| 1 | 1 | | BILL AS INTRODUCED S.52 |
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| 2 | 2 | | 2025 Page 1 of 2 |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | VT LEG #380360 v.2 |
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| 6 | 6 | | S.52 1 |
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| 7 | 7 | | SHORT FORM 2 |
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| 8 | 8 | | Introduced by Senator Watson 3 |
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| 9 | 9 | | Referred to Committee on 4 |
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| 10 | 10 | | Date: 5 |
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| 11 | 11 | | Subject: Education; Agency of Education; school district merger; school 6 |
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| 12 | 12 | | closure 7 |
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| 13 | 13 | | Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require the 8 |
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| 14 | 14 | | Agency of Education to develop a framework for considerations a school 9 |
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| 15 | 15 | | district is required to make when considering merging with another district, as 10 |
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| 16 | 16 | | well as require the Agency to provide advice on each consideration, including 11 |
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| 17 | 17 | | cultural considerations when the districts considering merger have different 12 |
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| 18 | 18 | | course offerings; how the community will navigate the cultural, social, and 13 |
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| 19 | 19 | | identity implications of closing a school; how a district will help prepare 14 |
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| 20 | 20 | | students for the transition if a school closes; how to help students through the 15 |
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| 21 | 21 | | transition when they are attending school in a new building; how to repurpose 16 |
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| 22 | 22 | | a school building after closure, including how to account for maintenance 17 |
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| 23 | 23 | | costs; and how to factor in geographic proximity and transportation 18 |
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| 24 | 24 | | considerations. This bill also proposes to create funding sources to assist with 19 |
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| 25 | 25 | | the repurposing of closed school buildings; for facilitation around cultural 20 |
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| 26 | 26 | | differences; and to support municipalities or districts that close a school 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED S.52 |
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| 27 | 27 | | 2025 Page 2 of 2 |
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| 28 | 28 | | |
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| 29 | 29 | | |
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| 30 | 30 | | VT LEG #380360 v.2 |
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| 31 | 31 | | building with the operational costs of that building for a period of time after it 1 |
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| 32 | 32 | | is closed, until it can be sold or repurposed. 2 |
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| 33 | 33 | | An act relating to consolidation pathways 3 |
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| 34 | 34 | | It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 4 |
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| 35 | 35 | | (TEXT OMITTED IN SHORT-FORM BILLS) 5 |
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