Preserving Schools and School Choice Under Vermont Act 153

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Preserving School Choice

If you've read through the Act 153 FAQ you are getting a handle on how many scenarios could play out during district mergers. If your school district is being pro-active, options beyond your supervisory union boundaries are under consideration. Looking in multiple directions is important because Act 153 is heavily presented as consolidation within your supervisory union, however that is NOT a requirement of merger.

We urge you to look at the school choice map and data, and identify and speak with communities around you that have been discussing closing a school and going to school choice, and communities that already have school choice.

If you are a K-6 or K-12 school choice district your challenges are greater and you will need to actively search outside of your supervisory union for similar districts. A full listing of these districts is in the Dept. of Ed. PDF file on the school choice map and data page.

There are no limits to the maximum size of a RED, and the districts in a RED do not need to be contiguous. The RED or the supervisory union will be in charge of the administration of SPED services, so that needs to be taken into account as part of the discussion process.

A thorough read of the Act 153 FAQ will introduce you to merger scenarios that may provide options for preserving your school choice. 

The Foundation for Educational Choice has studied school choice in Vermont. Here is what they have to say.

How School Choice Works in Vermont Today

Vermont Tuitioning Basics
Under Vermont law communities provide education by either maintaining a public school or tuitioning their students to other public or approved independent schools. An elementary education consists of grades K-6 and a secondary education contains the remaining grades of 7-12. According to the Department of Education, about 90 Vermont towns tuition students anywhere from one grade to all twelve grades.

Elementary Tuitioning
According to our education statutes, towns that do not maintain elementary grades shall tuition their students to "one or more schools." It is largely left to the local school board to determine what the tuitioning policies will be for elementary grades. The school board may choose which school(s) they will pay tuition to, or may pay tuition to any public or approved independent school the parent chooses. Tuition paid to a public school is paid in full. Tuition paid to an approved independent school will be the lesser of: the state average announced tuition of union elementary schools, or the tuition charged by the independent school. The electorate can choose to authorize a higher amount.
Here is an overview of tuitioning towns (PDF) from the Dept of Ed*  * Note Plymouth now also tuitions grades K-6
Here is the statute

Secondary Tuitioning
Towns that do not maintain secondary grades tuition students to a school determined by the parent or guardian of the student. Parents may choose from public or approved independent schools. The school board will pay full tuition to any public school, or any school deemed by law to be a public school.* The school board will pay full tuition for an approved independent school or the state average tuition for union high schools, whichever is less. The electorate may authorize a higher payment to independent schools.
Here is an overview of tuitioning towns (PDF)
from the Dept of Ed
Here is the statute

*Hanover High School is an "interstate school district" and is considered to be a Vermont public school for tuition purposes. St. Johnsbury Academy and Lyndon Institute are independent schools but because they host regional technical centers, under Vermont Law they are considered to be acting as public schools for tuitioning purposes.

 Independent Schools
Independent schools are required to register with the Department of Education as a Recognized Independent School or an Approved Independent School. School boards may only make tuition payments to non-sectarian Approved Independent Schools. There are over 100 Approved Independent Schools in Vermont, with a wide range of missions, some serving very specific general and special needs student populations.
Here is the list (PDF) from the Dept of Education

School Designation
Towns without secondary schools may choose to "designate" a school. Until 2009 only approved independent schools could be designated to act as the public school. Now both public and approved independent schools can be designated. When a school is designated it must agree to accept that designation and all of the students of the sending community. Parents may request a waiver from the school board to send their child to another school, but the decision rests with the school board and there is no appeals process. The school board is required to pay tuition up to that of the designated school, the non-designated school, or the state average tuition for union high schools, whichever is less.
Here is the statute  

Education Governance
Each Vermont town is a School District with a governing School Board. School Districts are also grouped together to form Supervisory Unions, governed by a Board with representatives from each member School District, and employing a Superintendent and staff. Another governance structure is a Supervisory District. A Supervisory District is made up of one or more School Districts that have come together to be governed by a single Board, regardless of how many schools are part of the Supervisory District.

Here is a map (PDF) of Supervisory Unions and Supervisory Districts in the state.

There are additional school governance structures such as joint contract schools, union schools and unified union schools that have their own boards.