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The plan to reform Vermont’s education system shared by the Scott administration last week “represents the biggest change to education governance and finance in decades,” Rep. Jim Harrison (R-Chittenden) said in a constituent report shared with VDC. Harrison, vice-chair of the House Appropriations Committee, described elements of the plan announced by Education Secretary Zoie Saunders and Tax Commissioner Craig Bolio: – Reduce the number of school districts (now about 120) to just 5. – One elected school board for each of the five districts, but with the addition of new local advisory councils. – A change to a foundation formula where every district receives the same funding per student adjusted for certain items such as non-English learners. – A single statewide Education Property Tax rate for both homestead and non-homestead property. – Income-eligible homesteads can file to exempt a portion of their home value from the statewide Education Property Tax. – Communities may choose to raise limited additional funds, and a state guarantee would equalize each district’s ability to raise revenue, up to a capped amount. – Strengthen state oversight to ensure quality education and efficient use of resources. – Define average school and class size minimums and maximums. – Standardize graduation requirements for all districts. “There are many more questions than answers at this point. However, there appears to be a growing acknowledgement inside the State House that although changes will not be easy, we need to move forward with a program to lower overall costs (and resultant property taxes) and improve student outcomes,” Harrison said. Following the Scott administration’s education transformation proposal to the General Assembly, House Speaker Jill Krowinski and Senate President Pro Tem Phil Baruth issued the following statement: “We thank the Governor for bringing forward a proposal to transform Vermont’s public education system and we look forward to working together throughout the session. The Legislature and the Governor are aligned in the belief that we must take on the serious task of transforming our education system, so all Vermont kids have the opportunity to thrive.” Other issues of interest reported by Harrison: State economists increased their revenue forecast for the state, indicating their view of a continued strong economy. Governor Scott used his weekly press conference to propose easing regulations to encourage more housing development throughout the state. He indicated that Vermont needs 41,000 additional rental and owner-occupied units over the next five years. The proposal to phase out the Vermont tax on social security benefits with Rep. Noyes, D-Wolcott and Harrison, along with 60 bi-partisan co-sponsors, was introduced Friday (H.74). If approved, Vermont would eventually join 41 states that do not tax those benefits. AARP is expressing support for the bill. S.21, a bill to exempt veteran pensions from the Vermont income tax was introduced by Sen. Collamore, R-Rutland, with 21 co-sponsors (over half of the Senate). Rep. Bill Canfield, R-Fair Haven, introduced a similar bill in the House with nearly half of the members as co-sponsors. H.52, a bill to remove the lawsuit provision of Vermont’s Global Warming Solutions Act, was introduced by Rep. Morris, D-Springfield, Rep Lipsky, I-Stowe and Harrison. “It has always been my belief that elected officials should be accountable to the voters on this issue and not leave GWSA enforcement to lawyers and the courts. If voters do not believe we are doing enough to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, they can un-elect us and/or the Governor every two years,” Harrison said. The House Appropriations Committee is expected to advance the annual mid-year budget adjustment bill in the coming week. One of the potential sticking points could be the Human Services Committee’s proposal to extend the winter rules for the hotel voucher program, which is currently scheduled to expire April 1. On Tuesday, the Governor will address a Joint Session of the House and Senate to deliver his annual budget address, which will outline his plans for the state’s fiscal year beginning July 1. It will be shown live on Vermont Public and local TV networks at 1 PM. Attorney General Charity Clark announced that a bipartisan coalition of states and other parties have reached a $7.4 billion settlement in principle with members of the Sackler family and their company Purdue Pharma, Inc. for their role in creating the opioid crisis. Vermont’s share, which will be set aside for drug addiction treatment, is expected to total $22 million. Treasurer Mike Pieciak has proposed a plan to eliminate $100 million of medical debt with a payment of $1 million, which he suggests coming out of state funds previously appropriated to pay down Vermont bonds. He also recommends removing adverse information resulting from the medical debt from a consumer credit report. The proposal needs legislative approval. This report was adapted from the weekly constituent report published by Rep. Harrison. |
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Categories: Legislation
Of the government, by the government, for the government…..
you will get government school and like it!
