Senate Committee on Education (Room 28)

The Senate Committee on Education has jurisdiction over matters relating to education, libraries, and literary or scientific subjects.

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Wednesday, January 8, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

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Thursday, January 9, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

10:00 PM

Joint Assembly

Receive Report of Canvassing Committee

2:00 PM

Joint Assembly

Governor's Inaugural Address

3:45 PM

Senate Floor

Receive Committee Assignments

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Friday, January 10, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

11:30 AM

Senate Floor

1:00 PM

Agency of Education Listen and Learn Tour

Joint hearing with House Education Committee. This meeting will take place in Room 11 and be livestreamed via the House Education YouTube channel. https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-education

• Jill Briggs Campbell, Interim Deputy Secretary, Agency of Education
  
• Zoie Saunders, Secretary, Agency of Education
  

2:45 PM

Committee - Welcome Back

Introductions and overview

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Adjourn

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Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:30 AM

Senate Floor

10:00 AM

Sexual Harassment Prevention Training

Senate Chamber

1:30 PM

No Committee Meeting Scheduled

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Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

1:30 PM

Education Funding

Joint hearing with House Education and Senate Finance. Hearing will be hosted in room 11 and livestreamed on the House Education YouTube Channel
https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-education

• Craig Bolio, Commissioner, Department of Taxes
  
• Jill Briggs Campbell, Interim Deputy Secretary, Agency of Education
  
• Zoie Saunders, Secretary, Agency of Education
  
• Emily Simmons, General Counsel, Agency of Education
  

3:15 PM

Committee Discussion

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Thursday, January 16, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

1:30 PM

Foundation Formula

Joint hearing with House Ways and Means, House Education and Senate Finance. Hearing will be hosted in Room 267 in the Pavilion and livestreamed on the House Education YouTube Channel https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-education

• Craig Bolio, Commissioner, Department of Taxes
  
• Jill Briggs Campbell, Interim Deputy Secretary, Agency of Education
  
• Amanda Brown, President, APA Consulting
  
• Zoie Saunders, Secretary, Agency of Education
  
• Justin Silverstein, Co-CEO, APA Consulting
  

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Friday, January 17, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

11:30 AM

Senate Floor

1:00 PM

Education Governance in Vermont

Joint Hearing with House Education. Hearing will be hosted in room 11 and livestreamed on the House Education YouTube Channel
https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-education

• Jill Briggs Campbell, Interim Deputy Secretary, Agency of Education
  
• Zoie Saunders, Secretary, Agency of Education
  
• Emily Simmons, General Counsel, Agency of Education
  

2:45 PM

Committee Discussion

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Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:30 AM

Senate Floor

Followed by Discrimination Prevention Training

1:00 PM

Cradle to Career

Joint hearing with House Education and House Commerce and Economic Development. Hearing will be hosted in room 270 in the Pavilion and livestreamed on the House Education YouTube Channel. https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-education

• Ruth Durkee, State Director of Career Technical Education, Agency of Education
  
• Johannes Haensch, Expanded Learning Opportunities Program Manager, Agency of Education
  
• Janet McLaughlin, Deputy Commissioner, Child Development Division, Department for Children and Families
  
• Ryan Parkman, Personalized Learning Team Program Manager, Agency of Education
  
• Zoie Saunders, Secretary, Agency of Education
  

3:15 PM

State Board of Education

Role of the State Board of Education and Education Quality Standards

• Jennifer Deck Samuelson, Chair, Vermont State Board of Education
  
• Tammy Kolbe, Vice Chair, Vermont State Board of Education
  

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Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

2:00 PM

Education Quality Standards

Joint hearing with House Education Committee. This meeting will be hosted in room 11 and livestreamed on the House Education YouTube Channel https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-education

• Andrew Jones, Assistant Superintendent, Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District
  
• Mike McRaith, Assistant Executive Director, Vermont Principals' Association
  

3:00 PM

Committee Discussion

3:45 PM

Legislative Briefing

House Chamber

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Thursday, January 23, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

1:30 PM

Teacher Workforce

Joint hearing with the House Education Committee. This meeting will be hosted in room 11 and livestreamed on the House Education YouTube Channel https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-education

• John Castle, Executive Director, Vermont Rural Education Collaborative
  
• Scott Giles, President, Vermont Student Assistance Corporation
  
• Andrew Prowten, Assistant Director, Educator Quality Division, Agency of Education
  
• Colin Robinson, Political Director, Vermont National Education Association
  

2:45 PM

Education Governance in Vermont

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

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Friday, January 24, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

11:30 AM

Senate Floor

1:00 PM

Brigham Decision

Joint hearing with House Education. Hearing will be hosted in room 11 and livestreamed on the Senate Education YouTube Channel.

