Press Release: Friends of Vermont Public Education Condemn the Governor's Proposal to Expand School Vouchers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 10, 2025

Vermont Public Education Non-Profit Condemns Governor Scott’s Voucher Proposal,

Warns of National Playbook

Montpelier, VT –- Friends of Vermont Public Education (FVPE) voiced strong opposition today to Governor Phil Scott’s recently unveiled "Education Transformation Proposal," warning that it mirrors voucher systems seen in other states and threatens Vermont’s public schools.

Governor Scott’s push for expanding school vouchers is nothing new. In his 2016 campaign, he urged the State Board of Education to rewrite rules 'to support, preserve, and expand educational choice in Vermont,' promising to appoint board members who shared this vision. Over the past eight years, he has delivered on that promise, culminating in this latest proposal.

“The governor did not come up with this plan on his own. We’ve seen this playbook before, from Arizona to Indiana,” said Geo Honigford, Chair of the FVPE Board of Directors. “It’s the same Koch Brothers-backed strategy to siphon public funds into private institutions with little oversight, undermining the foundation of public education.”

The proposal would extend the use of public tuition dollars from non-operating districts to all students statewide, allowing even more public funds to flow to private schools, including those that discriminate against LGBTQ+ students and students with disabilities. FVPE warned this would divert critical resources from Vermont’s public schools at a time when education property taxes are already skyrocketing. Studies have repeatedly shown that expanding voucher programs increases the overall cost of education, leading to higher tax rates for everyone. 

“Vermonters deserve to know where their hard-earned tax dollars are going, and if their money is being used to discriminate against children,” said FVPE Board Member Neil Odell.  “We refuse to let Vermont become the next casualty in a national effort to weaken public education.”

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About Friends of Vermont Public Education Inc: Friends of Vermont Public Education is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that public education funding in Vermont is distributed in accordance with state and federal constitutional principles. We advocate for accountability and transparency, emphasizing that any school receiving public funds must fully comply with Vermont’s public school rules and regulations. Our mission is to protect and promote equitable, high-quality public education for all Vermont students.

Board of Directors:

Neil Odell (Norwich)

Geo Honigford (South Royalton)

Adrienne Raymond (Shrewsbury)

Ken Fredette (Wallingford)

Greg Hughes (Bethel)