Senate Committee on Education

 

AGENDA

 

Room 28 and Zoom

April 7, 2026 - April 10, 2026

Last Updated 4/10/2026 6:15 PM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/senate-education.

Tuesday, April 7, 2026

9:30 AM                   Senate Floor

 

1:15 PM                   Act 73 of 2025

Julia Richter, Principal Fiscal Analyst, Joint Fiscal Office

Ezra Holben, Fiscal Analyst, Joint Fiscal Office

Colin Robinson, Political Director, Vermont National Education Association

Catherine Benham, Chief Fiscal Officer, Joint Fiscal Office

 

2:55 PM                   Break

 

3:15 PM                   H. 930 - An act relating to addressing and preventing chronic absenteeism

Introduction and Witness Testimony

Rep. Robert Hunter, Reporter, House Committee on Education

Courtney O'Brien, Safe and Healthy Schools Interim Director, Agency of Education

Jaime Kraybill, Staff Attorney, Agency of Education

Retta Dunlap, Home School Advocate, EdWatch VT

 

3:55 PM                   McClure Foundation

Vermont Higher Education Endowment Trust Fund Request

Rebecca Copans, Associate Director, J. Warren and Lois McClure Foundation

 

4:15 PM                   Committee Budget Discussion

FY27 Budget Letter

 

4:25 PM                   Adjourn

 

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

1:45 PM                   H. 650 - An act relating to educational technology products

Walk-through and Introduction

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Rep. Edye Graning, Reporter, House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development

 

2:35 PM                   Break

 

2:45 PM                   H. 930 - An act relating to addressing and preventing chronic absenteeism

Witness Testimony

Retta Dunlap, Home School Advocate, Vermont Home Education Network

Abbey Allen, School Counseling Director, School Counselor, Central Vermont Career Center

 

3:20 PM                   H. 931 - An act relating to miscellaneous changes in education law

Jacob Law, Student, Essex High School

 

3:45 PM                   H. 542 - An act relating to terminating testing of schools in Vermont for polychlorinated biphenyls

Alternative Language Review

Matt Chapman, Director, Waste Management & Prevention Division, Department of Environmental Conservation

Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

4:20 PM                   Committee Budget Discussion

FY27 Budget Letter

 

4:55 PM                   Adjourn

 

Thursday, April 9, 2026

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

2:20 PM                   Higher Education Trust Fund Distribution

Thomas Little, Vice President, General Counsel, Vermont Student Assistance Corporation

Rebecca Copans, Associate Director, J. Warren and Lois McClure Foundation

 

3:05 PM                   H. 931 - An act relating to miscellaneous changes in education law

Tim Mulligan, Principal, Newark Street School - Zoom

 

3:25 PM                   Vermont Prevention Lead Organizations (VPLOs) Framework

Funding Requests

Maryann Morris, Executive Director, The Collaborative

 

3:50 PM                   Break

 

3:55 PM                   H. 931 - An act relating to miscellaneous changes in education law

Lydia Cochrane, Principal, Peacham Elementary

 

4:15 PM                   Committee Budget Discussion

FY27 Budget Letter

Autumn Moen, Legislative Policy Lead, Hunger Free Vermont

 

5:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

Friday, April 10, 2026

11:30 AM                   Senate Floor

 

1:30 PM                   Committee Budget Discussion

FY27 Budget Letter

 

2:00 PM                   H. 542 - An act relating to terminating testing of schools in Vermont for polychlorinated biphenyls

Brian Campion, Member, State Board of Education - Zoom

 

2:15 PM                   H. 931 - An act relating to miscellaneous changes in education law

Todd Wilkins, Member, Arlington School District Board of Directors - Invited

Kasey Allen, Board Chair, Craftsbury Schools - Zoom

Lisa McCarthy, Principal, Craftsbury

Chris Hodsden, Board Chair, Bellows Falls Union High School - Zoom

 

3:05 PM                   Break

 

3:10 PM                   Committee Budget Discussion

FY27 Budget Letter

 

3:30 PM                   Higher Education Trust Fund Distribution

Dr. Elizabeth Mauch, Dr, Chancellor, Vermont State Colleges System - Zoom

Rebecca Copans, Associate Director, J. Warren and Lois McClure Foundation

 

3:45 PM                   Committee Budget Discussion

FY27 Budget Letter

Meg Fuerst, Representative, Action Circles

Betsy Rosenbluth, Farm to School Director, Shelburne Farms, Vermont FEED

Rebecca Ramos, Representative, Necrason Group

 

4:20 PM                   Adjourn

 

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.

 

Should you require accessibility services, please click here and note that requests should be made 48 hours in advance of testimony.

 

 

 

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Daphne Kinney-Landis at Daphne.Kinney-Landis@vtleg.gov