By Rep. Jim Harrison
As widely reported, the appointed school redistricting task force voted 8-3 to ignore the charge given to it by Act 73 and instead proposed a ten-year plan of voluntary school district mergers. Under Act 73, Vermont’s education reform law approved this past June, the task force was set up to come up with up to three school district maps for the state, each averaging 4,000 to 8,000 students. Following months of deliberations and public testimony, a majority of task force members disagreed with that directive and came up with their own voluntary plan.
To the critics of Act 73, which includes the two task force co-chairs, as well as another legislative member on the panel, who voted against the plan back in June, some may think that marks the end of education reform and consolidation efforts. As Mark Twain once said, “Reports of My Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated,” the same may be true with the plan contained in Act 73.
The task force’s only role was to make recommendations back to the full legislature. It was always going to be up to the General Assembly as a whole, together with approval from the Governor, to come up with what the new school district maps were going to look like. And to that end, the Senate Education Committee has already embarked on some area meetings ahead of the 2026 session to gather its own information.
In addition to indicating the task force failed in its mission, Governor Scott even suggested the eight task force members that voted for the voluntary plan were OK with continuing ever increasing property tax rates.
And increasing property taxes is what may keep the legislature and Governor at the table looking at consolidation to reduce costs. With a total Vermont population, the size of a city like Boston, it is hard for some to justify the cost of 52 supervisory unions supporting 119 school districts. Many legislators heard voters last November, when double digit property tax increases were front of mind.
In defending their decision to propose a voluntary plan, task force members questioned what the savings might be if the state consolidated school districts and pointed out that they received much testimony opposing those efforts.
The 11-member task force included 5 appointed by the House Speaker (3 state representatives and 2 retired or former school officials), 5 appointed by the Senate Committee on Committees (3 senators and 2 retired or former school officials) and one appointed by the Governor (retired or former superintendent).
Senate Education Committee Meeting
Rutland High School
December 5, 2025, 2:30 PM – Public Comment
Room “Red 20” at RHS. Written testimony is welcome, please send via email to lindsey.schreier@vtleg.gov
In other news, the state budget deliberations will likely be in the spotlight in the coming session. The Joint Fiscal Committee held two meetings this fall, where they received information on some reductions in federal funding. Additionally, various nonprofit service agencies have shared information about their own reductions and have suggested the state offer help to fill the void.
In conjunction with building next year’s budget, the Scott administration is soliciting public comment through an online survey. More information can be found here.
Other News
The Wheels for Warmth program raised a record $115,000 to help Vermonters heat their homes last month. The program started by Governor Scott 20 years ago, collects tires from around the state which are then sold at two sale locations. In the Rutland region, Casella Construction in Pittsford hosted the sale. The program encourages Vermonters to donate tires they no longer need.
Congratulations to Lyle Jepson on his appointment as Vermont’s new Commissioner of Economic Development. Lyle was the executive director of the Chamber and Economic Development of the Rutland Region.
The author, a Republican member of the House of Representatives, serving Mendon, Pittsfield, Killington and Chittenden. He is vic-chair of the House Appropriations Committee.