Bill H.931, introduced by the Committee on Education, proposes several significant changes to Vermont's education laws. It creates an exemption to the current moratorium on the approval of new independent schools when a therapeutic approved independent school changes ownership. The bill also seeks to adopt the Interstate Compact for Education, which aims to enhance cooperation and policy development among states regarding education. Additionally, it renames "boards of cooperative education services" to "cooperative educational service areas" (CESAs) and stipulates that a school's failure to meet class size minimums will not count towards the three consecutive years required for the Secretary to recommend action to the State Board until updates to the Education Quality Standards are adopted or until July 1, 2027. Furthermore, the bill mandates that the Agency of Education request criminal record information for any new employee or contractor who may have unsupervised contact with students.

The bill includes specific legal insertions, such as the establishment of CESAs to provide shared programs and services, and outlines the powers, financial management, and operational requirements for these entities. It mandates the creation of an education cooperative fund, the appointment of a treasurer, and annual independent audits of financial statements. The legislation also specifies that CESAs must adopt a budget before the fiscal year begins and establishes a grant program to support their formation. Additionally, it modifies the employment framework for CESAs, designating them as public employers and requiring that educators be licensed and participate in the Vermont State Teachers Retirement System. The bill also outlines the process for criminal record checks for applicants seeking employment with the Agency of Education, including provisions for notifying applicants of their rights if a record is found. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 16-10, 16-261a, 16-1691a, 16-1931(20), 16-1931, 24-5051(10), 24-5051, 16-1981, 21-1722, 16-2101, 16-256