Vermont State Board of Education asks Legislature for consultants and counsel as limited budget constrains work

Jennifer Jack Samuelson, chair of the Vermont State Board of Education, told the House Committee on Education on Jan. 22, 2025, that the board lacks staff and legal resources needed to complete rulemaking the legislature assigned to it and is requesting a fiscal-year 2025 budget adjustment and ongoing funding to retain counsel and hire consultants.

The request matters because the state board is responsible for adopting education rules and standards that set minimum requirements for Vermont public schools; without adequate resources, the board said it cannot fully discharge statutory obligations or complete planned updates, including career and technical education rules. Samuelson said the board had about $35,000 remaining in its FY25 budget and a total FY24 appropriation of $70,708.

Samuelson described the board's statutory role and staffing limits. She said the board is made up of 11 members appointed by the governor with…