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1 S.133
2 An act relating to miscellaneous changes to education law
3 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
4 * * * Curriculum and Academic Standards * * *
5 Sec. 1. [Deleted.]
6 Sec. 2. PROFICIENCY-BASED LEARNING; STUDY COMMITTEE
7 (a) Creation. There is created the Proficiency-Based Learning Study
8 Committee to study proficiency-based learning and proficiency-based
9 graduation requirements as they are used in Vermont, as required by the
10 Agency of Education, Education Quality Standards (CVR 22-000-003), and to
11 make recommendations for whether proficiency-based learning is the most
12 effective way to ensure Vermont students attain rigorous standards in high-
13 quality programs or whether there are other systems of instruction, assessment,
14 grading, and academic reporting that would better serve Vermont students.
15 (b) Membership. The Committee shall be composed of the following
16 members:
17 (1) the Secretary of Education or designee;
18 (2) the Chair of the State Board of Education or designee;
19 (3) the Executive Director of the Vermont Principals’ Association or
20 designee;
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1 (4) the Executive Director of the Vermont Superintendents Association
2 or designee;
3 (5) the Executive Director of the Vermont School Boards Association or
4 designee; and
5 (6) the Executive Director of the Vermont National Education
6 Association or designee.
7 (c) Powers and duties. The Committee shall study proficiency-based
8 learning and proficiency-based graduation requirements, including the
9 following issues:
10 (1) the statewide implementation of proficiency-based learning and
11 proficiency-based graduation requirements and to what extent there is
12 consistency in application across all supervisory unions;
13 (2) other states’ experience with proficiency-based learning;
14 (3) alternatives to proficiency-based learning, including other systems of
15 instruction, assessment, grading, and academic reporting; and
16 (4) recommendations for Vermont assessment standards and the efforts
17 needed to ensure successful and substantially equal implementation across
18 Vermont.
19 (d) Assistance. The Committee shall have the administrative, technical,
20 and legal assistance of the Vermont Agency of Education.
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1 (e) Report. On or before January 15, 2024, the Committee shall submit a
2 written report to House and Senate Committees on Education with its findings
3 and any recommendations for legislative action.
4 (f) Meetings.
5 (1) The Secretary of Education or designee shall call the first meeting of
6 the Committee to occur on or before August 15, 2023.
7 (2) The Committee shall select a chair from among its members at the
8 first meeting.
9 (3) A majority of the membership shall constitute a quorum.
10 (4) The Committee shall cease to exist on January 16, 2024.
11 Sec. 3. [Deleted.]
12 * * * Public Safety in Libraries * * *
13 Sec. 4. 2021 Acts and Resolves No. 66, Sec. 1 is amended to read:
14 Sec. 1. WORKING GROUP ON THE STATUS OF LIBRARIES IN
15 VERMONT; REPORT
16 (a) Creation. There is created the Working Group on the Status of
17 Libraries in Vermont to study and report on the statewide status of Vermont’s
18 libraries. The Working Group is formed with the intent of strengthening and
19 supporting libraries of all sizes and improving library services for the public.
20 (b) Membership. The Working Group shall be composed of the following
21 members:
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1 (1) the State Librarian;
2 (2) the President of the Vermont Library Association or designee;
3 (3) the Executive Director of the Vermont Humanities Council or
4 designee;
5 (4) three representatives of public libraries, who shall be from libraries
6 of different sizes and from different regions of the State, appointed by the State
7 Librarian;
8 (5) two representatives of public school libraries, who shall be from
9 schools of different sizes and from different regions of the State, appointed by
10 the Vermont School Library Association;
11 (6) two representatives of college and university libraries, appointed by
12 the President of the College and Special Libraries Section of the Vermont
13 Library Association; and
14 (7) one public library trustee, appointed by the President of the Friends
15 and Trustees Section of the Vermont Library Association.
