Tuesday, March 31, 2009 - Issue #7

Printer Friendly Versions:

MSWord

Acrobat

Education Committees to Hold Hearing on Repeal of Act 82

The Senate and House committees on education will hold a joint hearing on S.24, a bill that would repeal the divided question (or “two-vote”) provision of Act 82 this Thursday, April 2 at 1:30 p.m. in Room 10 of the Statehouse. Any interested person is welcome to come in and briefly testify on any aspect of S.24 and the Act 82 divided question.

Because the hearing is being held on Thursday, this week would be a good time to contact legislators and share your experiences with the Act 82 two-vote requirement. Upon request, the VSA, VPA and VSBA would be pleased to send our members background materials to use when communicating with legislators, but the most persuasive messages will stress specific instances that you have experienced and that show how the two-vote requirement has negatively impacted your budget adoption process.

Here are two easy ways to contact your local senators and representatives: (1) E-mail him or her (e-mails available at the Legislative Directory: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/legdir/legdir2.htm), or (2) Leave a phone message for any senator or representative via the Sergeant-at-arms office (828-2228).

Senate Education Committee Passes High School Completion Bill

On Friday, the Senate Education Committee approved its high school completion bill, S.136. The bill will be considered by the full Senate this week. The bill has the following provisions:

· S.136 states that it is the goal of the Legislature and the Department of Education to reduce the drop-out rate in Vermont to zero by 2020.

· Effective September 1, 2010, the responsibilities of educational support teams would be increased by including a new requirement:

“16 V.S.A. § 2902(c)(5) Evaluate all students enrolled in the sixth grade to identify each student whose academic progress, behavior, attendance record, level of engagement with the school community, or other evidence-based indicators identified by the school suggest a high level of risk that the student will not complete his or her secondary education. The commissioner shall develop and publish guidelines for the evaluation. The educational support team may also evaluate an individual student in any grade for the student’s risk of non-completion.”

· The bill also requires that if a student is identified as being at-risk for not completing high school by the sixth grade support team evaluation or otherwise, or if any student falls two or more grades below grade-level expectations or has a five-Carnegie unit deficit for on-time graduation, the school district must:

“…provide targeted academic supports and accommodations, such as individual tutoring, evidence-based literacy instruction, alternative and extended scheduling, and opportunities to earn necessary credits, pursuant to guidelines developed by the commissioner.”

Districts would be required to begin implementation of this requirement by September 1, 2010.

· S.136 requires that each school district that operates a school “develop and enhance flexible, evidence-based programs…” that would be available to fulfill the “targeted academic supports and accommodations” required by the above paragraph. The bill suggests, but does not require, examples of “potential program components” that would meet this requirement.

· S.136 expands eligibility for the high school completion program (16 V.S.A. § 1049a) to enrolled students (currently, it is offered only to non-enrolled persons without a high school diploma). The bill explicitly states that graduation education plans for students 16 years and older include “services relevant to the student’s goals such as: (A) Career exploration. (B) Workforce training. (C) Workplace readiness training. (D) Preparation for postsecondary training or education and transition assistance.”

· S.136 further requires the Commissioner of Education to develop “an accurate, uniform, and reliable method for defining and measuring secondary school drop-out rates… and shall set benchmarks for assessing individual school performance relative to the goal of reducing the rate to zero by the year 2020.” These measures and benchmarks would be reported annually to the Legislature and the community.

· The bill requires the Commissioner of Education to evaluate the prevalence and success of existing programs and practices currently used by Vermont schools to identify and support at-risk students, and to develop guidelines to assist districts with complying with this bill.

· Finally, S.136 also speaks to funding. The commissioner of education is to announce a process by which districts can apply for funding by September 1, 2009, and these funds are to be expended from federal stimulus monies. The bill then specifies that after the commissioner’s grants run out, each district shall either use school-based Medicaid reimbursements (16 V.S.A. § 2959a) or “restructure existing operations” so that the programs implemented under the 2959a “do not cause increased education property tax rates.”