Montpelier has apparently spoken; you will get this, and you like it!
* less to no local control
* no tax relief
* school closures
* no school improvements
* limits to how good you can make your school
This is the safest way to protect the government school and government control, this has nothing to do with the quality of education your children get, it actually prevents your local school from making an exceptional school! See how that works!
So why is this a good deal for Vermonters? Please explain?
We could educate our children better for 50% on the dollar, our taxes would drop by 50% and our education quality could increase. You say “it can’t be done” but Rice High School does it every year for less! So we are being lied to on such an epic level that it’s unbelievable.
We could allow home school, at even 35% funding of our schools, it would send $8,275 per student and our taxes would go down 65%! We’d solve several problems with this at once. Families would move to Vermont to home school their children and school choice. We’d have smart kids, solid families.
This program is of the Government, by the Government and for the Government…it has nothing to do with fiscal responsibility, citizen input or education quality. It is all about protecting the Montpelier swamp.
They say nothing can be cut; we are on a shoestring budget.
These are lies.
They say, we are only trying to pay a livable wage.
More lies.
We are only concerned about your children.
Perhaps the biggest lie.
How about we treat Mom and Dad on equal footings as their teachers?
Family of 4 children….$110,000 per year to educate your children.
Do you think people would be interested?
We’d have Mom and Dad, the highest paid people in the state for homeschooling. Better families, more families, better education, complete control and choice.
When you put the shoe on the other foot suddenly the gravy train is exposed for how decadent and wasteful it truly is.
It can be done for less, hell, just about every state in the union does it for significantly less money. People ship their kids to Rice, who do it for less and a better job…..EVERY SINGLE YEAR!
Vermonters are being sold yet another bill of goods on education, they’ve done this repeatedly and want to get away with now too.
How about a 15% cut in salaries across the board?
Or we could perhaps get these undocumented immigrants who can do it for 70% less money? How about we have our school system run by brown people from mexico and india? What’s good for the construction, farmer and tech industry surely should be good for the school system. NO?
Vermont needs epic change; we aren’t going to get it from our current leaders.
With all due respect to Representative Harrison, his recommendations for education reform are more of the same.
On the one hand, he proposes to decrease the number of school districts. On the other hand, he proposes the addition of new local advisory councils.
His proposed ‘change to a foundation formula, where every district receives the same funding per student adjusted for certain items such as non-English learners’, doesn’t show any cost savings. It’s “…the same funding per student adjusted for certain items such as non-English learners”.
Re: “A single statewide Education Property Tax rate for both homestead and non-homestead property” does what, exactly? It’s still the same increasing amount of money raised by property tax.
Re: Income-eligible homesteads can file to exempt a portion of their home value from the statewide Education Property Tax.
We can already do that.
Re: Communities may choose to raise limited additional funds, and a state guarantee would equalize each district’s ability to raise revenue, up to a capped amount.
Limits (i.e., ‘caps’) become extents. Who sets the ‘cap’? The wolves or the lambs?
Re: Strengthen state oversight to ensure quality education and efficient use of resources.
How’s that working for you so far? You’re doubling down on the governance model that created this mess in the first place.
Re: Define average school and class size minimums and maximums.
Oh. Okay. Again, who makes these definitions? The wolves or the lambs?
Re: Standardize graduation requirements for all districts.
Graduation standards are already standardized. And, apparently, the standard is that only half of Vermont’s graduating seniors have to meet the standards in order to graduate. Some standard.
Do I have to say it again? There is only one education reform that will extract us from this educational malaise. School Choice! Just pass H.89.
I understand your support for school choice, and believe it is correct, by 95%.
I also believe that there is an 80% chance those who we elected to office will overwhelmingly vote, by and 80-20 margin not to adopt H.89. See they are controlled, not by the people. I hope I am dead wrong on this, for you and our children.
So, if it doesn’t pass then what?
Jay, if they don’t pass H.89, then we can just do it.
