A fragile, tripartisan alliance in the Vermont House passed a sweeping, multi-year education reform package Friday in an 87-55 vote. But Republicans lawmakers and Gov. Phil Scott have made clear they will withhold the support needed to get any measure over the finish line without further concessions.
For Republicans, moves too slowly and does not sufficiently contain costs. And for many rural Democrats, the legislation is unacceptably hostile to the state鈥檚 smaller schools. But enough lawmakers held their nose Friday to advance the bill on to the Senate and keep education reform on track in Montpelier.
鈥淚 voted yes because the status quo is unacceptable for our kids, teachers, and communities,鈥� House Speaker Jill Krowinski said in a statement. 鈥淚 know change is hard, but we must lead and create stability in our public education system. This is our moment. Let鈥檚 show every kid in our state, no matter where they live, they will have the best education at a price we can afford.鈥�
Friday鈥檚 vote came after fevered negotiations Thursday, when it was unclear whether the measure would have enough support to even move to the next step. While the bill won preliminary approval on the House floor Thursday, it did so on a voice vote 鈥� a procedural tactic that allowed the bill to move forward without a roll call, and gave parties more time to negotiate.
House Republicans have been emphatic, and in lockstep with the governor, in panning the bill. But on Friday, eight GOP lawmakers voted to advance H.454 to the Senate.
鈥淲e wanted to keep the bill alive,鈥� Rep. Casey Toof, a St. Albans Republican who led negotiations between the governor鈥檚 office and Democratic leadership, said in an interview. 鈥淲e need education reform by the end of this legislative session, or we're not doing our jobs.鈥�
Even without Republican votes, Democrats, Progressives, and independents had the simple majority Friday necessary to move the bill over to the other chamber. But just barely: 74 Democrats voted yes on the bill, alongside 3 Progressives and 2 independents. And without a veto-proof majority, Democrats will eventually need Republican support 鈥� support which will be withheld without further concessions, House Minority Leader Pattie McCoy said Friday.
H.454 would dramatically upend how schools in Vermont are paid for, governed, and run. After a stunning number of school budget defeats last March and a streak of Republican upsets in November, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle returned to Montpelier promising generational reform to Vermont鈥檚 pre-K-12 system.
We need education reform by the end of this legislative session, or we're not doing our jobs.Rep. Casey Toof, R-St. Albans
Scott began the session by proposing that Vermont consolidate nearly all of the state鈥檚 119 school districts into five (Vermont鈥檚 two inter-state districts would have remained as-is). And he also proposed moving to a foundation formula, whereby the state 鈥� not local voters 鈥� would decide how much Vermont schools should spend. (Districts could still hold votes to approve some additional spending.)
Democratic leaders have generally agreed that Vermont should consolidate school districts and switch to a foundation formula. But on most details, large and small, they have disagreed.
Scott, for example, wants a map of districts drawn this year. House Democrats want a redistricting commission to draw lines and return with proposals that lawmakers can vote on next year. While Republicans have continued to argue the House Democratic position too slow, they won a small concession in the form of an amendment, sponsored by Toof and House Majority Leader Lori Houghton, which would put lawmakers on this redistricting commission. The amendment would also require the redistricting panel to work in parallel with an election rules task force, which Republicans hope can expedite the process.
Where Scott鈥檚 foundation formula would cut spending by an estimated $184 million, the House鈥檚 formula would not immediately reduce overall spending. In fact, the latest modeling shows that, if such a formula were in place now, schools would collectively receive roughly 2% more in state funding than they do currently.
But the House鈥檚 proposal would dramatically . Several areas 鈥� most notably the Rutland, Bennington, and Northeast Kingdom regions, would receive significantly more money than they currently spend. Addison County and the eastern parts of Chittenden County, meanwhile, would see dramatic reductions in funding.
House Democrats do say their formula would eventually bend the cost curve as other reforms come into effect. Most notably, the legislation also includes both class and school size minimums, which proponents say will allow schools to achieve economies of scale. But it鈥檚 those very same class and school size minimize that led to a number of Democratic defections Friday.
鈥淢y constituents hate this bill,鈥� Tunbridge Rep. John O鈥橞rien told his colleagues in a floor speech. 鈥淚 don't want to be the representative that has to go home and say, 鈥楾oday I voted to close every one of our schools.鈥欌��
It鈥檚 unknown, at this point, which schools would actually close if the bill became law. The State Board of Education could grant waivers if it determines a school is geographically isolated.
