Explaining H.454

By Rep. Jim Harrison

The Vermont Legislature adjourned Monday evening following the passage of H.454, the education reform plan. I call it a roadmap as the legislation lays out a list of changes that will take place over the next few years. And as various studies and reports come back in, there will also likely be adjustments, potential detours and even offramps along the way.

The first task calls for a small group of legislators and former education officials to draw up recommendations for three new school district map options in the coming months for the legislature to consider next session. If that doesn’t happen, the other changes, including the new financing plan, will not proceed.

The bill is a compromise, which gained the backing of all six legislators on the conference committee (4 Democrats and 2 Republicans), legislative leaders in the House and Senate and Governor Scott. The two-week break of the legislature allowed the conferees and administration to continue their work to reach an agreement.

That is not to suggest that final passage by the House or Senate was easy. Many in the education community and parents of students expressed concern about the bill and its potential to reduce spending in certain districts and possible loss of local control. They urged lawmakers to vote NO. Some on the Right also objected to the lack of immediate tax relief. At one point on Monday, the talk in the State House was that the Senate vote may result in a tie. In the end it was approved by a 17-12 vote and a voice vote in the House, which followed with a 96-45 vote to send the bill to the Governor.

There is probably something in the bill with which everyone will take issue. The measure is a compromise by any definition. But if the roadmap is followed, there will be significant changes in the years to come. I did vote Yes on the bill, knowing that much work lies ahead and that inaction was not an option in my view. We cannot ignore the fact that we have a school system built for 125,000 students and now find ourselves with just over 80,000. For a state with a total population just under the city of Boston, it’s hard to justify the overhead of 52 supervisory unions. Change will not be easy, but necessary from my perspective.

In his remarks to legislators Monday night, the Governor said, “…our current system is unsustainable for students and taxpayers.  This is only the first step and the work ahead will be just as if not more important than what we’ve done this session.” 

Some of the elements of the plan include:

• The number of school districts will be reduced from the current 119 to perhaps 15-20.
• The number of independent schools currently allowed in school choice towns will be reduced.
• Some towns in school choice districts could lose that option depending on how the new district maps are drawn.
• Average minimum class sizes are established with some exemptions.
• School financing will shift to a foundation formula in three years where each district will receive a fixed amount per student adjusted for certain factors (non-English, poverty, high school, etc.)
• A new property tax classification for second homes may be established when the financing reforms take effect.
• Districts could spend up to 10% more with voter approval (phases down to 5% in a few years).
• Statewide school calendar and graduation requirements to be established.

Other bills of interest:

• The Senate completed legislative approval of a targeted tax reduction package that includes an exemption of Vermont income taxes on military pensions for most veterans.
   
• Scott vetoed S.125, which was a measure supported by the Vermont State employees union (VSAE). The bill would have potentially added supervisory employees in the Judiciary to the union and increased the bar at which employees could ask for a revote to decertify their union status.
   
• The Governor also vetoed H.91, which would have transferred much of the responsibility for homelessness to the regional community action groups. Scott feared the cost of the new approach was going to be more expensive than the current hotel voucher program, which is already significantly higher than it was pre-pandemic. The current program will continue with limits.
   
• A miscellaneous education bill, that included a new ban on cell phones in schools, was approved on the last day and sent to the Governor.
   
• An election bill approved on the last day will add a new candidate consent requirement for the candidate to be counted in the write-ins on the ballot. The measure also restricts candidates that lose in a primary from running in the General election in another party or as an independent.
   
• The 2025 session saw the passage of 82 bills by both chambers, with 4 of them vetoed. Given the change in political makeup, leaders did not choose to try and override any of the four.

The author, a Republican, is the House member from Mendon, Chittenden Killington and Pittsfield and is vice-chair of House Appropriations.