16 (c) Powers and duties. The Working Group shall study:
17 (1) library services for specific segments of the Vermont population,
18 including senior citizens, individuals with disabilities, youths and children,
19 immigrant and migrant communities, and people living in poverty;
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1 (2) the role that libraries play in emergency preparedness, cultural
2 diversity and inclusion, public health and safety, community identity and
3 resiliency, economic development, and access to public programs and services;
4 (3) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on library operations and
5 services; and
6 (4) whether current law provides adequate public safety protections for
7 libraries; and
8 (4)(5) the current overall status of Vermont libraries, which may include
9 information related to programming, collections, facilities, technology, and
10 staffing.
11 (A) Programming. The Working Group may study the types and
12 frequency of library programs, attendance at library programs, and whether
13 library programs are meeting community needs. The study of programming
14 may include an assessment of public engagement and outreach surrounding
15 library programming as well as the opportunities for nonlibrary programs and
16 groups to access Vermont libraries.
17 (B) Collections. The Working Group may study the size and
18 diversity of library holdings and assess the strengths and gaps in materials
19 available to Vermonters. The study of collections may include an assessment
20 of how libraries may best share resources across differing libraries and VT LEG #369106 v.1
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1 communities, whether libraries offer community-specific resources, and
2 whether libraries maintain special collections or historical artifacts.
3 (C) Facilities. The Working Group may study whether library
4 facilities and buildings could be improved with regard to energy efficiency,
5 accessibility, flexibility, human health and safety, historic preservation, and
6 intergenerational needs.
7 (D) Technology. The Working Group may study whether Vermont
8 libraries have sufficient access to basic technological resources, cyber-security
9 cybersecurity resources, high-speed Internet, electronic catalogs, interlibrary
10 loan and other interoperable systems, and appropriate hardware and software.
11 (E) Staff. The Working Group may study staffing levels at Vermont
12 libraries, whether staffing levels are sufficient to meet community needs,
13 whether library staff compensation and benefits are sufficient, how libraries
14 rely on volunteers, and what resources are available for workforce
15 development and training of library staff.
16 (d) Public input. As part of the study and report, the Working Group shall
17 solicit feedback from the general public and library users around the State.
18 The Working Group may examine models for library management and
19 organization in other states, including the formation of statewide service
20 networks.
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1 (e) Data to be used. The data used in the analysis of library services and
2 operations may be from 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
3 Postpandemic data may also be used to assess the status of library services and
4 operations.
5 (f) Consultation with the Board of Libraries. The Working Group may
6 solicit feedback from the Board of Libraries.
7 (g) Assistance. The Working Group shall have the administrative,
8 technical, and legal assistance of the Department of Libraries.
9 (h) Report. On or before November 1, 2023 December 20, 2023, the
10 Working Group shall submit a report to the House and Senate Committees on
11 Education. The report shall contain:
12 (1) specific and detailed findings and proposals concerning the issues set
13 forth in subsection (c) of this section, including recommendations for
14 legislative action regarding public safety protections on library property;
15 (2) recommendations for updating the statutes, rules, standards, and the
16 governance structures of Vermont libraries to ensure equitable access for
17 Vermont residents, efficient use of resources, and quality in the provision of
18 services;
19 (3) recommendations related to the funding needs of Vermont libraries,
20 including capital, ongoing, and special funding; and VT LEG #369106 v.1
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1 (4) any other information or recommendations that the Working Group
2 may deem necessary.
3 (i) Meetings.
4 (1) The State Librarian shall be the Chair of the Working Group.
5 (2) The Chair shall call the first meeting of the Working Group to occur
6 within 45 days after the effective date of this act.
7 (3) A majority of the membership shall constitute a quorum.
8 (4) The Working Group shall cease to exist on December 1, 2023
9 January 20, 2024.
10 (j) Compensation and reimbursement. Members of the Working Group
11 shall be entitled to per diem compensation and reimbursement of expenses as
12 permitted under 32 V.S.A. § 1010 for not more than 12 meetings. These
13 payments shall be made from monies appropriated to the Department of
14 Libraries.
15 (k) Appropriation. The sum of $12,000.00 is appropriated to the
16 Department of Libraries from the General Fund in fiscal year 2022 for per
17 diem compensation and reimbursement of expenses for members of the
18 Working Group.
19 * * * Effective Date * * *
20 Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE
21 This act shall take effect on July 1, 2023.
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