Senate Education Committee hears history and current role of Vermont independent schools

Montpelier — Oliver Wilson, speaking on behalf of the Vermont Independent Schools Association, told the Senate Education Committee on Jan. 29, 2024, that Vermont’s independent schools grew from a long history of locally endowed academies and now serve a mix of students, including many from rural non‑operating districts.

Wilson said the association represents roughly 42 member schools and is governed by a nine‑member executive committee. “All of our member schools are nonprofit organizations,” he said, noting membership includes historic academies, general education schools, specialized ski academies and therapeutic schools focused on students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).

The presentation laid out why independent schools persist in parts of Vermont: geography and district governance historically limited the scale needed to operate public high schools in sparsely populated areas. Wilson pointed to pockets of the state where towns tuition students because the towns do not operate school services for some or all grades.

Wilson described three modern categories for approved independent schools under current state rules (State Board rule series 22100): approved and eligible for public tuition; approved but ineligible for public tuition; and therapeutic schools that serve students with IEPs or formal 504 plans. He said five approved schools currently choose to be ineligible for public tuition and that the eligible schools are held to higher standards intended to ensure they can serve students with special education needs.

On oversight, Wilson said independent schools undergo periodic review by the Agency of Education and recommendation to the State Board of Education, with renewal at least once every five years under statute. He noted that many independent schools also seek third‑party accreditation through organizations such as the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) or the Association of Independent Schools in New England.

Wilson summarized how tuition is calculated for public districts and compared announced tuition (the rate districts publish before the fiscal year) to allowable or net cost per pupil (the figure produced after books are closed). He said the announced tuition often understates the final net cost per pupil because public districts use an announced figure and then “true up” at year end, a mechanism that does not apply to independent schools, which bill the tuition they set.

Wilson reviewed historical legislation and policy milestones he said shaped Vermont education governance, including the creation of union school districts in the mid‑20th century, state minimum standards for schools, the introduction of state capital construction aid for public districts (which he said was set at 30% when first established), and multiple finance formula updates (including a 1969 reference to the Miller formula). He said the modern governance landscape and the presence of non‑operating districts explain why independent schools remain part of Vermont’s educational mix.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about eligibility for public tuition, the differences in regulatory page length (Wilson said independent school rules run about 45 pages while public school rules run about 23 pages), and capital construction aid for independent schools; Wilson confirmed independent schools do not receive state capital construction aid and generally must rely on private fundraising and capital budgets for facilities.

The committee did not take action; Wilson said this presentation was intended as background as the committee considers broader governance changes and the governor’s proposals.

Less critical details: Wilson said independent schools vary widely in mission and size, include historically endowed academies such as Burr and Burton Academy and Bellows Free Academy (BFA), and that therapeutic and alternative schools arose in the 1970s–1980s in response to special education and behavioral health needs.