Draft Vermont education bill would lower compulsory age, shift many State Board duties to Agency of Education

A 176-page draft of the governor—s education transformation plan discussed at a Feb. 26 joint House and Senate Education committee hearing would lower the starting age for compulsory attendance from 6 to 5, increase required attendance days from 175 to 180, and move many duties now held by the State Board of Education to the Vermont Agency of Education (AOE), legislative counsel said.

The hearing was a committee question-and-answer session with legislative counsel following a presentation of the draft. St. James, an attorney in the Office of Legislative Council, told lawmakers, "This bill proposes to change the beginning compulsory age from 6 to 5." St. James also summarized day-count rules now in place: "The minimum number to be a full school day to count towards that 175 is 2 hours a day or over the course of 5 calendar days, a total of 10 hours."

Why it matters: The combined changes affect daily attendance calculations used for funding and compliance, legal definitions of truancy, and potentially labor and contract arrangements for districts and schools. Committee members repeatedly questioned how the draft would change oversight of independent schools, the responsibilities of the State Board of Education, and how districts would meet new school-choice requirements.

Key provisions described at the hearing

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