• Jon Gray, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  

1:55 PM

Legislative Priorities

Vermont Superintendents Association, Vermont Principles Association, and Vermont National Education Association introductions and legislative priorities

• Jeff Fannon, Executive Director, Vermont National Education Association
  
• Chelsea Myers, Executive Director, Vermont Superintendents Association
  
• Jay Nichols, Executive Director, Vermont Principals' Association
  
• Colin Robinson, Political Director, Vermont National Education Association
  
• Donald Tinney, President, Vermont National Education Association
  

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Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:30 AM

Senate Floor

1:00 PM

Governor's 2026 Budget Address

Joint assembly to receive budget address

2:30 PM

Drawing School District Borders

Joint hearing with House Education. The hearing will be hosted in room 11 and livestreamed on the House Education YouTube Channel https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-education

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

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Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

1:30 PM

History of Independent Schools

• Oliver Olsen, Vermont Independent Schools Association
  

2:30 PM

Vermont School Board Association

Introduction and overview of legislative priorities

• Sue Ceglowski, Executive Director, Vermont School Boards Association
  

3:00 PM

Overview of Recent Education Legislation

Presentation and Committee Discussion

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

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Thursday, January 30, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

1:30 PM

Education Transformation Funding

Joint hearing with Senate Finance Committee. The hearing will be hosted in room 267 of the Pavilion Building and hosted on the Senate Education YouTube Channel.

• Jill Briggs Campbell, Interim Deputy Secretary, Agency of Education
  
• Amanda Brown, President, APA Consulting
  
• Zoie Saunders, Secretary, Agency of Education
  
• Justin Silverstein, Co-CEO, APA Consulting
  

3:15 PM

Education Finance

Overview
This hearing will be held in the Pavilion Building room 267

• Jon Gray, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  
• Ezra Holben, Fiscal Analyst, Joint Fiscal Office
  
• Julia Richter, Senior Fiscal Analyst, Joint Fiscal Office
  

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Friday, January 31, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

11:30 AM

Senate Floor

1:30 PM

Independent Schools

• Colin Igoe, Head of School, Long Trail School
  
• Mark Tashjian, Head of School, Burr and Burton Academy
  

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Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:30 AM

Senate Floor

1:30 PM

PCBs in Schools

• Matt Chapman, Director of Waste Management & Prevention Division, Department of Environmental Conservation
  
• Patricia Coppolino, Senior Environmental Program Manager, Department of Environmental Conservation, Agency of Natural Resources
  

2:30 PM

School Construction

• Jon Gray, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  
• Chris Rupe, Associate Fiscal Officer, Joint Fiscal Office
  

4:00 PM

Education Funding Report Follow-up

• Jill Briggs Campbell, Interim Deputy Secretary, Agency of Education
  
• Amanda Brown, President, APA Consulting
  
• Zoie Saunders, Secretary, Agency of Education
  
• Justin Silverstein, Co-CEO, APA Consulting
  

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Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

1:30 PM

Committee Discussion

2:45 PM

Vermont State Colleges System

VSCS vision for the future

• Elizabeth Mauch, Chancellor, Vermont State Colleges System
  
• Sharron Scott, Chief Financial and Operating Officer, Vermont State Colleges System
  

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Thursday, February 6, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

1:30 PM

Foundation Formula Best Practices

This will be a joint hearing with Senate Finance. The hearing will be hosted in Room 6. Senate Education will join via Zoom from Room 28. The hearing will be livestreamed on the Senate Finance YouTube Channel https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/senate-finance

