House Education committee hears concerns that moratorium language could block Mill School’s nonprofit conversion

The House Education Committee on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, heard testimony that language in Section 17 of the miscellaneous education bill could inadvertently treat a for-profit therapeutic school that converts to nonprofit status as a new school, potentially subjecting it to a moratorium.

Jolie Frechette, of Moore Strategies, told the committee she represents the Mill School, an independent therapeutic day school in Winooski, and said, “the moratorium language gave them pause.” She asked the committee for clearer wording to ensure that a change in governance from a proprietary LLC to a nonprofit would not force the school to reapply as a brand-new institution.

The clarification matters, Frechette said, because the Mill School plans only an internal governance change — not a change in student population or services — and wants assurance the…