[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6200423,"mediaKeyId","3813826-5c3ce454a8e03153a82453e2b42b601b","parentId",3813826,"title","Conference draft increases study funding and sets Agency of Education transformation appropriation","audioSeconds",86,"startMs",1003000,"endMs",1089000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3813826-5c3ce454a8e03153a82453e2b42b601b&start=1003&end=1089","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3813826-5c3ce454a8e03153a82453e2b42b601b/thumbnail_1003000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6200423/Vermont/Conference-draft-increases-study-funding-and-sets-Agency-of-Education-transformation-appropriation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6200423-cebde08865a1967aaebe5ba3c2c3bf56/orig.mp4?Expires=1770943269&Signature=TWpaAPAQY608uvCHmUPvlGdrZM5UHajyZ4K6UGToQQOEE5M2sZXv8MkDJMK0ARLEGkPhbQsWAi0dEBGMrcLN1aJZbkTG4swvf-NvB1x7RqtRRiynxsFG9tzIZP4gdxe-voEVWmaL6MJ6Vg0GUv5PD3KRvTyLBYR3qI-lUeZBgdl29GVUCxqpa-w4jGcZ5OdSV3fK7v70-kTY5IEFFcJ8TWIdx2aqrQ0Qdr6g-4ZDpxw6p8~QjMrC0BFpvFYVUzMgfsat02xB7gnytVahGXm-vfCMhTtDJylP9Gc8QJKIa3AaV5Uy-O0I~Swxdt4KyQJHym5dcGdIEIyYOUfIkecxEg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-06-13T13:52:52Z","article","Conferees reviewed updated appropriation totals in the H.454 conference draft tied to studies and Agency of Education (AOE) transformation work.

The draft increases the Joint Fiscal Office (JFO) appropriation for the 45a foundation-formula study from $150,000 (previously proposed) to $400,000. Staff said the increase was intended to expand the pool of potential contractors and allow for contracting with one or more contractors if appropriate (for example, separate contractors for CTE and high-school cost studies).

To align with the JFO increase, the conference draft updates the AOE transformation appropriation to a sum of $2,865,000, described in the draft as: $200,000 to support school-board transitions; $562,500 for new positions; and $2,102,500 for contracted services. The draft also enumerates the titles of proposed AOE positions (business operations support specialist; data integration support specialist; curriculum and education quality standards integration specialist; learning and teaching integration specialist; and school facility field support specialist).

Why it matters: the increased study funding and AOE appropriation reflect staff and conferees’ desire to ensure adequate resources for technical analysis, implementation support and hiring necessary staff to manage a multi-year transition to a new funding system.

Procedural notes and next steps

- Staff explained that JFO will be authorized to contract with one or more contractors to complete the 45a report; conferees asked that recommendations include whether secondary students cost more to educate and how to account for CTE within a foundation formula.
- The AOE appropriation is included in the draft to support rulemaking, transition management and contracted services; staff said editorial edits remain to confirm appropriation routing and budget language.

Quotes

“The additional appropriation to JFO was previously $150,000, and this is now $400,000,” the legislative counsel said while summarizing the draft’s funding changes.

Ending: Conferees asked staff to ensure the appropriation language aligns with budget documents and to finalize editing before the conference report is printed.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","H.454 CoC - 2025-06-13 - 9:50AM","oneSentenceSummary","The conference draft raises the Joint Fiscal Office study appropriation to $400,000 for the 45a report, and assigns $2,865,000 to the Agency of Education for transition work, positions and contracted services.","taxTitle","Education, SENATE, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",37663,"location","Vermont","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6200428,"Committee sets new commissions and task forces on district boundaries, voting wards and class-size minimums",289,1499000,1788000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3813826-5c3ce454a8e03153a82453e2b42b601b&start=1499&end=1788","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3813826-5c3ce454a8e03153a82453e2b42b601b/thumbnail_1499000.jpg","/articles/6200428/Vermont/Committee-sets-new-commissions-and-task-forces-on-district-boundaries-voting-wards-and-class-size-minimums","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6200428-4f819ab39a0086ed4b1d1a0062794762/orig.mp4?Expires=1770943269&Signature=n2ok5eY0KyGMHB8eC5JcULacsDI1z5VKaEg5Mf70PqYZ9cEeYI6VUwWXYeb4Ms~JNVsX6myEQPPH9fxfdELZcuD9CmdztNlaRWcsS6tknFaDwiAK122-HVYY1GQkTABj6iTioO4wOOJ-Ll5xRFi2l5nHO~9caMh~G~NxSfVmLtAY5cBemmuUZyubEyY8pE2VWfgYn2wurWP129MidremYiI2Fbwfv6hxGT9b2ReSKWv1RjXuAG7uhFXQTzJma3-n341luUgRfkQXa9OF2UwbW67GTj5Zss~LAIFQq-S8B7rt1ZXw69jJ5dQqnoHwdJHmuyZIZI0YIKd8AEOzdqthOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Conference committee staff summarized governance and accountability measures included in the H.454 conference draft: a Commission on the Future of Public Education, a School District Redistricting Task Force, a working group to recommend school-district voting wards and proportional representation, and newly proposed class-size minimums with related State Board responsibilities.

