BILLASPASSEDBYTHEHOUSE H.480
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H.480
IntroducedbyCommitteeonEducation
Date:
Subject:Education
Statementofpurposeofbillasintroduced:Thisbillproposestomake
miscellaneousamendmentstoeducationlaw,including(1)amendmentsto
2023ActsandResolvesNo.29,Anactrelatingtoschoolsafety;(2)
amendmentstothelistofpostsecondaryschoolsaccreditedtooperatein
Vermont;(3)excludingcontractsforthepurchaseoffoodmadefroma
nonprofitschoolfoodservicesaccountfromtherequirementsof16V.S.A.
§ 559(publicbids);(4)addingasectiontotheflexiblepathwayschapterin
Title16tocodifythevirtuallearningpathway;(5)amendmentstotheBOCES
grantprogram;(6)arequirementforschooldistrictstoincludemilitary-related
optionsincareerdevelopmentandpostsecondaryplanningresourcesaspartof
theFlexiblePathwaysInitiativeandastudent’spersonalizedlearningplan;and
(7)amendmentstotheSecretaryofEducationsearchprocess.
Anactrelatingtomiscellaneousamendmentstoeducationlaw
ItisherebyenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyoftheStateofVermont:
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***SchoolSafety***
Sec.1.2023ActsandResolvesNo.29,Secs.5and6areamendedtoread:
Sec.5.BEHAVIORALTHREATASSESSMENTTEAMS;
IMPLEMENTATION
***
(c)TheAgencyofEducationshallestablishguidelinesnecessarytocollect
thedatarequiredpursuantto16V.S.A.§ 1485(e).Eachsupervisoryunion,
supervisorydistrict,andindependentschoolusingbehavioralthreatassessment
teamsasofJuly1,2023shallcomplywiththedatacollectionrequirements
under16V.S.A.§ 1485(e)beginninginthe2023–2024schoolyear.
[Repealed.]
***
Sec.6.EFFECTIVEDATES
***
(c)Sec.2(16V.S.A.§ 1480)shalltakeeffectonJuly1,20242025.
(d)Sec.4(16V.S.A.§ 1485)shalltakeeffectonJuly1,20252027.
***PostsecondarySchoolsCharteredinVermont***
Sec.2.16V.S.A.§ 176(d)isamendedtoread:
(d)Exemptions.Thefollowingareexemptfromtherequirementsofthis
sectionexceptfortherequirementsofsubdivision(c)(1)(C)ofthissection:
***
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(4)Postsecondaryschoolsthatareaccredited.Thefollowing
postsecondaryinstitutionsareaccredited,meetthecriteriaforexemptstatus,
andareauthorizedtooperateeducationalprogramsbeyondsecondary
education,includingprogramsleadingtoadegreeorcertificate:Bennington
College,ChamplainCollege,CollegeofSt.Joseph,GoddardCollege,Green
MountainCollege,LandmarkCollege,MarlboroCollege,MiddleburyCollege,
NewEnglandCulinaryInstitute,NorwichUniversity,SaintMichael’sCollege,
SITGraduateInstitute,SouthernVermontCollege,SterlingCollege,Vermont
CollegeofFineArts,andVermontLawandGraduateSchool.This
authorizationisprovidedsolelytotheextentnecessarytoensureinstitutional
compliancewithfederalfinancialaid-relatedregulations,anditdoesnot
affect,rescind,orsupersedeanypreexistingauthorizations,charters,orother
formsofrecognitionorauthorization.
***
***NutritionContractsandPublicBids***
Sec.3.16V.S.A.§ 559isamendedtoread:
§559.PUBLICBIDS
***
(e)Applicationofthissection.Anycontractenteredintoorpurchasemade
inviolationoftheprovisionsofthissectionshallbevoid;provided,however,
that:
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(1)Theprovisionsofthissectionshallnotapplytocontractsforthe
purchaseofbooksorothermaterialsofinstruction.
(2)Aschoolboardmaynameinthespecificationsandinvitationsfor
bidsunderthissectiontheparticularmake,kind,orbrandofarticleorarticles
tobepurchasedorcontracted.
(3)Nothinginthissectionshallapplytoemergencyrepairs.
(4)Nothinginthissectionshallbeconstruedtoprohibitaschoolboard
fromawardingaschoolnutritioncontractafterusinganymethodofbiddingor
requestsforproposalspermittedunderfederallawforawardofthecontract.