If the Senate approves S.136, it will then be sent to the House for further consideration. We expect that the House Education Committee will provide an opportunity for local school leaders to testify on the impact this bill would have on their school operations.

DOE Considers Shifting Home School Oversight to Districts

The Department of Education has considered eliminating some or all of its personnel who oversee home school processes and shifting this oversight to local school districts. Governor Douglas’s office has asked the Department to identify at least twenty current full-time positions that could be cut as part of the Governor’s plan to reduce costs in state government. Three home school oversight positions are being considered for this list. Testifying in the House Education Committee, DOE chief financial officer Bill Talbott suggested that if the positions are cut, local districts would become responsible for approving the program of resident home schooled students. Talbott suggested that one possible means of support for this activity would be to add 0.3 of a student member to a district’s average daily membership (ADM) for each resident home school student in that district’s administrative purview. Commissioner Vilaseca has indicated that streamlining the process for home school oversight must be an integral part of this proposed administrative change.

Senate Education Committee Passes Tuition Payment / Designation Bill

The Senate Education Committee has passed S.127, a tuition payment / public high school designation bill. This bill had been referred to as the “small schools” bill, and S.127 is similar to the small schools bill draft we reported on in prior Education Legislative Reports, although it does include some noteworthy changes. If the bill passes the full Senate this week it will then be sent to the House for further consideration by its Education Committee.

· For those districts that tuition students in all high school grades or grades 7-12, S.127 would remove tuition payments from the formulas that determine the Act 82 Maximum Inflation Amount for the divided question, and the excess spending penalty.

· S.127 also allows school districts that tuition all students in high school or all secondary students to designate a public high school as the school for the district, provided the receiving school board accepts the designation. Currently, districts are only allowed to designate secondary independent schools in this manner. This provision would provide districts another locally controlled option for managing their schoolchildren’s educational program without imposing a state mandate.

· The bill also specifies that once a district designation is announced, or if it is rescinded, all currently enrolled students (and the student’s siblings) may remain enrolled at their current school at the district’s expense.

· The bill also provides that a parent can enroll his or her child at a non-designated school, but that the district will pay a tuition amount not to exceed the lesser of the statewide average announced union high school tuition or the tuition rate for the designated school. Parents would be required to pay any additional tuition charges at the receiving school.

· S.127 encourages districts to request waivers from the state board of education regarding specific School Quality Standards, when locally available alternatives can more efficiently achieve the goals of the Vermont Framework of Standards and Learning Opportunities.

· Finally, the bill states that school-based Medicaid reimbursements (16 V.S.A. § 2959a) must be expended on programs that “facilitate early identification of and intervention with children with disabilities and to ensure that that all students achieve rigorous and challenging standards…” (New language underlined.) It also requires that expenditures that utilize these reimbursements must not result in costs that exceed the amount of the reimbursement.

Investment Losses Exacerbate Property Tax Costs of Teacher Retirement Shift to Ed Fund

Editor’s note: This article is reprinted with permission from the Vermont League of Cities and Towns’ Weekly Legislative Report.

On Tuesday, the State Treasurer’s office briefed legislative leaders on the impacts of the recent stock market losses on the state’s retirement funds. Just to offset the losses on investments between June 30, 2008 and December 31, 2008, the state’s FY10 contribution for the teachers’ retirement fund would have had to rise from the $41.5 million the governor budgeted, based on the most recent actuarial report, to $57.2 million, if that report had been prepared based on the fund’s portfolio value on the later date rather than the earlier. The governor proposed, as part of his plan to balance the state’s General Fund budget, to shift the responsibility for paying for this retirement system to the Education Fund, two-thirds of which is funded from the property tax. Additionally, he proposed to cut the statutorily required General Fund assistance for schools by $23 million, which again would cause property taxes to rise to replace that amount.

On Wednesday, the VLCT Board of Directors met and voted to oppose any shift of state obligations to the Education Fund and the property tax, including the $63 million in shifts proposed by the governor.