I’d love to be part of that. We have buildings that are free and available. We have quality internet available via Star link on any part of Vermont. We have programs already in place and working. We only need to bring people, money and resources together in an effective place. It would be one of the most fun experiences ever, should we have the right spirit, it should fall into place with the speed of a forest fire and 80 mile per hour winds……..
Neil, if YOU have buildings that are free and available for the education of others, make them available. You’re in control.
But if you don’t control those buildings, there’s nothing you can offer…. except to support the prospect of homeschooling any way you can. But in our system, if the wolves are in the majority, they will vote to have the lambs for lunch every day. It will be up to each of us, individually, to avoid being on the menu.
Ultimately, all of the sheep will have been eaten. Then the wolves will have no other choice but to find other lambs (i.e., illegal immigrants) or begin to feed on themselves.
In the final analysis, one must ask if even the wolves are that stupid? They’re cutting their own throats.
I’m lucky in that regard. My kids made it through the system with flying colors. They’re more successful than I could have ever dreamed. And we were fortunate enough (with luck and hard work) to take advantage of Vermont’s existing School Choice governance.
But as the saying goes – ‘You can lead a horse to water. But you can’t make it drink.’
Goodn get rid of property taxes too, I paid my taxes at closing
My name is Retta Dunlap and for over 30 years I have been a state wide homeschool advocate that watches over the legislative process to make sure that the legislature does not go off the rails on homeschooling families. I have made it my life’s mission to protect homeschooling in Vermont.
Giving homeschoolers a voucher, or whatever you want to call it, is a VERY dangerous thing to do, as the state will apply strings that will be detrimental to how homeschooling is done. Just look to Canada for proof of that. So, I will oppose ANY suggestion of a voucher given to homeschoolers in Vermont because of those possible strings. I am not alone in this view. Homeschooling families oppose it to and every time I explain what the strings will be, families run from the voucher idea. I have been around education in Montpelier for so long that I have heard it all. I know exactly what the state will want for strings. HOWEVER …..
This year, there is something that can be done for homeschooling families in Vermont and that is a tax deduction. Let families keep their own money. Rep Chris Taylor is introducing a bill to do exactly that. And I will be there to walk that bill through the process. Many homeschoolers are already aware this is going to be introduced and are supportive of this bill.
If you know of any homeschoolers who want to follow this process please have them get on my legislative emailing list at http://www.vhen.org. Or they can call me at 802.472.5491.
Right now, the tax payers are “saving money” by not financially supporting homeschoolers who are roughly 4% of the student population. And it is unfair that tax payers financially support 85% of the kids in this state but not the other 15%. IF the legislature wants to support a block grant for the education of every single VT child to a school of their choosing, then and only then would I entertain the discussion of vouchers for homeschooling families.
Retta Dunlap
http://www.vhen.org
mountainfoldvt@gmail.com
I understand the concern, Retta. The ‘State’ (indeed, ‘the deep state’) is a corrupt corporatist oligarchy that can’t be trusted.
But what is to stop the public education cartel from imposing ‘strings’ whether or not public assistance is provided? What strings are you talking about? What’s the difference between a publicly funded voucher and a publicly funded tax credit? And who says homeschooling parents have to accept the voucher or the tax credit if there are unwanted strings attached? Would you prevent parents from taking the voucher or the tax credit if they choose to accept it? It’s their choice, is it not? Their responsibility.
In my humble opinion, homeschooling is where education is headed, subsidized or otherwise. But the reason for supporting the School Choice bill, H.89, is to create the true educational free market in which homeschoolers and everyone else can thrive. Be it a choice of public schools, a choice of independent schools, the choice to homeschool, or, as is more likely than anything else, the choice to create an imaginative and entrepreneurial combination of all of the above, allowing parents to make that choice is tantamount to the success of our society.
But it seems, Retta, that as you worked through your missive, and carefully considered the possibilities referenced above, you came to the same conclusion as did I. You ended by saying:
“IF the legislature wants to support a block grant for the education of every single VT child to a school of their choosing, then and only then would I entertain the discussion of vouchers for homeschooling families.”
