Vermont 2025-2026 Regular Session

Vermont House Bill H0100 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	BILL AS INTRODUCED H.101
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6	6	H.101 1
7	7	Introduced by Representative Graning of Jericho 2
8	8	Referred to Committee on 3
9	9	Date: 4
10	10	Subject: Education; Agency of Education duties 5
11	11	Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require the 6
12	12	Secretary of Education to (1) provide statewide technical assistance to school 7
13	13	districts and supervisory unions on the implementation of all statewide 8
14	14	requirements and (2) conduct a comprehensive program evaluation and 9
15	15	organizational analysis of the Agency of Education and report back to the 10
16	16	House and Senate Committees on Education with recommendations for 11
17	17	changes to the Agency of Education. 12
18	18	An act relating to the role and structure of the Agency of Education 13
19	19	It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 14
20	20	Sec. 1. 16 V.S.A. § 212 is amended to read: 15
21	21	§ 212. SECRETARY’S DUTIES GENERALLY 16
22	22	The Secretary shall execute those policies adopted by the State Board in the 17
23	23	legal exercise of its powers and shall: 18
24	24	(1) Coordinate the educational work of the public schools with higher 19
25	25	education in the State. 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.101
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30	30	(2) Identify the educational goals of the public schools, provide 1
31	31	alternative methods of attaining those goals, and promote education in the 2
32	32	State. 3
33	33	(3) Evaluate the program of instruction in the public schools. 4
34	34	(4) Advise the General Assembly concerning proposed laws affecting 5
35	35	the public schools. 6
36	36	(5) Supervise and direct the execution of the laws relating to the public 7
37	37	schools and ensure compliance. 8
38	38	(6) Supervise the expenditure and distribution of all money appropriated 9
39	39	by the State under the provisions of this title for public schools. 10
40	40	(7) Arrange conferences and summer schools for superintendents and 11
41	41	teachers and employ suitable speakers, lecturers, and instructors for the same; 12
42	42	fix the amount of tuition for the instruction; provide for educational gatherings, 13
43	43	institutes, summer schools, and other supplementary educational activities; and 14
44	44	provide for cooperation with the Board of Libraries established by 22 V.S.A. 15
45	45	§ 602 or the State Librarian. 16
46	46	(8) Inform citizens of the condition of and opportunities within the 17
47	47	public education system and provide other educational publicity for the 18
48	48	enlightenment and well-being of the citizens of the State. 19
49	49	(9) Establish requirements for information to be submitted by school 20
50	50	districts, including necessary statistical data and other information and ensure, 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.101
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55	55	to the extent possible, that data are reported in a uniform way. Data collected 1
56	56	under this subdivision shall include budget surplus amounts, reserve fund 2
57	57	amounts, and information concerning the purpose and use of any reserve funds. 3
58	58	(10) Make recommendations to school boards regarding transportation 4
59	59	policies. 5
60	60	(11) Provide an educational facilities planning service to make available 6
61	61	technical assistance and comprehensive information on school construction, 7
62	62	school systems design, component technology and suppliers, and similar 8
63	63	subjects to public schools, school districts, and independent schools, for the 9
64	64	purpose of helping them to achieve flexibility and economy in construction, to 10
65	65	retain the potential for modification and expansion of educational facilities, 11
66	66	and to attain the lowest maintenance costs consistent with educational needs. 12
67	67	(12) Distribute at his or her the Secretary’s discretion upon request to 13
68	68	approved independent schools appropriate forms and materials relating to the 14
69	69	education quality standards for elementary and secondary students. 15
70	70	(13) Ensure the provision of services to children and adolescents with a 16
71	71	severe emotional disturbance in coordination with the Departments of Mental 17
72	72	Health, for Children and Families, and of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent 18
73	73	Living pursuant to the provisions of 33 V.S.A. chapter 43. 19
74	74	(14) Annually, communicate to each superintendent a list of information 20
75	75	that a supervisory union, a school board, a school district, a school, a school 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.101
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80	80	district employee, or a supervisory union employee is required under State or 1
