Senator Vihofsky highlights potential federal education cuts and urges caution on using reserves

Senator Vihofsky, speaking on a point of personal privilege, shared numbers from the U.S. Department of Education's fiscal 2024 disbursement tables and warned of substantial potential federal cuts that could affect Vermont schools and related services.

Vihofsky said estimated cuts affecting Vermont included roughly $100.2 million identified under a broad category, $222.5 million in cuts to services supporting workers, $3 billion in reductions to two- and four-year college and trade development investments, and $672,000 in community improvements related to schools and children (as read from federal tables). She listed more specific estimated cuts: $42.8 million for Title I services that serve over 50,000 students in Vermont; $42.5 million for services supporting approximately 15,000 students needing speech, reading and disability-related services; $6.7 million for life-skills and career counseling-related programs; $6.5 million for before- and after-school programs; $500,000 for English-language learners; $885,000 for rural-school supports; $336,000 for military families; $6.8 million for career and technical education; $13.8 million for workforce skills and disability services; and $1.9 million in competitive funding to attract high-skill jobs to rural areas.

Vihofsky said those figures should inform the Senate's choices about using reserve funds to buy down property taxes. After her remarks, the senator from Addison asked that Vihofsky's remarks be journalized; the Senate agreed to journalize the speech.

The transcript records the numbers as the senator read them from federal budget tables; the Senate asked staff to help by providing typed remarks when senators want statements journalized to ease transcription work.