The Problem

Vermont currently allows public funds to flow to private schools that are not required to follow the same standards as public schools. They can decide which students to admit, and which to turn away. They can dismiss students without explanation, without cause, and without recourse. They are not required to follow Vermont’s Education Quality Standards, hire licensed teachers, or publicly report statewide assessment results. They do not have to report their finances and there is no public accountability for how they spend taxpayer money. Yet private schools receive public dollars from the same pool that funds schools open to everyone.

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What Vermont's Constitution Requires

Vermont’s Constitution makes clear that education is a public responsibility and a public good.

• The Education Clause (General Provisions §68) establishes the state’s duty to provide public education for all children.

• The Common Benefits Clause (Article 7) ensures that government resources serve the entire community, not just a select group.

• The Compelled Support Clause (Article 3) prohibits public money from being used to support religious worship.

 

Public dollars should not fund private schools that pick and choose their students, fail to meet education standards, or use public money to support religious activities. Vermont’s constitutional principles demand a public education system that benefits everyone and is accountable to the people.

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What Needs to Change
Friends of Vermont Public Education is calling for legislation that establishes clear, enforceable rules to ensure private schools receiving public funds follow the same requirements as public schools. These changes include:

• Open enrollment for all students, without selective admissions

• Protections so students cannot be dismissed without cause (such as serious safety situations)

• Consistent and fair discipline policies

• Requiring licensed teachers in every classroom

• Participation in standardized testing to measure and report student outcomes

• Meeting Vermont’s Education Quality Standards (EQS)

• Oversight by an independent entity that has the staff and resources to enforce the rules

• No exemptions from accountability based on the size of the school

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The Governor's Plan

Governor Scott and Secretary Saunders have proposed sweeping education reforms. The plan could have included measures to address the issues noted above. By addressing these issues it could have improved student opportunity while also controlling costs. 

 

Instead the plan takes $180 million from public schools and directs even more public funds to private schools, making an already difficult situation worse. Rather than addressing the issues, the governor’s plan expands the problem. His proposal would expand the state's voucher program increasing the flow of public money into a system with limited accountability, putting Vermont’s public schools and taxpayers at greater risk. As many other states have discovered, expanding the voucher system raises education spending. 

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The Bottom Line
Vermont’s education funding system needs real reform. Public dollars are already being spent in ways that undermine public schools and leave taxpayers with no clear accountability. We need clear, consistent rules to ensure that every school receiving public funds follows the same standards as public schools. That means real oversight, financial transparency, and access for every student.

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