That, Retta, is precisely what H.89 is designed to do. So, rather than throw the baby out with the bathwater, why don’t you express your apprehension in specific tangible terms and at least allow me the opportunity to assuage your concern by referring to what H.89 actually says.
Perhaps we could set up grants for home schoolers? Private grants, not public. Retta knows more than anyone about the system. Certainly, wouldn’t want to mess up her work. Homeschooling should be easily accessible, no state money really is the answer.
My point in bringing up the funding is to show how ludicrous we are with our spending. And if we did offer $110k for homeschooling 4 kids we’d have the biggest “gold rush” the world has ever seen.
Neil: Have you read H.89? It cites the AOE’s Announced Average Annual Tuition as the grant base. Just because the Agency of Education spends $30 grand to educate a student in the public-school monopoly doesn’t mean the tuition grant should cost that much for independent school tuition or homeschooling.
Again, I find it curious that here we have legislation that provides school choice for all Vermont students and can save $10,000 for every student choosing an independent school, and you guys do nothing but complain about the status quo.
If you have a better idea, describe it… in detail.
HI Jay, not necessarily a better idea but a way to demonstrate what you say and what the Vermont public knows is true. Retta makes some very strong arguments in protecting home schooling. These people are nothing but very, very clever in getting what they want. If Montpelier had its way, they would abolish home school.
Their laws and regulations are generally speaking for their goals, not what is stated. For example: Did you know when the passed rulings for day care, they could not have floor below grade? “Child safety?” NO, THE REASON WHY THEY PASSED THIS LAW WAS TO PREVENT EVERY CHURCH FROM PROVIDING DAY CARE SPACE. This has nothing to do with safety, because many public buildings for children can be below grade and above grade. the classic church design is a “raised ranch” which many children live in for Gods’ sake. This where they have church meetings, meals, weddings, funerals and get this Sunday School. This is our playground.
a) So there are online programs, $3500 per year, that provide teachers to homeschool your child, you need a good internet connection.
b) Starlink provides internet to any spot in Vermont, they sell them at Home Depot and they are selling like crazy.
c) You need a warm space and low overhead. This is also where Retta has warned is dangerous ground, because homeschool vs. a school. A school has major regulations and issues, making things practically speaking about impossible. Her rightful fear of taking federal money is completely justified. Have access to buildings that would offer space for minimal heat expense or free. Also, should it be desired, in a country setting Yurt (50k),
d) private fund set up for scholar ships, many people would gladly donate $10, $50, $100 or even $1,000 toward giving our children and honest education. For example, if 102,704 people gave $1 each, they could provide an entire small town an education for free. Many people donate, from all sorts of walks. We could also take money nationally, we are known for being a clown state politically, dragging the Republic down a bit with our Marxist ways. Many would love to break the backs of education union.
Many would love to have their children home schooled, their grand kids or nieces and nephews…..or privately schooled, but schedules and/or money is an issue. They were caught thinking what is conventional for family planning, education, etc. would work for them. Suddenly they are caught, realizing this is not working, perhaps too much debt, etc. which they can’t see a way out.
We could also just subsidize via private grants, home school programs for children.
We are given the right to assemble freely.
Vermonters are known for getting things done with little or no money, for loving and helping out their neighbors in a time of need. When the free market sees something that works and works well, it quickly adopts. Primary school is not “rocket science”, much of what was taught 100 years ago is still very valid, basic math has not changed, nor English, nor writing.
It has been done for 100’s of years, the classic one room, two room schoolhouse, my old elementary school was the 2nd oldest two room schoolhouse in the nation when it was closed by a Vermont program that was sold on keeping our small schools.
One warm room, accommodating computers and 30 kids could change our school system for ever.
TGBTG
Neil: First, I want to say that I hope VDC readers are paying attention to this discussion. Its importance cannot be over-emphasized. Consider this one example of a misleading statement supporting homeschool governance.
Re: ”Starlink provides internet to any spot in Vermont, they sell them at Home Depot and they are selling like crazy.”
