𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝘅𝗲𝘀 & 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱: 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁

On Tuesday, November 19, 7:00-8:30 pm, there will be a discussion panel on Understanding Public Education Funding in Vermont at the Harwood Union High School auditorium. This event is open to the public and is sponsored by the Harwood Unified Union School District (HUUSD).

The event will include an overview of Vermont's current complex funding system for public education, and a discussion of hot topics such as:

--What can districts do to control costs while maintaining high quality education?
--Can we expect the Vermont Legislature to consider alternatives to the current funding system when they meet in January?
--How can the major drivers of school budget increases (health insurance rates, special education costs, end of Covid-era funding) be controlled?
--How do other states fund public education? Are our property tax rates higher than those in other states? --Can we shift part of the education funding portion of property tax to state income tax?
--Why are per pupil education costs so high in Vermont? Which issues in public education funding are unique to Vermont and which are nationwide?
--Is administrative bloat a real thing or a product of unfunded state and federal mandates?

The event will begin with a short presentation by Lisa Estler, HUUSD Chief Financial Officer, on the current educational funding system in Vermont. After the panel discussion, there will be time for public questions and comment.

The panelists:

--Sen. Martine Gulick, Vice-Chair, Senate Education Committee
--Sen. Andrew Perchlik, Washington County Senator
--Dr. Tammy Kolbe, Principal Researcher, American Institute for Research: National school finance expert
--Dr. Mike Leichliter, HUUSD Superintendent and Vermont Superintendents Association representative on the legislature's Committee on the Future of Public Education in Vermont

The moderator is Steve Rosenberg, Moretown representative on the HUUSD School Board.

Event Info

Nov 25 to 26, 2024

Nov 28, 2024, 9 to 10 AM

Nov 28, 2024, 12 to 2 PM