Key governance items

- Commission on the Future of Public Education: The commission’s charge is to recommend which functions should remain local and which should be state-controlled and to propose updates to school-district board roles and electorate responsibilities. The commission’s final report is due 12/01/2025. Staff noted the commission’s membership and charge but said some of the commission’s earlier duties were narrowed in the conference draft.
- School district redistricting task force: This task force derives membership from prior subcommittee proposals and includes five nonlegislative members appointed by legislative leaders and three House and three Senate legislative members. The task force must start meeting on or before 08/01/2025, collaborate with the commission’s public-engagement process, and deliver boundary proposals and maps by 12/01/2025. The draft suggests new school districts should have an average daily membership (ADM) “not fewer than approximately 4,000 and not more than 8,000 pre-K through grade 12 students,” where practicable.
- Voting-ward working group: Created from a House concept, the workgroup includes the secretary of state and members appointed by the municipal clerk-treasurer association and school boards association, plus an outside director; it must report on optimal numbers of school boards and boundaries with proportional representation and is scheduled to begin consultation with the redistricting task force by 10/15/2025.

Class-size minimums and State Board action

- The draft sets class-size minimums (with kindergarten excluded): grades 2–5 at 12 students, grades 6–8 at 15, and grades 9–12 required content areas at 18. The bill includes a waiver process and allows the State Board to take action where noncompliance persists for three consecutive school years; such State Board consolidation actions are not mandatory and would not be used where consolidation would create construction costs in excess of a district’s capital reserve.
- The State Board is required to initiate rulemaking to update education quality standards (including independence-school approval rules, the “2,200 series”) so compliance with class-size minimums is enforceable and to adopt statewide graduation standards.

Why it matters: the governance framework and class-size rules would reshape the state’s approach to district boundaries, representation and minimums for classroom size, tying state-level interventions to evidence-based or statutory thresholds and creating reporting deadlines for public-facing implementation.

Quotes and procedural notes

“The task force is required to work in collaboration with the Commission on the Future of Public Education's public engagement process to maximize input,” Beth St. James said while summarizing the draft.

Ending: Conferees asked staff to polish drafting and to resolve outstanding appropriation language; the draft sets clear report deadlines and implementation dates for the newly created entities.","Staff and conferees finalized language establishing a Commission on the Future of Public Education, a school-district redistricting task force, and a working group on voting wards; the draft also sets class-size minimums by grade bands and directs the State Board to update education quality standards.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6200433,"Conference draft sets foundation-formula mechanics, new homestead exemption and tax-classification study",925,2818000,3743000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3813826-5c3ce454a8e03153a82453e2b42b601b&start=2818&end=3743","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3813826-5c3ce454a8e03153a82453e2b42b601b/thumbnail_2818000.jpg","/articles/6200433/Vermont/Conference-draft-sets-foundation-formula-mechanics-new-homestead-exemption-and-tax-classification-study","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6200433-692b75a0c7f61cd4cc411456b918a34a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770943269&Signature=kbrGlnpIsMzQH5Q0CrxphyVuWdmfIu9dqvGEZ1~RHo4U3TqtJVCVxg9jNAbelLweBp8YMM499L4y69B23Wm6FMoWYRw6t7MTiytHSODXk0~~4wchAvsOqa4XN1tOano9XxfWPaT1MUir9f2mTnVgKxCjVY3S7cXQpnmilnLo3p8myQGsiT6ZJRvxGxkf~AfBNSVX8o4ouK~JUcVevpYfLSrYDAMED0r~H-oePArE5Y0UMOZm75RK1-6E5wtpnBNo0Ket5Zr0CsHPS2EQwHI29JewZbqzHeJ9eYh~1kfIT4LokKBu0s6SH2JAQ3aAQBWkeWVrFcwmtkMM1Bp0V5ipTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Conference committee staff walked conferees through the education finance sections of the H.454 conference draft, detailing the base amount, weight structure, transition timelines and a proposal to replace the state’s property tax credit with a homestead exemption.