Notwithstandingthemonetaryamountinsubsection(a)ofthissectionfor
whichaschoolboardisrequiredtoadvertisepubliclyorinvitethreeormore
bidsorrequestsforproposal,aschoolboardisrequiredtopubliclyadvertise
orinvitethreeormorebidsorrequestsforproposalforpurchasesmadefrom
thenonprofitschoolfoodserviceaccountforpurchasesinexcessofthefederal
simplifiedacquisitionthresholdwhenpurchasingfoodorinexcessof
$25,000.00whenpurchasingnonfooditems,unlessamunicipalitysetsalower
thresholdforpurchasesfromthenonprofitschoolfoodserviceaccount.The
provisionsofthissectionshallnotapplytocontractsforthepurchaseoffood
madefromanonprofitschoolfoodservicesaccount.
***
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***VirtualLearning***
Sec.4.16V.S.A.§ 948isaddedtoread:
§ 948.VIRTUALLEARNING
(a)TheAgencyofEducationshallmaintainaccesstoandoversightofa
virtuallearningproviderforthepurposeofofferingvirtuallearning
opportunitiestoVermontstudents.
(b)Astudentmayenrollinvirtuallearningif:
(1)thestudentisenrolledinaVermontpublicschool,includinga
Vermontcareertechnicalcenter;
(2)virtuallearningisdeterminedtobeanappropriatelearningpathway
outlinedinthestudent’spersonalizedlearningplan;and
(3)thestudent’slearningexperienceoccursunderthesupervisionofan
appropriatelylicensededucatorandalignswithStateexpectationsand
standards,asadoptedbytheAgencyandtheStateBoardofEducation,as
applicable.
(c)Aschooldistrictshallcountastudentenrolledinvirtuallearninginthe
schooldistrict’saveragedailymembership,asdefinedinsection4001ofthis
title,ifthestudentmeetsallofthecriteriainsubsection(b)ofthissection.
Sec.5.16V.S.A.§ 942(13)isamendedtoread:
(13)“Virtuallearning”meanslearninginwhichtheteacherandstudent
communicateconcurrentlythroughreal-timetelecommunication.“Virtual
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learning”alsomeansonlinelearninginwhichcommunicationbetweenthe
teacherandstudentdoesnotoccurconcurrentlyandthestudentworks
accordingtohisorherownscheduleanintentionallydesignedlearning
environmentforonlineteachingandlearningusingonlinedesignprinciples
andteacherstrainedinthedeliveryofonlineinstruction.Thisinstructionmay
takeplaceeitherinaself-pacedenvironmentorareal-timeenvironment.
***BOCESStart-upGrantProgram***
Sec.6.2024ActsandResolvesNo.168,Sec.4isamendedtoread:
Sec.4.BOCESGRANTPROGRAM;APPROPRIATION
(a)ThereisestablishedtheBoardsofCooperativeEducationServices
Start-upGrantProgram,tobeadministeredbytheAgencyofEducation,from
fundsappropriatedforthispurpose,toawardgrantstoenabletheformationof
boardsofcooperativeeducationservices(BOCES)formedpursuantto
16 V.S.A.chapter10afterJuly1,2024.BOCESSupervisoryunionsshallbe
eligibleforasingle$10,000.00grantaftertheSecretaryofEducationapproves
theapplicant’sinitialarticlesofagreementpursuantto16 V.S.A.§ 603(b)two
ormoreboardsvotetoexploretheadvisabilityofformingaboardof
cooperativeeducationservicespursuantto16V.S.A.§ 603(a).Grantsmaybe
usedforstart-upandformationcostsandmayincludereimbursementto
membersupervisoryunionsforcostsincurredduringtheexplorationand
formationoftheBOCESandarticlesofagreement,includingthedevelopment
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ofproposedarticlesofagreement.Grantsshallbeawardedtoonlyone
supervisoryunionwithineachgroupofsupervisoryunionsexploringthe
formationofaBOCES.
(b)Notwithstandinganyprovisionof16V.S.A.§ 4025tothecontrary,the
sumof$70,000.00isappropriatedfromtheEducationFundtotheAgencyof
Educationinfiscalyear2025tofundtheBoardsofCooperativeEducation
ServicesStart-upGrantProgramcreatedinsubsection(a)ofthissection.
Unexpendedappropriationsshallcarryforwardintothesubsequentfiscalyear
andremainavailableforuseforthispurpose.