The treasurer’s report released Tuesday showed that negative investment returns suffered during that six-month period would have pushed the “unfunded liabilities” of the teachers retirement system from $379.5 million to $653.6 million, and its “funding ratio” from 80.9 percent of what it should be today to 67.1 percent. The state’s contribution amounts are determined on the actuarial study results as of June 30^th every year, so this will not mandate an immediate increase in the state’s contribution. However, unless the markets do a complete turnaround between today and June 30, 2009, this recent projection of contributions necessary will be very close to what will be needed for the next state fiscal year contribution. And the markets have only gotten worse since December 31, with the S&P 500 index down another nine percent through Wednesday and the Dow Jones Industrial Average down almost 13 percent, even after the recent recoveries.

But wait – it gets even worse, as that is only half the problem with the funding of the teachers’ retirement system. The reported shortfall in funding only covers the retirement payments due to retired and to be retired teachers. The state law establishing the teachers’ fund allows its board of trustees (comprised of two active teachers, one retired teacher and three state officials) to pay up to 80 percent of the monthly health insurance premium for all retired teachers with ten or more years of active service teaching. That cost is presently $15 million a year and growing at the same pace all health insurance costs are, and no specific mechanism is in place to pay for that. It is currently coming out of the pension contributions being made by active teachers and the state, but that means that the amount necessary to fund the pension benefits is that much short of what it should be every year. The report shows that this “other post employment benefit” (OPEB) has an unfunded liability of $863.6 million given the lack of the state pre-funding this obligation.

Compounding even this dire situation is a history of state underfunding that the actuary has said is needed to provide for the retirement benefits promised by the legislatures and governors. (The system was created by state legislation in 1947 and the benefits enhanced by the same roles, different actors on numerous occasions since.) Looking back for the past 20 years, the state has appropriated what the system needs to set aside to pay the benefits it has promised (less the health insurance payments) only for the last three years. Though in some years the amount ranged as high as 92 percent and 93 percent, it averaged just 76 percent of that required and has been as low as 40 percent in 1996 and 49 percent in 2006. You can see that this pattern of underfunding obligations spans the terms of different governors and legislators alike.

So it is as this point that the proposal is put forth that the property tax will be made to assume this obligation. There is no way that the $41 million figure bandied about as the new cost to property taxpayer is anywhere close to the future annual obligations it will have to shoulder.

This is a huge future liability for property taxpayers if this is shifted, one of the largest single unfunded mandates ever passed on to them. Even with limited school budget increases this year, the education property taxes are projected to increase by $19 million (and that is with a hopeful reduction of two cents in the state base tax rates). The state property tax generates about $8 million per penny after income sensitivity is applied, so the retirement shift combined with the General Fund shortchanging totals a $63 million shift that would add eight cents to the state property tax rates.

The governor has clarified his position is on this issue. Legislative leaders have been outspoken in their opposition to this shift – for this year at least. In the same press release in which the President Pro Tempore of the Senate said, “We [he and the Speaker of the House] do not believe that Vermonters can afford a $63 million property tax increase,” the following section of their plan for dealing with the state budget problems states:

Analyze teacher’s retirement funding and teacher’s retiree health care.

Governor Douglas proposed shifting the entire teacher’s retirement to property tax payers this year. Since Vermont is one of the very few states that pays for teacher’s retirement at the state level, we agree this issue should be examined. However, we must take a thoughtful and fair approach to phase in any potential changes. We need to revisit this relationship for new teacher hires. This could create an incentive for cost efficiencies at the local level. We will ask our Appropriations, Government Operations and Education Committees to analyze our current system and ways in which to improve how we fund teacher’s retirement.

Local officials have to be clear with their elected state officials and legislators – it is unacceptable to make the state government’s financial problems and past transgressions in mismanaging a retirement system that it created the responsibility of local governments and property taxpayers.

New Education-related Bills Introduced

The following bills pertaining to education have been introduced by one or more legislators between February 16^th and March 26^th. To read a bill as introduced, or to follow its progress after introduction, go to http://www.leg.state.vt.us/database/status/status.cfm and enter the number of the bill. The statements of purpose following each bill below may be abbreviated forms of the statements contained in the bills as introduced.

