But Scott appoints her interim Secretary of Education anyway
The Vermont Senate today voted 19-9 against Gov. Phil Scott’s nomination of Zoie Saunders of Florida as the state’s next Secretary of Education.
Sens. Brian Campion (chair of Education Committee), Richard Sears and Robert Starr joined the six Republicans backing the Saunders nomination.
The unprecedented opposition to a Secretary of Education nominee is based on Democrat concern for her ‘charter school’ background, and happens as school budgets are being turned down despite legislative and professional education group’s support for the state education funding formula. Some of these education organizations lobbied hard for members to contact Senate members and urge them to vote no.
Permanent positions at the cabinet level require Senate approval. Scott immediately announced his plans to name her ‘interim secretary.’
Gov. Scott offered the following extended press release this morning:
“I believe Vermont’s public education system has the potential to be the best in the nation, attracting the families we need to revitalize working class neighborhoods, refill our schools, and grow the economy in all corners of our state.
“In my first year in office – and every year since – I’ve asked the Legislature to work with me to stabilize the finances of the education system and make sure our investments are getting the best possible outcomes for our kids, from cradle to career.
“To accomplish this, we cannot be paralyzed by fear of change. And we cannot continue to preserve an unstable system of unaffordable tax hikes and unacceptable outcomes.
“To help make our public education system the best in the country, our Agency of Education needs a dynamic, intelligent, and compassionate leader. After the State Board of Education narrowed the long list of candidates to three, I was pleased to choose Zoie to be that leader. She brings experience managing complex educational challenges, improving academic outcomes, and building consensus on educational priorities, which we need now more than ever.
“Zoie’s professionalism, grace, and class throughout this process, despite the unfair, ill-informed treatment, has been truly remarkable and honorable. I’m very proud of her and how she has handled these hurtful, false attacks, which makes me and my entire team more confident than ever that she is the right person for the job.
“I want to extend my sincere appreciation to a majority of the members on the Senate Education Committee, including Senator Williams and Senator Weeks, as well as Senators Brock, Collamore, Ingalls and Norris. I also want to thank Senator Sears, Senator Starr and in particular Chair Brian Campion for providing leadership and showing real political courage. I know all too well how difficult it can be to stand up to the most partisan political activists in one’s party base to do what’s right. We need more legislators with this kind of integrity and courage in Montpelier – people who know the difference between the partisan way and the Vermont way.”
“Following today’s Senate vote, pursuant to my constitutional authority to fill vacancies, I have named Zoie Interim Secretary of Education.
“I’m confident she is the leader we need as we move forward. 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.
“She has a clear and comprehensive 100-day plan as she continues her important work. It can be found below.”
Secretary Saunders
100 Day Plan
Message from Secretary Saunders
I am truly honored for the opportunity to serve as Vermont’s Secretary of Education at a time when the Agency of Education (AOE) needs strong, consistent leadership and stakeholders across the state are aligned in strengthening our public schools. I recognize that our public education system faces many challenges and that the work ahead will not be easy. However, I believe that together we will develop consensus on a path forward, building on the strengths of our public schools and Vermonters to create an even brighter future for students.
In my first two weeks on the job, I have traveled across the state to familiarize myself with the education landscape. I have enjoyed meeting with superintendents, principals, teachers, and community members who all share a deep commitment to our public schools.
I’ve heard a few key themes so far, which have informed my 100-Day Plan.
· First, there is a great interest in developing a unifying vision for the future of education in Vermont. This has been an overarching theme, touching on issues of education finance, education quality, enrollment, facilities, and workforce development.
· Second, there are questions about how we can balance Vermont’s motto of freedom and unity, as we strive to achieve shared education goals while celebrating local control and customization.
· Third, the issue of mental health has emerged as we grapple with ways to meet students’ expanding needs.
· Fourth, our public school system has experienced significant upheaval over the past five years. Our educators have exhibited resilience in responding to the challenges of the global Covid-19 pandemic and now are adjusting to a series of large-scale policy changes that impact operations, curriculum, and budgeting.
