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Principal of large Vermont high school tells Senate consolidation can erode programs unless funding follows
Summary
Catherine Riley, interim principal of Champlain Valley Union High School, told the Senate Education Committee that large-school advantages — broader course offerings, embedded technical programs and strong advisory systems — depend on stable funding and that proposed changes to district structure and the foundation formula could cut services.
Catherine Riley, interim principal of Champlain Valley Union High School (CVU), told the Vermont Senate Education Committee on Feb. 26, 2025, that the state should weigh the programmatic benefits of larger schools against potential funding losses from district consolidation proposals.
Riley told senators CVU’s district serves about 3,600 students and that CVU enrolls 1,269 students in grades 9–12, and described programmatic features she said are possible because of that scale: a broad roster of Advanced Placement and language classes, a ninth‑grade core and 10–12‑student advisories, an embedded Burlington Technical Center program for ninth and tenth graders, a midday “C3” period for clubs and supports, and place‑based programs the school calls Field and Forest. “I think an advantage to being a bigger school is, that you have more offerings,” Riley said.
Why it matters: the Senate is debating an administration plan to reduce Vermont’s supervisory unions and school districts. Proponents say…
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