Joint committees hear JFO analysis of Vermont grand-list values and pupil counts by VSBA regions

Julia Richter, an analyst with the Joint Fiscal Office, briefed a joint hearing of the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways & Means Committee on Tuesday, Feb. 18, on an analysis of FY25 equalized grand-list values and pupil counts divided by Vermont School Boards Association (VSBA) regions.

The presentation outlined how grand-list value and pupil demographics vary across the 11 VSBA regions and why those differences matter for the administration's proposed state guarantee for school funding. "JFO is a nonpartisan legislative office dedicated to unbiased analysis," Richter said, adding that the material "is not meant to serve as any sort of policy recommendation, but rather to just provide some information for legislative consideration."

Richter said the office used preliminary FY25 equalized grand-list data and FY25 pupil counts so the tax base and pupil measures align. Because school district boundaries and town boundaries do not always coincide, the JFO prorated a town's grand-list value to a school district based on the share of that town's pupils who attend each district. Richter also said she excluded some gores and unincorporated towns from the analysis…