Home Depot sells what is, basically, an antenna kit. It can cost anywhere from $500 to $1000 just to set it up. Then you have to pay $120 per month for the Residential service. Annual cost: $1500+- per year. I doubt that “… they are selling like crazy”. Especially given that less expensive alternatives are available. Comcast/Xfinity, for example, is providing high speed start-up internet access for $40 per month… no antenna required.
I know the homeschool governance as well as anyone, Neil. We homeschooled our kids when they were in high school. And Retta knows I know this. I had resisted even bringing homeschooling into this discussion because I’m aware that private homeschool funding sources don’t want to bring attention to themselves. Frankly, I was surprised when Retta published her missive. But here we are. The proverbial cat is out of its bag. Now we have to deal with it.
And again, this is not to say that ‘the deep state’ corrupt corporatist education oligarchs won’t attack any governance that threatens their control of the public-school monopoly. We get it.
But, nothing,… absolutely nothing of what you propose, is currently limited by the H.89 governance model. At least Retta has a specific homeschool program model and she’s been implementing it successfully for several years now.
So, my query to you still stands: why do you persist in de-emphasizing the benefits (including homeschooling) H.89 provides to ALL Vermont children? Especially when you have no specific tangible alternative program to offer.
If you review my comments, I think you’ll find I agree with both of you. I’ve given you and Retta the utmost in respect and deference as it is rightly due and will continue. I’m not fighting anything. Offering or suggesting another way is not taking away from other ideas or attempts. Many of us have plan a, plan b, plan c for things in life. This is perhaps a plan c or d and who knows it may not work too.
96% of Vermonters are vastly overpaying for crappy indoctrination, they are insane with the school governance, extravagance.
I give this a 5% chance of any significant chance of happening based on the current Vermont landscape. Both of you have great solutions, I just don’t think the borg is going to buy it. It’s no slight on either of you by any means, it’s the highest compliment, the only thing better would be if they called you a nazi.
p.s. About internet.
When you look at the speeds of upload and download its reasonable, I never said it was the cheapest on the market, but it offers something at very reasonable fees that the Vermont Government has failed and will not be able to do. $150 per month for the ability for a school in any location to have good internet connection is entirely reasonable, that is after all the entire premise of this school boondoggle, some kid didn’t have as nice a computer as others in another school.
We all want the same thing. Peace.
I tried to listen to the GOP press conference. I tuned out the moment “climate change” was mentioned. I rebuked the notion stated Vermont is not a sanctuary State. It very well is when illegals are allowed and helped to break the laws (ACLU, free loans, free lunches free housing, identifications, etc.)
As far as education, the Federal spigot is getting shut off – that fact alone has many britches filling and undergarments twisted. They are scrambling and that only means more taxes on taxpayers…they refuse to cut, they continue to waste, dither over nonsense, and don’t really care about children’s education or future prosperity. The fact so many youth leave the State and never come back is proof. They won’t fix it – they kick the can down the road time and time again and make taxpayers pay for it. Same old empty platitudes and pandering.
The naked short.
Federal funds stop coming to fund Vermont’s……bovine excrement.
Home school goes up to 15%.
Suddenly you have an utter and complete collapse of a false educational system.
Couldn’t happen to a better bunch of grifters.
Hi Jay, I will start my response to you with this missive. I do advocate for school choice and I must have missed the mention of H.89 in the article to which I was commenting. Anyway, here is my opinion of H.89.
1. The statement of purpose says that a child should be able to “to attend the school of the student’s choice” but then limits that choice to two types of schools.
2. Section (a) Policy: this section states that parents can choose from public or independent schools.
3. Section (b) Parental choice of school: This ‘school choice’ option is for public schools and approved independent schools that on on a list. There is currently a “list” of such schools that the Agency of Ed “allows” families to pick from if they live in a choice town. There is a reason why this bill was written this way. Currently, tax monies can go to public schools and non-religious approved independent schools because of this “list”. This bill simply expands the choice of the choice towns to all students in Vermont. In my opinion, passage of this bill would not hurt education in Vermont. It might hurt the public schools but not education, hence the opposition to it.
