Act 73 - Vermont's Big Education Bill

Act 73 – the newly enacted big education bill – is complex. Here at Vermont-NEA, we have dissected the massive bill and below we offer a rundown of what it does – and doesn’t – do. In short: it created the School District Redistricting Task Force that must propose to the legislature no more than 3 maps that would, if adopted by the legislature next year, radically upends our system of local public schools and, therefore all but eliminate local control. Again, if a new school district map is adopted, the new law would move funding decisions to Montpelier, consolidate school districts, but it would not provide broad middle-class tax relief or simplifying our complicated property-tax based system. Even if a new school district map is not adopted by the legislature next year, several provisions go into effect regardless. For example, the minimum class size requirements go into effect for both public and private schools, and the modest limitations of public money going to private schools become effective. Finally, there are a complicated panoply of provisions, studies, commissions, and decisions that must come together for the bill’s mandates to become policy.

Latest News and Developments

Meetings You Need to Know About – and Questions to Ask

School District Redistricting Task Force

Detailed Summary of Act 73

Redistricting Task Force

Charged with taking existing districts and collapsing them into new school districts of between 4,000-8,000 students
Charged with developing and presenting maps of districts for the legislature to consider
Crucial action point occurs in 2026; if legislature doesn’t approve a set of maps, most of the rest of the law will not go into effect
Potential to severely cut the number of local elementary schools

Imposing State Mandates

Create average class size minimums
Set statewide calendar
Set statewide graduation requirements

Eliminating Local Control

By creating significantly larger school districts local school boards will cease to exist
All important decisions are no longer in the hands of local voters as Montpelier bureaucrats and legislators seize control
Funding decisions are made in Montpelier, not in local communities

Establishing a Foundation Formula

Takes away budgets that are created by local school board members to meet the needs of their students
Sets a per-pupil base amount that varies with special education, English language learners, and poverty
Some communities will see higher per-pupil spending as a result, while current districts meeting the needs of their students will experience cuts
Creates a system where new larger districts can seek voter approval to raise no more than 5% above the Montpelier established funding formula to meet the needs of local students
The foundation formula system is dependent on legislative approval of proposed new district boundaries

Preserving Private School Vouchers

While imposing some limits on which types of private schools can accept public vouchers, the act allows a continuation of Vermont’s private school voucher scheme.
Some policymakers want new larger districts to be formed that protect private schools that can receive public education dollars through a voucher system.

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