These topics require us to think strategically about how to provide equitable learning opportunities and support, increase academic achievement, and ensure sustainable education financing for the future. Spending time in the field has also reaffirmed my belief in the strengths of Vermont’s education system. I take great pride in our commitment to personalized learning, active community involvement, and inclusive approaches. As a mother of two school-age children about to enroll in Vermont’s public schools, I deeply understand the importance of my role in guiding the AOE.
My 100-Day Plan prioritizes listening, learning, and tackling emergent needs. I look forward to hosting town halls and focus groups across the state. These forums will create an opportunity for all of us – teachers, non-instructional staff, principals, superintendents, students, parents, and community partners – to come together to discuss our educational priorities. I recognize that there are also immediate needs related to issues such as compliance, data availability, and field support. Within my first 100 days, I will seek input on how the AOE can help support the field’s immediate challenges while building a strong foundation for the future.
I am a passionate believer in public education and trust that, together, we will elevate our public school system to new heights, making Vermont a national exemplar of educational excellence from early childhood to career. The best is yet to come.
Sincerely,
Zoie Saunders, M.Ed.
Secretary of Education
100-Day Plan
Focus
· Orientation
· Target Support
· Listen & Learn
· Capture Priorities
· Plan for the Future
Overview
This plan provides a roadmap for my first 100 days as Secretary of Education. It is my intent to listen and learn as much as possible. The activities outlined will help me and my team collect information, analyze strengths and challenges, build productive working relationships, and synthesize findings to direct long-range strategic planning.
· Orientation to the Field, AOE, Partners and Policy Makers (April; Completed)
o Meet with AOE staff and division leaders to get to know team members, align project plans, and identify time-sensitive issues and potential compliance concerns.
o Meet with legislators to discuss educational priorities statewide and within their respective districts.
o Meet with key education stakeholder groups, including leadership from the Vermont Superintendents Association, Vermont School Boards Association, Vermont Principals Association, Chambers of Commerce, Building Bright Futures, Vermont Student Assistance Corp., Community College of Vermont, among others.
o Engage with the State Board of Education, including participating in the April meeting.
o Host all superintendents calls to meet and greet state education leaders.
o Conduct field visits to gain a broad understanding of the education landscape in terms of geography, governance structures, and educational programs. Visits and outreach included the White River Valley Supervisory Union, Colchester School District, Winooski School District, Bennington-Rutland Supervisory Union, Windham Southwest Supervisory Union, St. Johnsbury School District, and Hartford School District.
· Target Support and Outreach (May)
o Analyze academic and non-academic data to develop a comprehensive understanding of statewide performance.
o Gather initial feedback on the impact of recent policy changes and the need for AOE technical support moving forward.
o Evaluate emergent needs of the field and process improvement priorities within the AOE.
o Mobilize AOE teams to provide targeted field support in coordination with superintendents and school boards.
o Conduct a review of State Education Agency compliance with federal requirements and federal grant utilization across Local Education Agencies.
o Engage key stakeholder groups to develop the listen and learn tour, building on existing convenings, outreach channels, and knowledge of effective engagement strategies.
· Listen & Learn Tour (June-July)
o Conduct focus groups with superintendents, principals, teachers, non-instructional staff, early education providers, afterschool providers, technical training providers, higher education institutions, health care providers that interface with schools, and the school safety center.
o Host regional town halls to gather broad input on education priorities across the state.
o Prioritize training and technical support to prepare for the 2024-25 school year.
o Organize summer planning for the field and gain feedback on most pressing needs related to AOE reports, tools, and support.
· Capture Educational Priorities & Plan (August)
o Publish a report of findings from the first 100 days, capturing the educational priorities and how the information will direct future planning and AOE initiatives in the 2024-25 school year.
Categories: Education, State Government
Gee former Senator Phil Scott, these are the folks you always reached across the aisle to, you think they’d reciprocate and reach out to you. Not so.
