VSA urges limits on out-of-state tuitioning, statewide systems for calendar and credits

Chelsea Myers and other VSA representatives told the Senate Adaptation Committee the state should limit tuition dollars leaving Vermont and hold any independent schools receiving public funds to the same standards as public schools.

The association recommended limiting tuition payments to out-of-state schools except when public schools are unavailable within a defined proximity (they suggested a 25-mile public-school exception near state borders). Presenters said that public oversight and accountability are difficult to ensure when public dollars pay schools outside the state or to unaccredited programs.

VSA also recommended statewide coherence in several systems: a consistent statewide school calendar (important for tech centers that serve multiple sending districts), common finance and student-information systems, and statewide graduation standards tied to a future-focused common vision led by the Commission on the Future of Public Education. The association proposed a timeline of work from 2025 to 2029 for these changes.

Committee members probed how residency rules and existing approvals for independent schools would apply. Presenters said the policy goal is to keep public education dollars in programs that meet Vermont standards and that local education agencies retain responsibility for students who attend contracted or tuition programs.

The presenters cited Carson v. Macon as background on court decisions that affect tuitioning arrangements and said legal vulnerabilities should factor into policy decisions.