On both the state and federal level, there’s a lot of uncertainty around school funding in Vermont. Recently the Trump administration tried to enforce a ban on diversity, equity and inclusion practices in schools by threatening to take away Title 1 funding. Vermont’s Agency of Education asked schools to individually certify their compliance, then walked back that directive. And now the Trump administration has pushed its compliance deadline back two weeks.
In Vermont, state representatives passed a sweeping education reform package last week. The bill generally lines up with proposals from Gov. Scott, including school district consolidation and switching to a foundation funding formula. But many details are still up in the air, including who will be in charge of redistricting efforts and how fast that process will happen.
Two Vermont superintendents join Vermont Edition to share their perspectives on this news: Brooke Olsen-Farrell of the Slate Valley Unified School District, which oversees five schools, and Elaine Collins of North Country Supervisory Union, consisting of 12 schools and 16 school boards in the Northeast Kingdom.
This episode also included a conversation with Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas about federal voting legislation.
Broadcast live on Monday, April 14, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.
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