It’s Jason Gibbs who’s been. driving this clown car, for years. “Just keep nodding your head, Phil.”
“At the time of appointment, the Secretary shall have expertise in education management and policy and demonstrated leadership and management abilities.”
An embarrassingly unqualified candidate who fulfilled none of the requirements listed above.
N.B. As newly-appointed “interim Secretary,” however, Ms Saunders will inherit a suit pending in federal court by Mid Vermont Christian School v Bouchey et al, brought on behalf of the School by Alliance Defending Freedom. Which was probably not an original part of Ms Saunders’s 100 Days’ Plan.
(Bouchey was interim Secretary until earlier this morning.)
scott just told you senators to go screw/// who will be the winner in the education war///
“I believe Vermont’s public education system has the potential to be the best in the nation”
Ought to be for what we pay for it!
Literally the last thing in her list of key things to consider was “budgeting”…
Having no experience in Vermont’s failing school system should have been viewed as her biggest advantage.
Downright despicable that a majority of Vermont voters have allowed the democrats and progressives in the legislature to be purchased lock, stock and barrel by the VTNEA teachers’ union. How high do property taxes have to get and how many female athletes have to be injured by biological males before they stop this ridiculous virtue signaling at the polls.
Very well stated Rich. Let’s give this woman a chance.
This process is precisely what any reasonable Vermonter should expect from their dystopian and dysfunctional public-school monopoly. This has absolutely nothing to do with students, parents, or voters. It has everything to do with special interests controlling the money. I’m not sure how many times this needs to be reiterated, but the ONLY way to achieve a reasonable education (financially and academically), that meets the needs of all students, is to ELIMINATE THE MONOPOLY.
Maybe coming from the private schools sector where they know how to get things done on less money is a big plus for Vermont.
The supermajority is terrified of school choice!
some times in this state we play good cop bad cop and it is nothing but a dog and pony show/////
How dare they reject the nation’s most popular Governor’s pick for Secretary of Education? Since 2020, the Governor has bent over backwards and carried the water for The Biden, the scamdemic, installed DEI into every crevice of State government, shut down any dissenters in his own party, and now this….how rude! Must be they are kicking Scott to the curb to usher in Dr. Yee Haw Park Avenue Dean to ride in on his donkey to ensure super duper majority rule.
After Vermont Senate refuses to confirm Zoie Saunders, Phil Scott names her interim education secretary – – VTDigger
So, there.
Interestingly, zuckerman apparently launched a smear campaign amongst his fellow marxists to sabotage her confirmation vote, according to WVMT’s Morning Drive Show.
Remember, with Vermont’s education funding system- there are BILLIONS at stake
and the VTNEA wants it all.
In the democrat senate’s mind, “Anyone from big bad orange man’s state, Bad”, and lets not forget that the most popular Gov in the country is DeSantis, so she must be bad too. From the party of DE (Inclusion) no surprises here, OMG, she might even be straight, and as far as Zuck, his acts are shameful, he even admitted it, but he’ll do it again. Thankyou Phil Scott, the back stabbers will continue to stab again and again,at the expense of the children, VTNEA should never have a voice in an education appointment, after all, they work for the teachers or union members, not the admins.
So she’s interim? What happens now?
She gets to answer as respondent a rather large suit by Mid Vermont Christian currently in federal court, originally filed against former interim secretary Bouchey (that’s sooo yesterday.)
No shocker here for Progressives to bum-rush ANY candidate for Secretary of Education that doesn’t support the Progressive / Marxists central planning, student indoctrination and union thuggery that’s infected the entire Vermont Education system. The list of malfeasance, corruption, anti-children actions, and general ineptitude exhibited by these Progressives and their Union bosses, along with the administrators, of the education-industrial complex are too long and too egregious to ignore. Let’s hope this appointed Secretary of Education gets to work expose these wrongs (and the sources of never ending spending with little results) to all Vermonters.