H.250 AN ACT RELATING TO A STATEWIDE EDUCATION PROPERTY TAX

Introduced by: Representatives Stevens, Andrews, Branagan, Burke, Conquest, Newbury, Donovan, Edwards, Evans, Fagan, French, Greshin, Jerman, Lanpher, Lenes, Manwaring, Martin of Springfield, Martin of Wolcott, Moran, Potter, Ram, Shand, Smith, South, Stevens, Sweaney, Taylor, Townsend, Waite-Simpson, Webb and Wilson

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to give the department of taxes administrative responsibility for the statewide education property tax.

H.251 AN ACT RELATING TO REQUIRING THAT WARNINGS AND BALLOTS FOR SCHOOL BUDGETS ARE SUBSTANTIVELY THE SAME AS THE “DIVIDED VOTE” FOR PROVISIONS REQUIRED IN NO. 82 OF THE ACTS OF 2007

Introduced by Representatives: French, Ancel, Andrews, Burke, Conquest, Davis, Donahue, Edwards, Evans, Fisher, Haas, Keenan, Klein, Lanpher, Manwaring, McCullough, McFaun, Milkey, Miller, Moran, Pugh, Shand, Spengler, Townsend, Waite-Simpson, Webb, Zenie, and Zuckerman

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to require that warnings and ballots for school budgets include the substance of the “divided vote” provisions mandated by Secs. 5 and 6 of No. 82 of the Acts of 2007, but would permit school districts to choose the way in which the provisions are worded.

H.252 AN ACT RELATING TO EXCLUSION OF APPROVED SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION COSTS AND OF AMOUNTS DEPOSITED INTO A CONSTRUCTION RESERVE FUND FROM THE CALCULATIONS OF THE MAXIMUM INFLATION AMOUNT

Introduced by: Representatives French, Ancel, Andrews, Branagan, Burke, Davis, Donahue, Edwards, Evans, Fisher, Haas, Howrigan, Keenan, Klein, Lanpher, McCullough, Milkey, Miller, Mook, Milkey, Miller, Moran, Pugh, Shand, Spengler, Townsend, Waite-Simpson, Webb, Zenie , Zuckerman

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to exclude those portions of the budget attributable to approved school construction costs and to amounts deposited into construction reserve funds, regardless of the length of time they remain deposited, from the calculation that determines whether the school budget will be presented to the voters as a divided question.

H.256 AN ACT RELATING TO APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR A BIKE PATH TO THE ESSEX MIDDLE SCHOOL

Introduced by: Representatives Evans and Myers of Essex

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to appropriate funds to build a bike path that would cross the circumferential highway in order to connect the Essex Middle School and its adjacent neighborhoods with lands on the opposite side of the highway.

H.264 AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION SAVINGS ALLOCATION GRANTS

Introduced by: Representatives Hube, Manwaring, Branagan, Clark, Komline, Marcotte, McDonald, Moran, O'Donnell, Scheuermann, and Sharpe

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to provide an education savings allocation grant to a municipality that is a member of a school district that has education spending per equalized pupil of less than 100 percent of its prior year education spending per equalized pupil. Grants to the municipality will be used to provide municipal property tax credits to persons within the municipality paying homestead property taxes.

H.288 AN ACT RELATING TO REDUCING THE NUMBER OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO BETWEEN ONE AND 12 AND ELIMINATING SUPERVISORY UNIONS

Introduced by: Representatives Hube, Branagan, Komline, and McDonald

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to direct the state board of education to organize all existing school districts in the state into 1–12 districts effective July 1, 2010; to require that the new school district boards be composed of members elected by the member municipalities; to provide for transitional leadership of the new districts; and to require legislative council staff to prepare a draft bill making all statutory amendments necessary to accomplish the intent of this bill.