4. Thankfully. homeschoolers are left out of this bill. I would have opposed it if they were included because this is not actually the true school choice that homeschoolers should be a part of. You get this passed and then later we can talk about adding homeschoolers into such a system.
5. We know the overburdening regulation that the public schools must operate under. Unfortunately, the non-religious approved independents are under increasing regulatory pressure just to keep getting the funding. I watched this pressure in committee where special education was a concern. At the time of this “pressure” there was a discussion going around to defund the approved independents all together. So, they negotiated increased regulation for themselves.
6. Would I advocate for passage of this bill? Yes, just as long as homeschoolers were left out of it which they are. I suspect that is because someone somewhere knows I would ask homeschoolers to be removed. So why start with a second set of powerful oppositional constituents? Why keep homeschoolers out of it? Because of the level of regulation on the public schools and the level of increasing regulation on the non-religious approved independent schools. What do you think the regulation would look like if home study were a 3rd choice for school choice funding?
7. There are those out there who want to say religious schools are “private schools” and the non-religious schools are independents schools. The only problem with that is that the VT statutes do not have a designation for a “private school”. In reality, Vermont law has public schools, independent schools, and home study programs. A religious school in Vermont is either an approved or recognized independent school. This is why the Agency’s “school list” exists. I.e. to cut out the religious schools from receiving funding as “private schools” are not allowed on the list. If I am remembering correctly the last VT Supreme Court decision about this topic states that funding can go to religious schools but the Agency of Ed’s “list” says no and now you know why. And that is how they get around not funding approved independent religious schools. Something I believe is unconstitutional.
8. Lastly, we know that religious homeschooling takes place. This is what happened in Canada. The first year of a voucher for homeschoolers had no regulations. The second year of a voucher parents were told you can’t teach religion during the “school day” nor pay for religious materials. Not sure how you police that one but there you have it. Strings.
No one will ever ask me how I would write such a bill. It would be nice to have one written up my way, just once, describing how to change the face of education forever. H.89 is a politically correct bill with the compromises written in. For a legislator this is a good position to start from in a legislature where you likely do not have enough votes. H.89 is a good bill written as a baby step to a better educational system, hence its value in a discussion.
Hey Retta:
1. The statement of purpose says that a child should be able to “to attend the school of the student’s choice” but then limits that choice to two types of schools.
Yes. Public and Independent (Private) Schools
2. Section (a) Policy: this section states that parents can choose from public or independent schools.
Asked and answered.
3a. Currently, tax monies can go to public schools and non-religious approved independent schools because of this “list”.
While Vermont AOE is contesting this provision, the SCOTUS decided that when the State provides public money to private schools, it must also provide that money to religiously oriented private schools.
3b. This bill simply expands the choice of the choice towns to all students in Vermont.
Yes. This is the intention of H.89. That ALL Vermont students have access to Vermont’s School Choice program.
3c. In my opinion, passage of this bill would not hurt education in Vermont. It might hurt the public schools but not education, hence the opposition to it.
It might hurt the public schools – especially if they fail to conduct the internal reforms required to compete with independent schools. This is the result of free market competition.
4. Thankfully. homeschoolers are left out of this bill.
H.89 does not mention homeschool programs specifically. But it doesn’t exclude homeschool curricula either. Think outside the box. There is nothing in H.89 preventing an imaginative independent school from including customized homeschool provisions to parents who would like to, let’s say, take charge of their children’s language arts program (reading and writing) and replace the school’s program with their own.
In fact, Retta, my wife and I made just such a deal for our kids when they attended our local public high school, of all places. Of course, this is a circumstance no one talks about. But it clearly demonstrates that there are infinite possibilities available, even in today’s over-regulated education system.
5a. Unfortunately, the non-religious approved independents are under increasing regulatory pressure just to keep getting the funding.
Again, a corrupt corporatist oligarchy in control of a State’s legislature can commit all sorts of atrocities. And, in many cases, there are atrocities. Which is why I understand your reticence and was surprised to see you enter the fray. But here you are.
