The Vermont Rural School Community Alliance
Education Transformation Platform
We believe that the Vermont Legislature should seek a balanced response to this question:
How can Vermont provide an excellent public education system that prepares children for success, supports families and thriving communities, and is delivered at a cost hardworking Vermonters can afford?
Our platform provides recommendations based on current tax realities and in response to plans being presented by Governor Scott and the legislature in hopes of answering this question. Our platform contains five guiding principles around these topics:
Educating young students.
Elementary-aged children should be educated close to home. We support Vermont public schools of all sizes. Elementary schools are a fundamental element to a thriving community.
Opportunities for older kids.
Older students tend to be able to travel longer distances, are ready developmentally to thrive amidst larger peer groups, and can take advantage of increased program choices and expanded extracurricular activities in larger regional schools.
Keeping schools open.
Closing schools is not necessarily the fix for Vermont’s problems – and could create damaging new ones. Research shows no consistent correlation between cost and quality in relation to size, and closing schools frequently fails to produce the savings anticipated after factoring in resulting increases in costs, such as transportation.
School governance.
School Governance should be a partnership between districts and state.
State standards and accountability are important. School districts welcome clear expectations, rules, guidance, and accountability. Democratically elected local School boards are an asset, they add value to Vermont’s Education system at little cost.
Funding reform.
Funding reform should center on equity and fairness, while strengthening Vermont communities. We need an education funding system that provides immediate tax relief to low- and middle-income Vermonters and distributes education funds equitably, while strengthening high quality education across the state.