H.290 AN ACT RELATING TO MISCELLANEOUS EDUCATION INITIATIVES INTENDED TO DECREASE EDUCATION SPENDING AND INCREASE EFFICIENCIES

Introduced by: Representatives Turner, Hubert, Adams, Branagan, Devereux, Higley, Myers, O'Donnell, Reis, Savage, and Townsend

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to:

(1) Require that as current collective bargaining agreements for teachers expire, all public school teachers enter into a statewide employment contract with the following provisions:

(A) A teacher who was employed by a Vermont school district prior to entering into the statewide contract will begin the new statewide contract year at his or her current salary.

(B) A teacher who is new to the Vermont public school system will enter the statewide contract at a negotiated salary commensurate with his or her education and experience.

(C) All salary increases will be negotiated at a statewide level with a cap placed on the highest salary level of 115 percent of the current statewide average salary for all public school teachers in the state; provided that the salary for any teacher at the highest salary level should not decrease as a result of the cap and also provided that all salaries are commensurate with a teacher’s education and experience and are adjusted by market factors where appropriate.

(D) All duties and job-related benefits will be negotiated on a statewide basis.

(E) A teacher who was employed by a Vermont school district prior to entering into the statewide contract will remain within the state teachers’ retirement system of Vermont as set forth in chapter 55 of Title 16. However, a teacher who is newly hired by the Vermont public school system will not become a member of the state teachers’ retirement system but instead will be enrolled in a 403(b) plan requiring contributions from both the employer and employee.

(2) Require the state board of education to develop and impose a statewide calendar for all public schools to begin in the 2012–2013 academic year, including common days for vacations, teachers’ in-service education, and the beginning of the school year for students. The school year shall consist of two semesters and shall have no fewer than 180 student attendance days. The year shall begin in the first week of August and continue for at least 90 days. Schools shall be closed for five or six weeks during December and January to reduce operating costs. The school year shall end on or before the last day of June.

(3) Prohibit teachers and administrators from striking and school boards from imposing contracts and require that all disputes be determined by binding arbitration through the Vermont labor relations board.

(4) Require that the state’s contributions to the state teachers’ retirement system of Vermont, including contributions for health and medical benefits, be paid entirely from the education fund to the extent funds are available after all other education fund obligations have been met. The transfer of responsibility to the education fund shall be accomplished in a way that does not require new money or result in additional costs to the state.

(5) Establish:

(A) A mandatory retirement age for teachers covered by the state teachers’ retirement system of Vermont and prohibit the payment of stipends or other compensation in addition to a teacher’s regular salary during the final three years of employment.

(B) Incentives for qualified, vested teachers to retire early.

(6) Require that all state funding for the community high school of Vermont be paid for from the education fund. Require that general fund appropriations made to the department of corrections for the community high school of Vermont instead be paid into the education fund. The transfer of responsibility to the education fund shall be accomplished in a way that does not require new money or result in additional costs to the state.

(7) Require a study and proposals for ways in which districts can better utilize school buildings, including exploration of:

(A) Energy-saving technology and operating procedures.

(B) Alternative schedules that result in a fuller or more economical use of the buildings.

(8) Transform the department of education into an agency of education under the direction of the secretary of education. The secretary would be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate and would sit on the governor’s cabinet.

(9) Require a study and an evaluation of secondary school athletic activities, to include consideration of:

(A) The current role the Vermont principals’ association plays in the governance of athletics, including financial involvement, if any.

(B) The current use of funds generated from athletic activities and the extent to which these funds are available for use by schools and students.

(C) The benefits of establishing a statewide secondary school athletics authority.

(10) Require a study of and recommendations for incentives to encourage school district consolidation.

H.293 AN ACT RELATING TO LEGISLATIVE FISCAL NOTES FOR BILLS THAT WOULD AFFECT PROPERTY TAXES

Introduced by: Representative Moran and approximately 70 others.

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to require that any bill affecting property taxes shall be accompanied by a fiscal note when it is voted out of a standing committee of the general assembly.