• Rebecca Sibilia, Executive Director, EdFund
  

3:00 PM

S.15 - An act relating to providing supplemental reading instruction in all schools

Walkthrough

• Sen. Martine Larocque Gulick, Sponsor
  
• Beth St. James, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  

3:15 PM

S.21 - An act relating to cell phone-free schools

Walkthrough

• Beth St. James, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  
• Sen. Terry Williams, Sponsor, Senate Committee on Education
  

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Friday, February 7, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

11:30 AM

Senate Floor

1:00 PM

UVM Annual Update

• Wendy Koenig, Executive Director of Government Relations, University of Vermont
  
• Patricia Prelock, Interim President, University of Vermont
  

2:00 PM

Education Governance Proposal

• Jill Briggs Campbell, Interim Deputy Secretary, Agency of Education
  
• Zoie Saunders, Secretary, Agency of Education
  

3:30 PM

Vermont Student Assistance Corporation

Introduction and legislative priorities

• Scott Giles, President, Vermont Student Assistance Corporation
  
• Patrick Leduc, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Vermont Student Assistance Corporation
  

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Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:30 AM

Senate Floor

1:15 PM

State Level Education Oversight Models

Joint hearing with House Education. This hearing will be livestreamed on the House Education YouTube Channel https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-education

• Joel Moore, Director of State Relations, Education Commission of the States
  
• Zeke Perez, Assistant Policy Director, Education Commission of the States
  

2:00 PM

Instructional Scale

• Bill Kimball, Superintendent, Maple Run School District
  
• Chelsea Myers, Executive Director, Vermont Superintendents Association
  

3:15 PM

Independent Schools

• Sergio Simunovic, Head of School, Greenwood School
  
• CJ Spirito, Head of School, Rock Point School
  

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Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

1:30 PM

Vermont Council on the Arts

• Susan Evans McClure, Executive Director, Vermont Arts Council
  
• Madeleine Messier, Student, Bellows Free Academy St. Albans
  

2:00 PM

Farm to School and Early Childhood Awareness Day

• Reeve Basom, Center for an Agricultural Economy
  
• Gina Clithero, Farm to Institution Program Manager, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
  
• Conor Floyd, Grant Program Manager for Child Nutrition Programs, Agency of Education
  
• Bob Hildebrand, SNS Food Service Director, The Abbey Group
  
• Rosie Krueger, State Director of Child Nutrition Programs, Agency of Education
  
• Sabrina McDonough, Teacher, Shrewsbury Mountain School
  
• Betsy Rosenbluth, Farm to School Director, Shelburne Farms, Vermont FEED
  

3:00 PM

Follow Up of Funding and Governance Policy Proposal

• Jill Briggs Campbell, Interim Deputy Secretary, Agency of Education
  
• Amanda Brown, President, APA Consulting
  
• Zoie Saunders, Secretary, Agency of Education
  
• Emily Simmons, General Counsel, Agency of Education
  

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Thursday, February 13, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

1:30 PM

Committee Discussion

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Friday, February 14, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

11:30 AM

Senate Floor

1:15 PM

Education Transformation Proposal: District Budgeting

Joint hearing with House Education, House Ways and Means, and Senate Finance. This hearing will be hosted in Room 11 and livestreamed on the House Education YouTube Channel. https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-education

• Jill Briggs Campbell, Interim Deputy Secretary, Agency of Education
  
• Nate Levenson, President, New Solutions K-12
  
• Zoie Saunders, Secretary, Agency of Education
  

2:55 PM

Committee Discussion

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Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:30 AM

Senate Floor

-

No Committee Meeting Scheduled

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Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

1:30 PM

Public Schools - Opportunities and Challenges

• Sarah Tetzlaff, Principal, Rutland Town School
  

2:45 PM

Career Technical Education

Introduction to CTE

• Melissa Connor, Director, Stafford Technical Center
  
• Jody Emerson, President, Vermont Association of Career and Technical Directors
  
• Scott Farr, Superintendent and Director, River Valley Technical Center School District
  
• Patrick Guckin, Director of Career and Technical Education, St. Johnsbury Academy
  