5b. I watched this pressure in committee where special education was a concern.
Special Ed., i.e., the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, is a separate programmatic issue in itself. Suffice it to say at this juncture – with School Choice governance, SPED labeling decreases because parents can choose something other than the one-size-fits-all curriculum that exacerbates SPED labeling. Keep in mind too, that SPED families already have School Choice. But they don’t know this because they listen solely to the corrupt public school administrators who use SPED as a budgetary revenue enhancement. We could spend an entire article on SPED law. Perhaps at another time.
6. Would I advocate for passage of this bill? Yes, just as long as homeschoolers were left out of it which they are.
I’m afraid the cat is out of the bag.
7. There are those out there who want to say religious schools are “private schools” and the non-religious schools are independents schools. The only problem with that is that the VT statutes do not have a designation for a “private school”.
Again, private religious schools qualify for subsidized tuition vouchers in Vermont. Vermont’s previous Ed. Secretary understood this.
“Vermont school districts must use public dollars to pay for students to attend approved religious schools, Education Secretary Dan French wrote in a memo sent to school superintendents on Tuesday.”
8. Lastly, we know that religious homeschooling takes place.
And, indeed, it should be allowed to continue. And there is nothing in H.89 that specifically excludes it.
But again, a corrupt corporatist oligarchy in control of a State’s legislature can commit all sorts of atrocities. They already are doing it. So, there are two paths available to Vermont parents.
First: Get out of Dodge. Get your kids out of the public school system any way you can. Homeschool, send your kids to a private school on your own dime. Whatever. And keep a low profile so as not to garner attention from the wolves.
Second: Support H.89 and facilitate the educational free market with the benefit of public financial support. It’s a tangible next step… if we would only take it.
But, realistically, we all know you can only lead a horse to water. I only hope, at this point, that the VDC horses are still paying attention.
Jay,
When I look at legislative language, I look at the words used and then use those words and the meanings attached to them because words and meanings matter. I know quite well the structure of education in Vermont and the other side uses the term “private” as a pejorative when referring to religious schools. The term private school has no statutory meaning therefore it can mean whatever they want it to be. Using the terms found in statute will turn the conversation into an apples to apples conversation.
And I know exactly what Sec French said about monies flowing to religious schools but I am not sure you understand it. French said “Vermont school districts must use public dollars to pay for students to attend approved religious schools”. Then you change what he said and say “private religious schools qualify for subsidized tuition vouchers in Vermont” because French said so. That is not what he said. First, there is NO such thing as a private religious school in Vermont – only approved and recognized religious schools. Further more, most religious schools in Vermont have designated as recognized schools. French used the correct designation for which religious school could get public dollars – only the approved ones.
As for “entering the fray”, been there and done that many times over the past 30 years. This is not my first email exchange on the topic.
Lastly, I said this once and I will say it again a different way. I do not have a problem with H.89 as long as the bill does have the phrase “home study” in it. Does this mean I am going to lobby for it? No. I have two other bills in the pipeline for homeschoolers that I need to work on.
Jay, it looks like you have support, from Retta, from myself. We’d both vote yes to the proposal you have presented, God speed on getting those who vote to pass this.
The best way to support H.89 is to contact the sponsors.
Rep. Michael Tagliavia
Rep. Voranus Coffin IV
Rep. Allen “Penny” Demar
Rep. Chris Keyser
Rep. Larry Labor
Rep. Michael Morgan
Rep. Woodman Page
Rep. Debra Powers
Let them know you would like to see H.89 move forward and ask them what you can do to help.
And then contact your local representatives and senators. Tell them they should support H.89 for all the reasons discussed – or explain, in detail, why they won’t do so. Hold them accountable. As the new Senate leader admitted in a recent VDC missive.
New Senate majority leader: ‘We need to be listening to everyone’
But then, there’s that thing with horses drinking…. or not.
Neil, Jay does not have my support. I have no problem with H.89.
Neil, Retta, et al.:
I haven’t asked anyone to support me. I’ve asked everyone to support of H.89.