H.301 AN ACT RELATING TO REDUCING THE CURRENT NUMBER OF SUPERVISORY UNIONS TO TEN

Introduced by: Representative Shand of Weathersfield

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to combine or reconfigure the current supervisory unions to result in a total of ten supervisory unions.

H.303 AN ACT RELATING TO RANDOM DRUG TESTING OF SCHOOL PERSONNEL

Introduced by: Representative Leriche of Hardwick

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to amend the state laws regulating drug testing in the work place to permit random drug testing of school personnel, both paid and volunteer.

H.311 AN ACT RELATING TO PROVIDING STATE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL LUNCHES, SUMMER MEALS, AND SNACKS FOR LOW INCOME CHILDREN

Introduced by: Representatives Edwards, Browning, Davis, Grad, Haas, Hooper, Howard, Marek, Masland, Pellett, Peltz, Ram, Stevens, Sweaney, Trombley, Waite-Simpson, West, Wizowaty, and Zuckerman

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to increase funding for summer meals and snacks for low income children and to use state funds to pay the student’s portion of a reduced price school lunch.

H.318 AN ACT RELATING TO PROVIDING THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE A FINAL DETERMINATION REGARDING STUDENT TRANSFERS

Introduced by: Representatives Masland of Thetford and Cheney of Norwich

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to provide the opportunity for a student or parent to ask for and receive a final determination by the commissioner of education regarding a school district’s refusal to allow the student to attend a specific secondary school at public expense.

H.326 AN ACT RELATING TO PROVIDING NOTICE OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TUITION RATES

Introduced by: Representative Trombley of Grand Isle

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to amend 16 V.S.A. § 826(a) to require that public schools establish and announce tuition rates by December 8 for the following academic year, rather than by February 1.

H.327 AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION FUNDING, INCOME SENSITIVITY ADJUSTMENTS, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S MANAGEMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION

Introduced by: Representatives Hube of Londonderry and McDonald of Berlin

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to begin the process of transferring to the department of education all authority for the provision of special education services and for the funding and provision of technical education services by July 1, 2010; to amend eligibility rules for income sensitivity adjustments; and to address education funding issues.

H.337 AN ACT RELATING TO CLOSING PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN OBSERVANCE OF THE VETERAN'S DAY AND MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAYS

Introduced by: Representatives Savage, Acinapura, Fagan, Flory, Helm, Krawczyk, and Morrissey

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to require public schools to be closed on the days of the federal observance of Veterans’ Day and Memorial Day.

H.341 AN ACT RELATING TO FIVE-YEAR ROLLING REAPPRAISALS

Introduced by: Representative Heath of Westford

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to create a system of five-year rolling reappraisals, allowing the eventual elimination of the use of the common level of appraisal in education property tax.

H.352 AN ACT RELATING TO AN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL YEAR

Introduced by: Representative Clark of Vergennes

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to clarify and update statutory language regarding regional school calendars. It would also provide flexibility to regions to establish calendars, with state board approval, that differ from calendars currently in place in Vermont schools in aspects such as the length of school day and school year, the number of student attendance days per week, and the time and length of school vacations.

H.353 AN ACT RELATING TO A UNIFORM MANDATORY RETIREMENT AGE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS

Introduced by: Representative Johnson of Canaan

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to enact standards governing a uniform mandatory retirement age for elementary and secondary school teachers.

H.354 AN ACT RELATING TO A TASK FORCE ON A COMPREHENSIVE EARLY CARE, HEALTH, AND EDUCATION SYSTEM

Introduced by: Representatives Peltz of Woodbury, Mrowicki of Putney, Frank of Underhill and Orr of Charlotte

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to create a task force to recommend legislation for introduction in the 2010 legislative session that would establish a coordinated, statewide system for early care, health, and education, building on the work of Building Bright Futures.

H.389 AN ACT RELATING TO PROTECTING CHILDREN’S HEALTH BY THE USE OF SAFER CLEANING PRODUCTS IN SCHOOLS

Introduced by: Representatives Fisher, Copeland-Hanzas, Bradford, Lanpher, Lewis, Macaig, McCullough, Nuovo, and Peltz

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to protect the health of children, custodial staff, and other building occupants by requiring safer cleaning products in schools.

