Administration wants lawmakers to decrease spending and timeline for implementation before signing Education Reform bill
By Michael Bielawski
Secretary of Education Zoe Saunders met with Senate Education Wednesday to share feedback as the committee tackles education finance and governance reform.
Also Jason Maulucci, the Director of Policy Development and Legislative Affairs for the Scott Administration, on WVMT’s The Morning Drive on Monday said he expects lawmakers should stick around to the end of May if necessary to have major education governance reforms ready for the governor’s desk.
Where there’s disagreement
Both administration officials conveyed that the Administration wants lower total education spending and a shorter timeline for implementation compared to what’s currently being proposed at the Statehouse in H.454 (as passed by the House). Maulucci said the governor will not sign this bill in its current form.
“The two biggest concerns for the governor with the House-passed bill were the cost, I think it would have spent about $45 million more than we spent in fiscal year 2025, you know that’s not moving in the right direction,” Malucci said. “But also the timeline, I think the House delayed implementation until I think FY29, I think for the foundation formula, I think maybe FY2030, and that’s just too long.”
Maulucci acknowledged that schools are being asked to deal with more special needs in today’s children.
“We’re asking our schools to do more than we ever had to ask them to do,” Maulucci said. “There are more of those mental health challenges and behavioral challenges in schools than there were 20 or 30 years ago.”
Where there’s agreement
Saunders to the Senate Education Committee highlighted what she describes as shared goals, including the move towards an “evidence-based foundation formula.”
“I think areas of consensus, the governor’s proposal and the House’s plan both do move the State of Vermont to an evidence-based foundation formula into the future. So it contemplates a similar future state that is based on research around high-quality education and focused on equity,” she said.
A foundation formula means each student throughout the state gets a block grant for their education funding, with potential for adjustments for those students with special needs.
“Both of the proposals are putting forward a student-focused and a student-based funding formula,” Saunders said. “So, really understanding that the funding follows the student to make sure that students that have additional needs are benefiting from those additional resources.”
She said there seems to be agreement for a larger scale of governance.
“Both of the proposals move us to larger districts to achieve scale, increase student opportunities, and promote equity. There’s also recognition that the foundation funding formula is connected to governance and decisions around scale.”
She added, “It seems there’s consensus also on a need for standardized education quality measures and really thinking about statewide graduation requirements and class size and other components that are gonna be important to ensuring that every Vermont student has access to a well-rounded education.”
Doubling down on DEI?
Maulucci was asked by one of the callers if all the resources going to teaching “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” in schools are perhaps taking away from teaching academics. Maulucci signaled that they won’t be forcing schools to change their DEI policies, a move that could have implications for federal funds that come into the state.
“I think we’re trying to stay out of the national conversation around DEI and let our districts teach what they teach, and they do a good job,” he said. “I would not say that it is an issue that is diverting our attention away from getting results.”
Contact your lawmakers
See all bills assigned to this committee here. Constituents may contact committee members (click link on name for bio, party affiliation, etc.) with comments, questions, and information at the following email addresses:
Senate Education
Seth Bongartz, Manchester, Chair, sbongartz@leg.state.vt.us
David Weeks, Proctor, Vice Chair, dweeks@leg.state.vt.us
Kesha Ram Hinsdale, Montpelier, kraminsdale@leg.state.vt.us
Nader Hashim, Windham, nhashim@leg.state.vt.us
Terry Williams, Rutland, Clerk, tkwilliams@leg.state.vt.us
Steven Heffernan, Addison, sheffernan@leg.state.vt.us
All committee transcripts are available at www.goldendomevt.com. The committee meeting video is available at the committee’s YouTube channel. The committee meets in the morning in Room 28.
The author is a writer for the Vermont Daily Chronicle