Key finance elements summarized by legislative counsel include:

- Base amount and EOP: The draft sets a base amount of $15,033 per pupil and defines the Educational Opportunity Payment (EOP) as the base multiplied by weighted long-term membership.
- Weights and pre-K: The weight schedule includes special-education categories, tiered English-learner weights and a new pre-K weight described in the draft as “a negative 0.54 for pupils enrolled pre-k.” The draft also directs AOE and JFO to regularly reevaluate inputs and consult a professional-judgment panel.
- Transition to EOP and tuition: The bill lays out a multi-year transition (fiscal years 2029–2033 referenced) to move districts to EOP and to adjust tuitioning during the transition period; subsection language makes tuition the combination of the base and applicable weights once the foundation formula takes effect.
- Supplemental district spending (SDS) reserve and caps: The draft creates a supplemental district spending reserve, changes recapture mechanics and establishes a statutory cap on supplemental district spending. The cap phases from an initial higher percentage down to a statutory 5% over the transition years; the draft also preserves room for a stabilization/reserve structure and reports to guide these transitions.
- Homestead exemption and property-tax classification: The conference draft replaces the current property tax credit (PTC) with a homestead exemption provision. The draft presents income-sensitive brackets and a cap: the exemption applies against up to $425,000 of homestead assessed value in the staff table. The department of taxes is assigned to report back on design choices, inflation adjustments, and the effects of moving to income-sensitivity measures that could reach household incomes up to $175,000.
- Property-tax classification study and multipliers: The draft creates a new nonhomestead-residential classification (to capture non-homestead residential uses including short-term rentals), directs the Department of Taxes to report on rate multipliers for that classification, and includes intent language to reevaluate tax classifications when multipliers change.

Why it matters: these provisions change the state’s K–12 finance architecture and property-tax relief mechanism. The homestead-exemption design and the transition path for the EOP will affect property-tax bills, state aid distribution, and district budgets across Vermont.

Notable figures and timing

- Base amount: $15,033 per pupil (referenced in the draft).
- Pre-K weight: draft references a negative 0.54 for pre-K pupils.
- Transition window: multi-year transition with major changes noted through fiscal year 2033; many provisions contingent on districts being operational by 07/01/2028.
- Homestead exemption cap: exemption applied against up to $425,000 in assessed homestead value (table in draft). The Department of Taxes will report by 12/15/2027 with design recommendations.

Quotes

“You'll recall, these are just your core foundation formula concepts. It's on page 72,” John Gray, Office of Legislative Council, said in summarizing the finance section.