H.395 AN ACT RELATING TO REMOVING PURCHASE AND USE TAX REVENUES AS A FUNDING SOURCE FOR THE EDUCATION FUND

Introduced by: Representatives Peaslee of Guildhall and Leriche of Hardwick

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to remove purchase and use tax revenues as a funding source for the education fund, and to deposit the entire amount into the transportation fund.

H.400 AN ACT RELATING TO PROMOTING POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION AND SUPPORTS IN SCHOOLS, REDUCING THE USE OF PHYSICAL RESTRAINT, AND PROHIBITING THE USE OF OTHER BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS

Introduced by: Representatives Donahue of Northfield, Andrews of Rutland City, Fisher of Lincoln and French of Randolph

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to promote positive behavioral intervention and supports in schools, reduce the use of physical restraint, and prohibit the use of mechanical, chemical, and prone physical restraint and seclusion as methods of addressing challenging student behavior.

H.405 AN ACT RELATING TO K-12 AND HIGHER EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS

Introduced by: Representative Clark of Vergennes

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to require the Vermont state colleges, in consultation with various persons and organizations, to study and recommend strategies for expanding educational opportunities to prepare Vermonters to succeed in postsecondary education.

H.418 AN ACT RELATING TO REQUIRING POSTSECONDARY CREDITS IN AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AS A CONDITION OF TEACHER LICENSING

Introduced by: Representatives Pugh of South Burlington and Wright of Burlington

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to require each applicant seeking to obtain or renew a license to teach in a public elementary or secondary school in Vermont to have completed at least one three-credit course in African American history at an accredited college or university, covering the period from the European colonization of North America through the end of the 20th century.

H.427 AN ACT RELATING TO MAKING MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS TO EDUCATION LAW

Introduced by: The Committee on Education

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to make miscellaneous technical and other amendments to education laws (abbreviated).

S.112 AN ACT RELATING TO REQUIRING POSTSECONDARY CREDITS IN AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AS A CONDITION OF TEACHER LICENSING

Introduced by: Senator Racine

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to require each applicant seeking to obtain or renew a license to teach in a public elementary or secondary school in Vermont to have completed at least one three-credit course at an accredited college or university in African American history, covering the period from the European colonization of North America through the end of the twentieth century.

S.114 AN ACT RELATING TO CLARIFYING THE DISTRICT OF RESIDENCE OF A STUDENT WHOSE PARENTS LIVE IN DIFFERENT DISTRICTS FROM EACH OTHER

Introduced by: Senator Hartwell

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to clarify the district of residence of a student whose parents live in different districts from each other.

S.118 AN ACT RELATING TO IMPROVING THE NUTRITION OF LOW-INCOME CHILDREN

Introduced by: Senator Racine

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to:

(1) Maximize eligibility and simplify the enrollment process in 3SquaresVT by implementing federal options in the supplemental nutrition assistance program.

(2) Require schools in districts receiving 21st Century Community Learning Center grant funds to provide fiscal sponsorship to organizations operating after-school programs in order to access funding for meals and snacks through the federal nutrition programs.

(3) Require organizations receiving grant funds under the 21st Century Community Learning Center program and operating after-school programs to provide snacks through a federally funded nutrition program.

(4) Require any school offering a summer educational or recreational program or camp to provide federally funded meals to program participants if at least 50 percent of that school’s students were eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the federal school lunch or breakfast programs for at least one month in the preceding academic year.

(5) Require the department of education to provide data regarding existence of and level of participation in after-school and summer programs offered by school districts.

(6) Require the department for children and families and the department of education to provide monthly direct certification to enroll children receiving 3SquaresVT in the federal school breakfast and lunch programs.

(7) Increase funding for summer meals and snacks for low-income children and use state funds to pay the student’s portion of a reduced-price school lunch.

End