Senate Committee on Education

AGENDA

Via Zoom

February 23, 2021 - February 26, 2021

Last Updated 3/22/2021 12:02 PM

Meetings are livestreamed here unless otherwise noted

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

9:30 AM                   Senate Floor

1:30 PM                   Pupil Weighting

Joint meeting with Senate Finance

James DesMarais, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Daniel French, Ed.D., Secretary, Agency of Education

Victoria Capitani, Chair, Dover Select Board

Alex Yin, Member, Winooski District School Board

--                                  Break

--                                  COVID-19 Education-related Needs

Ilisa Stalberg, Maternal and Child Health Deputy Director, Vermont Department  of Health

--                                  S. 84 - An act relating to the use of exclusionary discipline for students who are under eight years of age and to school district truancy referrals to the State’s Attorneys

Introduction of bill by sponsor and walk-through by legislative counsel

Sen. Kesha Ram, Sponsor

James DesMarais, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

4:00 PM                   Adjourn for Chairs' Meeting

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

1:45 PM                   S. 114 - An act relating to improving prekindergarten through grade 12 literacy within the State

Katie Ballard, Parent and Special Education Parent Advocate, VT Coalition For Disability Rights

Daniel French, Ed.D., Secretary, Agency of Education

Chelsea Myers, Associate Executive Director, Vermont Superintendents Association

Libby Bonesteel, Superintendent of Schools, Montpelier Roxbury Public Schools

Jeff Fannon, Executive Director, Vermont National Education Association

3:15 PM                   Break

3:30 PM                   S. 32 - An act relating to school wellness and feminine hygiene products

James DesMarais, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Sue Ceglowski, Executive  Director, Vermont School Boards Association

Jeff Fannon, Executive Director, Vermont National Education Association

Kara Casey, Director of Economic Development, Vermont Network Against Domestic & Sexual Violence

Daniel French, Ed.D., Secretary, Agency of Education - Invited

Mill Moore, Executive Director, Vermont Independent Schools Association

--                                  S. 16 - An act relating to the creation of the School Discipline Advisory Council

Review of latest draft

James DesMarais, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Thursday, February 25, 2021

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

10 min after Floor                   S. 26 - An act relating to the Working Group on the Status of Libraries in Vermont and the Department of Libraries

Committee discussion

Tucker Anderson, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

--                                  S. 32 - An act relating to school wellness and feminine hygiene products

Committee discussion

--                                  Break

2:00 PM                   Results of the Votes for Sergeant at Arms, Adjutant and Inspector General, Trustees of the UVM and State Agricultural Collegel

Joint Assembly

10 min after Joint Assembly                   S. 114 - An act relating to improving prekindergarten through grade 12 literacy within the State

Review of latest draft

James DesMarais, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

--                                  S. 27 - An act relating to facilitating cultural liaisons

Abeer Al Zubaidy

--                                  Break

3:45 PM                   S. 26 - An act relating to the Working Group on the Status of Libraries in Vermont and the Department of Libraries

Jason Broughton, State Librarian; Commissioner of Libraries, Vermont Department of Libraries

Friday, February 26, 2021

11:30 AM                   Senate Floor

1:15 PM                   S. 26 - An act relating to the Working Group on the Status of Libraries in Vermont and the Department of Libraries

Kevin Unrath, Librarian, Pierson Library, Shelburne

--                                  S. 115 - An act relating to making miscellaneous changes in education laws

Vote on S.26, S.27 and S.32 as incorporated into 21-0929

James DesMarais, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

--                                  S. 16 - An act relating to the creation of the School Discipline Advisory Council

Review of latest draft

James DesMarais, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

--                                  S. 114 - An act relating to improving prekindergarten through grade 12 literacy within the State

Mark-up and possible vote

James DesMarais, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

2:30 PM                   Break

--                                  S. 114 - An act relating to improving prekindergarten through grade 12 literacy within the State

Vote

James DesMarais, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

--                                  S. 16 - An act relating to the creation of the School Discipline Advisory Council

Vote

James DesMarais, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

--                                  H. 81 - An act relating to statewide public school employee health benefits

Introduction and walk-through of bill

Rep. Tommy Walz, House Committee on General, Housing & Military Affairs

James DesMarais, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

ATTENTION WITNESSES

Please email handouts to the committee assistant at least 24 hours before your scheduled meeting time. With few exceptions, any documents you send to a committee assistant, are open to the public and may be posted to the committee’s web page.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Jeannie Lowell at jlowell@leg.state.vt.us