Ending: Conferees asked staff to verify cross-references and to ensure the Department of Taxes and JFO reports align with the transition schedule; staff noted many of these provisions were previously negotiated and that additional editorial fixes are expected before a final conference report.","Conferees reviewed the foundation-formula design (base $15,033, weights, pre-K weight), transition schedule for EOP and tuition, and a proposed homestead exemption to replace the property tax credit; the department of taxes will report on tax-classification multipliers.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6200438,"Conference draft narrows eligibility for public tuition to approved independent schools, allows limited supplemental fee for secondary grades",2378,223000,2601000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3813826-5c3ce454a8e03153a82453e2b42b601b&start=223&end=2601","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3813826-5c3ce454a8e03153a82453e2b42b601b/thumbnail_223000.jpg","/articles/6200438/Vermont/Conference-draft-narrows-eligibility-for-public-tuition-to-approved-independent-schools-allows-limited-supplemental-fee-for-secondary-grades","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6200438-7f51c71a2be5ed5720de0e228ee38c05/orig.mp4?Expires=1770943269&Signature=VvT4HuizDj12eJhn~fM9TP6Vw7f3DdxwUYVWS17G4HBTovrib0fztWexyhumWUWGp89z9MjpKPkFB78~COzj9Ffk2nBYh4vOzTub53IkHurUrHatjqtj42L5ok1NtLmxDFFHrgFM1WgJmAZtSQXF3ULr-o7yiHqIeUjU6~FTP7R6ETN1PmrxSOGYpRfRUrLdpG6q~XNL7~~8YV~7LGnN4fAsKcALfd~4Q24UW6G7tjV5unHJCtgdpCf~VwfcZaEyLFtAsjPh~b9XCeHY~sHeniOgwPO3LMrWSMVQOhQ4mYnk0B3Vvw-qvJOmeR6cqplNzXu~Q~1GU5nykWqlW4Xpaw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Conferees reviewed a revised tuition section in the H.454 conference draft that changes eligibility for public tuition payments and adds a narrowly defined process for receiving schools to charge supplemental fees for high-school grades.

Under the draft, an approved independent school must meet multiple conditions to be eligible for public tuition: it must be located in Vermont, be an approved independent school as of the relevant cutoff date, be located in a supervisory union that does not operate some or all grades as of 07/01/2024, and have at least 25% of its student enrollment composed of students attending on a publicly funded tuition basis. Additionally, the independent school must comply with the bill’s class-size minimums or an approved waiver process.

The draft creates a new subsection (b) that would allow a receiving school to charge an additional fee for students in grades 9–12 equal to up to 0.05 times the base amount (a 5% surcharge) \"in addition to the tuition amount calculated in subsection a,\" but only if several conditions are met: the receiving school obtains approval from the State Board of Education under rules the board adopts; the electorate of each sending school district with at least one student attending the receiving school has approved supplemental district spending sufficient to cover the additional fee; and the fee is applied uniformly to all publicly funded students attending the receiving school (the receiving school is prohibited from charging different fees to different districts).

The draft also explicitly excludes approved independent schools that are functioning as area career and technical education (CTE) centers from the receiving-school definition for the supplemental-fee provision. Separately, the bill continues to allow an approved independent school functioning as a CTE center to charge its full tuition to a sending district.

Why it matters: these changes alter which private or independent schools can receive public tuition and set a pathway for receiving schools to obtain additional funding to cover secondary-grade costs — but only after State Board approval and voter authorization of supplemental district spending to cover the fee.

Procedural and timing details

- The additional fee would take effect contingently on 07/01/2028, aligned with the foundation-formula transition and only if the 45a study supports a secondary-weight differential and the legislature has not enacted a secondary student weight.
- The State Board must adopt rules governing the approval process for a receiving school to charge the additional fee on or before 07/01/2027.
- The draft requires that a receiving school that charges a fee must demonstrate the fee is necessary to educate the specific students and that the fee will be used for those students and not shifted elsewhere in the school’s budget.

Quotes

“We have joined you at 25%,” Beth St. James, Office of Legislative Council, said while summarizing the conference draft’s enrollment threshold provision.

Clarifying details noted in committee

- The 25% threshold in the house counterproposal is tied to the receiving school's total enrollment, not to a share of all Vermont students, which staff said the conferees preferred as a representation of independent schools that operate in place of a public school.
- The supplemental fee is described as the product of the base amount and up to 0.05 (5%) for each student in grades 9–12, contingent on State Board approval and voter-supported supplemental district spending.

