By Michael Bielawski
Governor Phil Scott has made Zoie Saunders, a public school parent with most of her work experience with independent schools, the formal – no longer interim – Secretary of Education. This is just several months after the outgoing State Senate voted against her appointment by a 19-9 vote on April 30.
The same day she was voted down, Scott made her interim Secretary of Education. The action prompted a lawsuit by two State Senators, but a court dropped the case in September.
If Senators choose to do so, they can hold a vote for her again as they did in April. There’s a newly reshuffled composition including six more Republicans.
Senate leadership is not currently committed to such action for the immediate future. The Senate majority leader Sen. Phil Baruth, D/P-Chittenden, said this is an opportunity for Saunders “to prove herself”.
The governor’s presser touts Saunder’s time spent out in the field engaging in “listening sessions” with schools and communities across The Green Mountain State.
It says, “Saunders, in her six months as interim secretary, has traveled around the state with her team as part of the Agency’s ‘Listen and Learn’ tour, to understand educational needs at the local level. These listening sessions are designed to inform the Agency of Education’s efforts to support the short-term and long-term educational needs to improve student outcomes.”
Back in April, her critics were alarmed that her tenure as an executive at Charter Schools USA, a for-profit corporation based in Florida, was insufficient experience to supplement her few months working in public education. She does note she has two children in public education.
As Scott made her interim Secretary of Education, he wrote that she was already engaged (back in April) with taking on Vermont’s challenges. He wrote, “In her short time at the Agency, she has identified challenges, which she is already addressing, including mobilizing support to help stabilize operations in the field in collaboration with education leaders.”
Scott’s letter with her latest promotion says, “Saunders and her team at the Agency have also issued multiple reports to help education stakeholders, legislators and the general public better understand Vermont’s education system profile, and our education finance system, including how it compares to other states.”
The governor says, “We face significant challenges, with declining enrollment, student performance, and affordability within our education system, and we need thoughtful leadership to work our way through this.”
And Saunders is quoted, she emphasizes data collection as a priority.
“The Agency will continue to prioritize enhanced data reporting, collaboration, and statewide continuous improvement to ensure every Vermont student benefits from a world class education. As a parent of two school-aged children, I will always keep students at the forefront of our work,” she says.
Back in September the Washington County superior court dismissed a lawsuit by two State Senators over the appointment of Saunders as Interim Secretary.
In a letter from back in mid April, Saunders addressed parents specifically.
“To our parents, I pledge to bring my perspective as a Vermont public school parent into every meeting I attend and every policy we consider,” she wrote.
Part of that same message emphasizes her appreciation for the workforce.
“To our educators and school staff, I cannot overstate how important you are to Vermont’s educational success and economic competitiveness. Your commitment to our students is a foundational investment that drives our state’s workforce creation, job growth, and every other measure of quality of life,” she wrote.
After the Senate voted against her appointment, VDC’s Paul Bean recorded a segment titled “What the Senate DIDN’T know about Zoie Saunders”
The author is a writer for the Vermont Daily Chronicle