont would replace its current system of multiple supervisory unions, supervisory districts and local school districts with a single statewide district structure.

The plan would expand access to public, independent, alternative and specialized schools, while establishing universal open enrollment. Parents would be able to choose any qualifying public or independent school in the state, subject to capacity and enrollment policies set by law. Heffernan said this would give families “meaningful choice” within a publicly funded system.

The parental choice mechanism would be Vermont Education Accounts for every student age 5-18. Parents could allocate funds to any qualifying school. 

The proposal seeks clear and uniform standards for curriculum, assessment, graduation and matriculation across Vermont. At the same time, schools would retain flexibility to meet diverse student needs. 

While governance would be consolidated at the state level, the amendment emphasizes preserving community engagement through school-level governing and advisory boards. It also directs policymakers to account for the unique needs of rural communities and small schools to ensure reasonable access to public education statewide.

Act 73, passed in 2025, set Vermont on a path toward a few large school districts. Heffernan’s amendment would attempt a further step — moving from a system of regional districts to a single statewide district model.

Supporters argue that Vermont’s small size and declining enrollment make it well-suited for a unified structure, potentially reducing administrative overhead and clarifying lines of accountability.

Critics, however, are expected to raise concerns about the loss of local control, the logistics of statewide enrollment, transportation challenges in rural areas, and the impact on community identity tied to local schools.

The Senate Education Committee is expected to continue reviewing the proposal in the coming weeks.