***Military-relatedPostsecondaryOpportunities***
Sec.7.16V.S.A.§ 941isamendedtoread:
§941.FLEXIBLEPATHWAYSINITIATIVE
(a)ThereiscreatedwithintheAgencyaFlexiblePathwaysInitiative:
(1)toencourageandsupportthecreativityofschooldistrictsasthey
developandexpandhigh-qualityeducationalexperiencesthatareanintegral
partofsecondaryeducationintheevolving21stCenturycenturyclassroom;
(2)topromoteopportunitiesforVermontstudentstoachieve
postsecondaryreadinessthroughhigh-qualityeducationalexperiencesthat
acknowledgeindividualgoals,learningstyles,andabilities;and
(3)toincreasetheratesofsecondaryschoolcompletionand
postsecondarycontinuationandretentioninVermont.
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(b)TheSecretaryshalldevelop,publish,andregularlyupdateguidance,in
theformoftechnicalassistance,sharingofbestpracticesandmodel
documents,legalinterpretations,andothersupportdesignedtoassistschool
districts:
(1)toToidentifyandsupportsecondarystudentswhorequireadditional
assistancetosucceedinschoolandtoidentifywaysinwhichindividual
studentswouldbenefitfromflexiblepathwaystograduation;.
(2)toToworkwitheverystudentingrade7seventhroughgrade12in
anongoingpersonalizedlearningplanningprocessthat:
(A)identifiesthestudent’semergingabilities,aptitude,and
disposition;
(B)includesparticipationbyfamiliesandotherengagedadults;
(C)guidesdecisionsregardingcourseofferingsandotherhigh-
qualityeducationalexperiences;and
(D)identifiescareerandpostsecondaryplanningoptionsusing
resourcesprovidedpursuanttosubdivision(4)ofthissubsection(b);and
(E)isdocumentedbyapersonalizedlearningplan;.
(3)toTocreateopportunitiesforsecondarystudentstopursueflexible
pathwaystograduationthat:
(A)increaseaspirationandencouragepostsecondarycontinuationof
trainingandeducation;
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(B)areanintegralcomponentofastudent’spersonalizedlearning
plan;and
(C)include:
(i)appliedorwork-basedlearningopportunities,includingcareer
andcareertechnicaleducationandinternships;
(ii)virtuallearningandblendedlearning;
(iii)dualenrollmentopportunitiesassetforthinsection944of
thistitle;
(iv)earlycollegeprogramsassetforthinsubsection4011(e)of
thistitle;and
(v)[Repealed.]
(vi)adulteducationandsecondarycredentialopportunitiesasset
forthinsection945ofthistitle;and.
(4)toToprovidestudents,beginningnonotlaterthaningrade7seven,
withcareerdevelopmentandpostsecondaryplanningresourcestoensurethat
theyareabletotakefulladvantageoftheopportunitiesavailablewithinthe
flexiblepathwaystograduationandtoachievetheircareerandpostsecondary
educationandtraininggoals.Resourcesprovidedpursuanttothissubdivision
shallincludeinformationregardingtheadmissionsprocessandrequirements
necessarytoproceedwithanyandallmilitary-relatedopportunities.
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(c)Nothinginthissubchaptershallbeconstruedasdiscouragingor
limitingtheauthorityofanyschooldistricttodeveloporcontinuetoprovide
educationalopportunitiesforitsstudentsthatareotherwisepermitted,
includingtheprovisionofAdvancedPlacementcourses.
(d)Anindividualentitlementorprivaterightofactionshallnotarisefrom
creationofapersonalizedlearningplan.
***SecretaryofEducationSearch***
Sec.8.3V.S.A.§ 2702isamendedtoread:
§2702.SECRETARYOFEDUCATION
(a)WiththeadviceandconsentoftheSenate,theGovernorshallappointa
SecretaryofEducationfromamongnonotfewerthanthreecandidates
proposedbytheStateBoardofEducation.TheSecretaryshallserveatthe
pleasureoftheGovernor.
(1)TheStateBoardshallbeginarobustnationalsearchprocessnotlater
than60daysafterpublicnotificationoftheresignationofaSecretaryof
Education.
(2)TheStateBoardmayrequestfromtheAgencyofEducationthe
fundsnecessarytoutilizeoutsideresourcesforthesearchprocessrequired
pursuanttothissubsection.
(b)TheSecretaryshallreportdirectlytotheGovernorandshallbea
memberoftheGovernor’sCabinet.
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(c)Atthetimeofappointment,theSecretaryshallhaveexpertisein
educationmanagementandpolicyanddemonstratedleadershipand
managementabilities.
***EffectiveDates***
Sec.9.EFFECTIVEDATES
Thisactshalltakeeffectonpassage,exceptthatSec.7(military-related
postsecondaryopportunities)shalltakeeffectonJuly1,2025.
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