Act 73
Vermont's Education Transformation Law
Act 73 (formerly H.454), passed in June 2025, is Vermont’s education transformation law. Act 73 sets up several work groups, including a School District Redistricting Task Force, which must present up to three district maps to the legislature in 2026. If lawmakers do not adopt a map, certain provisions of the law will still move forward while other provisions will not move forward. You can find more information on the VT Agency of Education webpage addressing Act 73.
NOTE: Act 73’s new funding formula only takes effect if the Legislature adopts a new district structure.
Work Groups Established Under Act 73
School District Redistricting Task Force
Duty (Charge)
The group is charged with recommending up to three new statewide school district configurations by December 1, 2025. The Task Force must hold at least two public hearings to receive and consider feedback regarding school district consolidation and proposed boundaries, and work closely with the Commission on the Future of Public Education’s public engagement process to maximize public input.
Reports
Report & maps are due December 1, 2025.
Makeup/Membership
Co-chairs
Sen. Martine Gulick and Rep. Edye Graning
Make-up of the Task Force as required in statute:
Legislative Members
-
Senator Scott Beck
-
Senator Martine Larocque Gulick, Co-Chair
-
Senator Wendy Harrison
-
Representative Edye Graning, Co-Chair
-
Representative Rebecca Holcombe
-
Representative Beth Quimby
Non-legislative Members
-
Dr. Jay Badams
-
Dr. Jennifer Botzojorns
-
Kim Gleason
-
Chris Locarno
-
Dave Wolk
Timeline/Meetings
-
Initiated meetings August 1, 2025.
-
The Task Force will cease to exist on June 30, 2026.
Materials
Related Resources
Mapping tool: School District Builder
Commission on the Future of Public Education
Duty (Charge)
The charge of the Commission as outlined in Act 183(2024) has been reduced to include:
-
Recommendations for what roles, functions, or decisions should be a function of local control and what roles, functions, or decisions should be a function of State-level control.
-
Necessary updates to the roles and responsibilities of school district boards and the electorate.
-
A process for a community served by a school to have a voice in decisions regarding school closures and recommendations for what that process will entail.
-
A process for monitoring the implementation of this act in a manner that is transparent and public-facing.
The Commission must hold no less than 14 public meetings to inform the work required; at least one meeting of the Commission as a whole or a subcommittee of the Commission will be held in each county.
The Commission’s work will include recommendations for necessary updates to the roles and responsibilities of school district boards and the electorate, including amendments to 16 V.S.A. §§ 562 and 563.
Reports
Draft recommendations by October 1, 2025, solicit public feedback, and incorporate such feedback into final recommendations. A written report containing its final findings and recommendations on or before December 1, 2025.
Makeup/Membership
Acting Chair:
Jay Nichols (Vermont Principal's Association)
The Commission is composition as outlined in statute:
-
The Secretary of Education or designee; Zoie Saunders, Secretary
-
The Chair of the State Board of Education or designee; Jennifer Deck Samuelson
-
The Tax Commissioner or designee; Rebecca Sameroff, Deputy Tax Commissioner
-
One current member of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House; Representative Peter Conlon
-
One current member of the Senate, appointed by the Committee on Committees; Senator Ann Cummings
-
One representative from the Vermont School Boards Association (VSBA), appointed by the VSBA Executive Director; Herb Ogden, Designee*
-
One representative from the Vermont Principals’ Association (VPA), appointed by the VPA Executive Director; Jay Nichols, Executive Director
-
One representative from the Vermont Superintendents Association (VSA), appointed by the VSA Executive Director; Chelsea Myers, Executive Director
-
One representative from the Vermont National Education Association (VTNEA), appointed by the VTNEA Executive Director; Jeff Fannon, Executive Director
-
One representative from the Vermont Association of School Business Officials (VASBO) with experience in school construction projects, appointed by the President of VASBO; Elizabeth Jennings, South Burlington School District
-
The Chair of the Census-Based Funding Advisory Group, created under 2018 Acts and Resolves No. 173; Vacant
-
The Executive Director of the Vermont Rural Education Collaborative, John Castle
-
One representative from the Vermont Independent Schools Association (VISA), appointed by the President of VISA, Oliver Olsen
* VSBA appointed Herb Ogden to serve on this Commission following the resignation of Nicole Mace.
Timeline/Meetings
-
​​The Commission will cease to exist on June 30, 2026.
​School District Voting Ward Working Group​
Duty (Charge)
This group is tasked with creating voting wards within the new school districts to ensure school board membership is apportioned to achieve substantially equal weighting of the votes of all voters in the choice of school board members.
The group is responsible for aligning its work with the School District Redistricting Task Force proposals and recommending to the legislature:
-
The optimal number of school board members per school board to maximize public representation and democratic input while maintaining effective school board size.
-
Boundaries for school district voting wards within each school district, with alternative options if necessary, including detailed maps clearly and unambiguously delineating ward boundaries that respect current municipal boundary lines.
Makeup/Membership
Chair:
Secretary of State Copeland Hanzas
Makeup of the working group and parameters include:
-
Secretary of State (Chair)
-
Three members appointed by the Vermont Municipal Clerk Treasurer Association
-
Two members appointed by the Vermont School Boards Association
-
The Director of the Vermont Center for Geographic Information
The VSBA appointees are:
-
Mark Koenig, Addison Northwest School District
-
Marlon Verasamy, Essex Westford School District
Timeline/Meetings
-
Will be initiated on or before October 1, 2025.
​​
-
The working group will cease to exist June 30, 2026.
​​State Aid for School Construction Program​
Duty (Charge)
Act 73 creates the State Aid for School Construction Program that will be administered by the AOE with advice from the State Aid for School Construction Advisory Board, which will advise the Agency on the implementation of the State Aid for School Construction Program, including the adoption of rules, setting of statewide priorities, criteria for project approval, and recommendations for project approval and prioritization.
Reports
-
On or before December 15, 2025, the Board will submit a written report to the House Committees on Education and on Ways and Means and the Senate Committees on Education and on Finance on recommendations for addressing the transfer of any debt obligations from current school districts to future school districts as contemplated by Vermont’s education transformation.
​
-
Report from the school construction advisory group on school district debt transfer due to the Legislature in January 2026.
Makeup/Membership
Chair:
TBD
Makeup of the Board will be eight members:
-
Four members who shall serve as ex officio members:
-
The State Treasurer or designee; Mike Pieciak, State Treasurer
-
The Commissioner of Buildings and General Services or designee; Wanda Minoli, Commissioner
-
The Executive Director of the Vermont Bond Bank or designee; Michael Gaughin, Executive Director
-
The Chair of the State Board of Education or designee; Richard Werner, Designee
​
-
Four members, none of whom shall be a current member of the General Assembly, who shall serve four-year terms as follows:
-
Two members, appointed by the Speaker of the House, each of whom shall have expertise in education or construction, real estate, or finance and one of whom shall represent a supervisory union; Marty Spaulding and Sean McMannon
-
Two members, appointed by the Committee on Committees, each of whom shall have expertise in education or construction, real estate, or finance and one of whom shall be an educator. David Epstein and Holly Anderson
​
The Chair of the State Board of Education will call the first meeting of the Board; the Board will select a chair from among its members at the first meeting.
Timeline/Meetings
Will be initiated on or before September 1, 2025 and will meet not more than six times per year.
