Former Vermont education chief says shift to cabinet secretary reduced State Board independence, strained school supports

Armando Villaseca, Vermont’s former education commissioner and the state’s first secretary of education, told the House Education Committee on Jan. 30 that converting the Department of Education into a cabinet-level agency reduced the State Board of Education’s independence and changed how the department supports local schools.

“Governor Shumlin felt that as one of the largest departments in the state ... he would like a little bit more control,” Villaseca said, describing why the transition to a secretary position occurred. He said the change also allowed governors to appoint a single, cabinet-level education official rather than rely on an independent State Board process.

Villaseca told lawmakers the governance change coincided with staff cuts and a shift toward federal compliance work that…