The Achilles Heel of Vermont Education Reform

District mergers, class size minimums, percentages of students in order to receive public funds and funding formulas are a distraction from the core issue that is plaguing Vermont’s Education system. Since the early 1990s, we have been operating two parallel educational systems: public and private, both funded by taxpayer dollars, yet governed by dramatically different rules under one diminished Agency of Education to oversee them. Until Vermont creates one unified education system, no other meaningful education reform can happen.

The current structure allows independent schools to operate with significantly less oversight and accountability compared to public schools. A 2020 report from State Auditor Doug Hoffer highlighted that public schools face stringent transparency requirements while independent schools are exempt from public meetings, financial information disclosure, budget voter approval, and public records accessibility.  In a recent Vermont Edition, VPR education reporter Lola Duffort explained that Independent schools are the Achilles heel of any reform effort in Vermont.  Any attempt to create parity between these two school systems is met with fierce resistance from the private school lobby and reform efforts break down.  

Successive legislative efforts like Act 46 and Act 173 have repeatedly failed to address the fundamental structural issues.  Act 46 forced "like" operating  districts to merge while leaving choice districts untouched and Act 173 created financial incentive structures that disadvantage public schools. And just recently the Conference Committee negotiations collapsed due to last minute efforts by Senators to ensure concessions to benefit independent school interests.  

To truly reform Vermont's education system, we must abandon the current negotiations around H.454 and instead create a single, unified educational framework that establishes uniform standards for all schools receiving public funding, require choice towns to designate a school that will take every student from the community, require all schools taking public dollars to follow Education Quality Standards, and strengthen the Agency of Education's oversight capabilities.  Vermont cannot continue to maintain two separate and unequal educational systems. The time for meaningful, comprehensive reform is now.  

Once we have one system, we can focus on addressing the core challenges of affordability and equity of instruction.