State officials outline $13,200 foundation formula, five‑district governance and $184 million estimated savings

Secretary Zoe Saunders, the Vermont Agency of Education (AOE) and consulting firm APA presented detailed numbers on the governor—s education transformation plan at a joint Senate Finance and Education Committee hearing, saying the proposal centers on a $13,200 per‑student foundation base, new student‑need weights and a five‑district governance structure.

The plan, Saunders told lawmakers, is intended to "promote education quality, educational equity, and sustainability." APA consultant Justin Silverstein said the model "is estimated to reduce overall spending by about a $184,000,000" while still funding a more generous base and categorical supports, subject to the plan—s assumptions and the proposed governance changes.

Committee members were shown the mechanics behind the calculation: a $13,200 base amount multiplied by long‑term average daily membership (ADM) and adjusted by weights for student need and district/school characteristics. Key proposed weights in the presentation included: economically disadvantaged students, +0.75; English learners, +1.50; career and technical education (CTE) students, +1.30; and early childhood (Triple E) students kept at a negative adjustment of −0.54 in the modeling. APA said the CTE weight plus an in‑lieu payment structure would direct most CTE funding to a statewide CTE BOCES (regional CTE organization) and that the median cost of center‑based CTE…