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Thursday, February 20, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

10:30 AM

Joint Assembly

Election of Sergeant at Arms and UVM Trustees

1:15 PM

Demographics of Vermont

• Kevin Chu, Executive Director, Vermont Futures Project
  

2:15 PM

NEK Day

• Sharon Ellingwood, Board Member, NEK Choice School District
  
• Jennifer Lawcewicz, Superintendent, Essex North Supervisory Union
  
• Sean McMannon, Superintendent, Kingdom East School District
  

3:10 PM

S.15 - An act relating to providing supplemental reading instruction in all schools

• Dorinne Dorfman, Reading/Literacy Specialist and Former Principal
  
• Cynthia Gardner-Morse, Literacy Tutor
  
• Elyse Perambo, Parent
  

3:40 PM

Responses to Governor's Education Proposal

• John Castle, Executive Director, Vermont Rural Education Collaborative
  
• Jeff Fannon, Executive Director, Vermont National Education Association
  
• Oliver Olsen, Vermont Independent Schools Association
  

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Friday, February 21, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

School District Governance

This will be a joint hearing with House Government Operations and Senate Government Operations. The hearing will be hosted in Room 11 and livestreamed on the House Government Operations YouTube Channel https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-government-operations-and-military-affairs

• Sarah Copeland Hanzas, Secretary of State, Secretary of State's Office
  
• Lauren Hibbert, Deputy Secretary of State, Secretary of State's Office
  
• Thomas Little, Chair, Legislative Apportionment Board
  

2:50 PM

S.15 - An act relating to providing supplemental reading instruction in all schools

• Gwen Carmolli, Chair, Advisory Council on Literacy
  
• Jay Nichols, Executive Director, Vermont Principals' Association
  

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Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:30 AM

Senate Floor

1:15 PM

Career Technical Education Report

This will be a joint hearing with House Education and House Commerce and Economic Development. The hearing will be hosted in Room 10 and livestreamed on the House Education YouTube Channel https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-education

• Ruth Durkee, State Director of Career Technical Education, Agency of Education
  
• Jennifer Piscatelli, Senior Associate, APA Consulting
  
• Zoie Saunders, Secretary, Agency of Education
  
• Justin Silverstein, Co-CEO, APA Consulting
  

2:30 PM

Education Transformation Proposal: Language

Walk-through of proposed language from the Agency of Education. Joint hearing with House Education. Hearing will be hosted in room 10 in the State House and livestreamed on the House Education YouTube channel https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-education

• Zoie Saunders, Secretary, Agency of Education
  
• Emily Simmons, General Counsel, Agency of Education
  

4:30 PM

Adjourn

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Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

2:05 PM

Education Transformation Proposal: Governance

This will be a joint hearing with House Education. The hearing will be hosted in Room 11 and livestreamed on the House Education YouTube Channel https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-education

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

3:10 PM

Education at Scale

• Katherine Riley, Principal, Champlain Valley Union High School
  

3:50 PM

Committee Discussion

4:25 PM

Adjourn

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Thursday, February 27, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

1:45 PM

Special Education and Extraordinary Costs

This will be a joint hearing with the House Education and House Ways and Means Committees. The hearing will be hosted in Room 11 and livestreamed on the House Education YouTube Channel https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-education

• Kris Benway, President-Elect, Vermont Council of Special Education Administrators
  
• Mary Lundeen, Executive Director, Vermont Council of Special Education Administrators
  
• Jo-Anne Unruh, Former VCSEA Executive Director, retired
  

3:00 PM

Act 46 of 2015

Overview

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

3:30 PM

Adjourn

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Friday, February 28, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

11:30 AM

Senate Floor

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

1:30 PM

Instructional Scale and Governance

VSBA Testimony on school scale and response to Governor's Education Transformation Proposal

• Sue Ceglowski, Executive Director, Vermont School Boards Association
  
• Phil Gore, Chief Learning Officer, Idaho School Boards Association, Former Director of Board Services, Vermont School Boards Association
  

2:05 PM

Response to Education Transformation Bill

• Jay Nichols, Executive Director, Vermont Principals' Association
  

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Adjourn

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