Ending: Conferees asked staff to ensure cross-references and transition language are consistent across the tuition and foundation-formula sections; staff flagged that some editorial fixes remain before a final conference report is printed.","The conference draft revises who may receive public tuition and adds a process for receiving schools to charge an additional fee for grades 9–12 under tightly defined conditions; approved independent schools must meet a 25% publicly funded-enrollment threshold and comply with class-size minimums.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6200443,"Conference committee presents consolidated education conference report, narrows remaining disputes",4338,1000,4339000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3813826-5c3ce454a8e03153a82453e2b42b601b&start=1&end=4339","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3813826-5c3ce454a8e03153a82453e2b42b601b/thumbnail_1000.jpg","/articles/6200443/Vermont/Conference-committee-presents-consolidated-education-conference-report-narrows-remaining-disputes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6200443-04b40fbb13d5f35234fb7115f8c7c582/orig.mp4?Expires=1770943269&Signature=h3jbXfvA7BmhyN0E7Q1QcaTaB4JOALxPFaWIQ9jgFXo5yUILqtzMMlcg0OUaf6P1dST-aDC-M4alOlYwLfEKtJxYd~TyKgJ8X5jq~Y~HC7P6RBlKlyeoA2~qj9gTEvJmNZCDm0Ed9kxScEKsxh7zWFb7xCd1IolZbVl5KPh4C50plJhGk6NeK9oXtffM~v7DsQspwuE4E3WM~jK0wfDx9aY1yDXdzxWi~h0Likan67DpIe9~Arwu5MnbAeMF-jOg0N3BsAywW7baKRgWWBUVjajdr3xabPCPLtPrDWyrkaKHabYzv0SX9D8BHXng-xxMyx809ik7MvLgf7DiBrqyOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House and Senate conferees on H.454 met June 13 to walk through an 11-page conference counterproposal that the house circulated and to flag remaining areas of disagreement and agreed language for a final conference report.

The committee’s legislative staff summarized the package and said the draft highlights areas where the two chambers have converged and where final editing remains. “We have agreed to delete this section completely, despite our concerns about what may happen going forward,” Beth St. James, Office of Legislative Council, said while describing the house proposal to remove a school-closure provision. John Graham, legislative counsel, clarified certain budget phrasing, saying the language aims “to protect the full faith and credit of the state.”

The conference report consolidates numerous policy changes: updated foundation-formula mechanics (base amount, weights and an educational opportunity payment), tuition and receiving-school rules, a new homestead exemption to replace the current property tax credit, new task forces and commissions on district boundaries and voting wards, state aid for school construction, class-size minimums and timelines for state rulemaking. The draft also adjusts appropriations for studies and implementation assistance.

Legislative counsel summarized several specific edits in the house’s counterproposal: highlighted text shows house-origin language while green indicates language the senate had proposed earlier. Staff noted they printed a complete bill to help conferees “recenter ourselves” for final negotiations. Several deadlines and contingencies are tied to the broader foundation-formula rollout; key effective dates in the draft are contingent on districts being operational and on receipt of required JFO (Joint Fiscal Office) reports.

Why it matters: the package would reshape how Vermont funds K–12 education, the eligibility rules for approved independent schools that receive public tuition, the state’s role in school-district boundary decisions, and the structure of property-tax relief. Conferees flagged that many elements remain contingent on future reports, rulemaking and statutory transitions, and staff will produce an edited, finalized conference report for review.

Details and next steps

- The conference report in the staff draft removes a contested school-closure provision (section 11) at the house’s request; conferees noted the deletion carries additional downstream consequences in the bill text.
- The draft includes new rulemaking deadlines: for example, the State Board of Education must adopt rules by 07/01/2027 to govern approval of receiving schools that would charge additional fees under the tuition provisions.
- Several provisions are contingent on the foundation formula and associated transition reports (notably the 45a report) and would take effect on 07/01/2028 if the listed conditions are met.
- Staff will produce an edited conference report (clean copy) and reconvene conferees for final action; the committee planned to resume at 1:00 p.m. on the same day.

Speakers cited in this article spoke during the committee’s walk-through of the house counterproposal and the consolidated draft. The draft remains subject to further editing and final approval by conferees.

Ending: Conferees left with a printed conference report and a short window to finalize remaining language; staff said the printed draft would be updated for editorial fixes before final adoption.","House and Senate conferees reviewed a consolidated conference report on school finance and education policy, agreeing to narrow language on several contested items, set deadlines for rulemaking and studies, and include contingent effective dates tied to foundation formula implementation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Conference draft increases study funding and sets Agency of Education transformation appropriation

Committee sets new commissions and task forces on district boundaries, voting wards and class-size minimums

Conference draft sets foundation-formula mechanics, new homestead exemption and tax-classification study

Conference draft narrows eligibility for public tuition to approved independent schools, allows limited supplemental fee for secondary grades

Conference committee presents consolidated education conference report, narrows remaining disputes