Conference committee inserts intent language, tuition caps and CTE payment patch into Vermont education funding bill

A legislative conference committee of the Vermont General Assembly on June 12 discussed new language in an education funding bill intended to prevent the new statewide education tax rate from increasing municipal education property tax bills and debated tuition rules for receiving schools and career and technical education (CTE) providers.

Speaker 2, legislative staff, summarized the proposed intent language as “for the intent of the general assembly to ensure the imposition of the new statewide education tax rate contemplated by this act does not result in an increase in education property tax bills relative to Vermont's current education funding system for municipalities across Vermont.”

The committee discussed a tuition structure in which receiving schools — public or independent — could charge tuition of up to 110% of the base amount for grades 9–12. Speaker 2 said independent comprehensive CTE providers could charge up to 120% in total, reflecting an additional 10% for a high-school weight and another 10% for a CTE weight. The committee also discussed using a 0.1 weight (10%) for the CTE/high-school adjustment…