81	81	federal law to make available to the electorate, community members, parents, 2
82	82	or students. It is the intent of this subdivision that the Secretary shall make a 3
83	83	good faith effort to compile a complete list of the information to be made 4
84	84	available. Due to the difficult nature of compiling such a list, it is also the 5
85	85	intent that failure to include relevant information on the list shall not constitute 6
86	86	grounds for an action against the Secretary. 7
87	87	(15) Annually, with the Commissioner of Health, shall jointly inform 8
88	88	superintendents and principals of appropriate practices regarding students with 9
89	89	life-threatening allergies and chronic illnesses; and prepare and distribute 10
90	90	policies, training materials, and school guidelines for managing students with 11
91	91	life-threatening allergies and chronic illnesses, including family 12
92	92	responsibilities, school responsibilities, and student responsibilities. 13
93	93	(16) Annually, convene a meeting of directors of Vermont educator 14
94	94	preparation programs and representatives of school boards, superintendents, 15
95	95	principals, educators, and the Vermont Standards Board to determine subject 16
96	96	and geographic areas in which there is a critical need for educators and to 17
97	97	discuss ways to meet the need. 18
98	98	(17) Encourage and facilitate collaboration among school districts and 19
99	99	supervisory unions to share information and expertise regarding low-incidence 20
100	100	special education needs. 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.101
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105	105	(18) Annually, inform superintendents and principals of regional 1
106	106	resources available to assist schools to provide instruction in cardiopulmonary 2
107	107	resuscitation and the use of automated external defibrillators and provide 3
108	108	updated information to the education community regarding the provision of a 4
109	109	comprehensive health education. 5
110	110	(19) Establish an information clearinghouse and accessible database to 6
111	111	help districts share information about educational programs and practices that 7
112	112	improve student performance. Educational programs and practices include 8
113	113	those designed to create and sustain a safe learning environment. 9
114	114	(20) Develop, in consultation with the Secretary of State, and make 10
115	115	available to school boards sample ballot language for issues that may be 11
116	116	decided by Australian ballot and for which no statutory language exists. 12
117	117	(21) Prepare a budget for the Agency and submit it to the Governor after 13
118	118	review by the State Board. 14
119	119	(22) Annually, prior to September 1, present the Governor’s education 15
120	120	policy priorities to the State Board. 16
121	121	(23) Provide statewide technical assistance to school districts and 17
122	122	supervisory unions on the implementation of all statewide requirements, 18
123	123	including: 19
124	124	(A) professional development; 20
125	125	(B) curriculum development; 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.101
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130	130	(C) education quality standards implementation; 1
131	131	(D) district quality standards implementation; 2
132	132	(E) statewide testing; 3
133	133	(F) rule changes; and 4
134	134	(G) all statewide initiatives. 5
135	135	Sec. 2. AGENCY OF EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION AND 6
136	136	ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS ; REPORT 7
137	137	(a) The Secretary of Education shall conduct a comprehensive program 8
138	138	evaluation and organizational analysis of the Agency of Education, which shall 9
139	139	include: 10
140	140	(1) an evaluation of the culture of the Agency; 11
141	141	(2) an Agency-wide pay scale analysis; 12
142	142	(3) an inventory of the training and reporting requirements currently 13
143	143	required of school districts by the Agency and the origin of those requirements; 14
144	144	and 15
145	145	(4) any other component of the Agency the Secretary deems relevant. 16
146	146	(b) On or before January 15, 2026, the Secretary shall issue a written report 17
147	147	to the Senate and House Committees on Education with the findings of the 18
148	148	evaluation and analysis required under subsection (a) of this section. The 19
149	149	report shall include the Secretary’s recommendations for any changes to the 20
150	150	Agency, efforts already underway to complete such changes, a timeline for any 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.101
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155	155	remaining changes, and any legislative changes necessary to achieve the 1
156	156	Secretary’s recommendations. 2
157	157	Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE 3
158	158	This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 4