Vermont officials defend decade-old universal pre-K and outline limited committee recommendations

Vermont education officials told a joint Senate and House hearing on Jan. 21 that the state’s Universal Prekindergarten program remains publicly funded and broadly available, but changes recommended by an Act 76 (2023) study panel would need more fiscal analysis before implementation.

The Department for Children and Families’ Janet McLaughlin, deputy commissioner overseeing the Child Development Division, said the state program established by Act 166 of 2014 is “publicly funded” and provides a “minimum of 10 hours a week, 35 weeks per year.” She said the program is delivered through a mixed‑delivery model that allows families to enroll children at public school programs or approved community providers.

Why it matters: UPK is a central element of the session’s “cradle to career” framing and is tied to special‑education access and broader early‑childhood systems. Any change to program hours, eligibility or district responsibilities would affect district budgets, community providers and families across Vermont.

Officials highlighted how the program operates today and the committee’s limited conclusions. McLaughlin said the program is portable — “the funding, at least a portion of it, … follows that child” — and that funded enrollment is reflected in a district’s average daily membership at 0.46 ADM for the 10‑hour weekly minimum. For the current school year the state tuition rate for the 350 hours covered by the minimum benefit is $3,884; McLaughlin said that amount is updated annually.

McLaughlin provided counts and uptake figures cited during testimony: the state has 448 approved UPK programs (154 public school‑operated programs and 294 community‑based programs). She said Vermont’s voluntary program has high participation, reporting 71% participation among age‑eligible 3‑year‑olds last year; testimony also referenced a figure of “60” for 4‑year‑olds but did not specify the unit in the record.

The Act 76 study committee, convened in July 2023 and co‑chaired by Heather Boushey (initially) and later Zoe Saunders, secretary of education, examined four major changes: implementing pre‑K on a full school‑day/full school‑year basis; focusing the entitlement on 4‑year‑olds while shifting 3‑year‑olds to other early‑childhood settings; assigning districts responsibility to provide space for eligible children; and allowing districts discretion in delivery (direct operation, partnerships, or mixed models).

McLaughlin said the committee did not reach a comprehensive set of final votes on a single package but did land on four broad recommendations: maintain a benefit for 3‑year‑olds; prioritize expanding hours and services for 4‑year‑olds while deferring precise design pending financial analysis; improve educator qualification pathways and coaching; and strengthen data collection and transition planning to support any expansion. “We were also…reticent to prescribe exactly what that would look like without additional financial analysis,” she said.

Committee members asked for more granular data on which children cannot find slots and whether transportation or full‑day care needs were common barriers. McLaughlin said the committee’s surveys of supervisory unions (about an 80% response rate) showed widespread concerns about funding, staffing and transportation; she said the committee lacked robust, statewide data on wait‑list demographics and that “additional data collection, analysis, and discussion” would be required.

Officials repeatedly emphasized the system’s mixed‑delivery nature — public schools and community providers both play large roles — and the need for a transition plan and sustained funding to raise educator qualifications and meet national benchmarks.

Looking ahead, McLaughlin said the committee submitted its report in December 2024 and that lawmakers and agency staff will need to reconcile fiscal constraints and the commission’s recommendations before proposing statutory changes.

Ending: Lawmakers were told fuller presentations and follow‑up materials on the UPK study and the Act 76 report will be provided to the House Education Committee for further deliberation and potential legislative steps.