Senate Committee on Education

 

AGENDA

 

Room 28 and Zoom

April 14, 2026 - April 17, 2026

Last Updated 4/21/2026 5:04 PM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

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

Tuesday, April 14, 2026

9:30 AM                   Senate Floor

 

1:20 PM                   Act 73 of 2025

Beth St. James, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

1:40 PM                   H. 931 - An act relating to miscellaneous changes in education law

Beth St. James, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

2:10 PM                   H. 650 - An act relating to educational technology products

Witness Testimony

Abigail  Wilson, Director of State Policy, Software & Information Industry Association - Zoom

Josh Blumberg, Ed Tech Program Manager, Agency of Education

Erin Davis, Chief Academic Officer, Agency of Education

Rep. Angela Arsenault, Sponsor, Chittenden-2

Walter Ripley, Board President, VITA-Learn - Zoom

Peter Drescher, Vice President, VITA-Learn - Zoom

 

3:05 PM                   Break

 

3:15 PM                   Act 73 of 2025

School District Merger Process

Jackie Wilson, Former Superintendent, Bennington Rutland Supervisory Union

 

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

Witness Testimony

Caty Sutton, Superintendent, Hartford School District

Rebecca Fillion, Principal, Twin Valley Elementary School - Zoom

Chris Young, Principal, North Country Union High School - Zoom

 

4:20 PM                   Committee Budget Discussion

FY27 Budget Discussion and Higher Education Trust Fund Distribution Discussion

Sen. Philip Baruth, President Pro Tempore, Chittenden County

 

4:55 PM                   Adjourn

 

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

1:40 PM                   H. 930 - An act relating to addressing and preventing chronic absenteeism

Witness Testimony

Nick Connor, Director of Student Engagement and Data, Montpelier Roxbury Public Schools

 

2:00 PM                   Act 73 of 2025

Beth St. James, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

2:15 PM                   Committee Budget Discussion

FY27 Budget Discussion and Higher Education Trust Fund Distribution Discussion

 

2:20 PM                   Break

 

2:30 PM                   H. 542 - An act relating to terminating testing of schools in Vermont for polychlorinated biphenyls

Witness Testimony

Dr. Elaine Collins, Superintendent, North Country Supervisory Union

 

3:00 PM                   Act 73 of 2025

School District Merger Process

Jamie Kinnarney, Superintendent, White River Valley Supervisory Union

Elaine Pinckney, Former Superintendent, Chittenden South Supervisory Union (3:30 PM)

 

3:55 PM                   Break

 

4:00 PM                   H. 542 - An act relating to terminating testing of schools in Vermont for polychlorinated biphenyls

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

 

4:35 PM                   Adjourn

 

Thursday, April 16, 2026

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

1:30 PM                   Adult Education and Literacy Advocacy Day

Brian Kravitz, Development and Outreach Director, Central Vermont Adult Education

Duol Tungwar Kueiguong, Student - Jericho, Vermont Adult Learning - Zoom

Karl Coleman, Student - Hartford, Vermont Adult Learning - Zoom

Jomerson Rangel, Student - Rutland City, Vermont Adult Learning

Jafet Espinoza, Student - Rutland City, Vermont Adult Learning

Rachel Mello Smith, Student - St. Albans City, Vermont Adult Learning

Misha Iver, Student - Burlington, Vermont Adult Learning

 

2:00 PM                   H. 930 - An act relating to addressing and preventing chronic absenteeism

Witness Testimony

Heather Hobart, Executive Director, Lamoille Restorative Center

Katie Black, Program Director, Lamoille Restorative Center

Heather Freeman, Director of Student Support Services, Orleans Southwest Supervisory Union

Cara Gleason Krebs, School Services Director, Howard Center - Zoom

 

3:00 PM                   Act 73 of 2025

School District Merger Process

Sherry Sousa, Superintendent, Mountain Views Supervisory Union - Zoom

 

3:25 PM                   Break

 

3:35 PM                   H. 542 - An act relating to terminating testing of schools in Vermont for polychlorinated biphenyls

Walk-through of new draft and possible vote

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

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

 

4:40 PM                   H. 930 - An act relating to addressing and preventing chronic absenteeism

Witness Testimony

Big Hartman, Executive Director & General Counsel, Vermont Human Rights Commission

 

4:55 PM                   Break

 

4:55 PM                   H. 930 - An act relating to addressing and preventing chronic absenteeism

Witness testimony (continued)

Charlie Gliserman, Director of Policy, Vermont Network Against Domestic & Sexual Violence

 

5:05 PM                   Adjourn

 

Friday, April 17, 2026

11:30 AM                   Senate Floor

 

1:15 PM                   H. 650 - An act relating to educational technology products

Rep. Angela Arsenault, Sponsor, Chittenden-2

 

1:50 PM                   H. 930 - An act relating to addressing and preventing chronic absenteeism

Witness Testimony and Mark-up

Rep. Ela Chapin, Reporter, Washington-5

Beth St. James, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

2:10 PM                   H. 955 - An act relating to next steps in transforming Vermont’s education system

Walk-through

Beth St. James, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

3:45 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