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Senate committee reviews bill to let isolated Vermont districts pay for pre-K across the border
Summary
The Senate Education Committee heard S.214 on Jan. 30, a bill by Sen. Hinsdale to allow school districts defined as "geographically isolated" to pay tuition for 10 hours per week (35 weeks) of prekindergarten in approved New Hampshire programs within 25 miles, with payments at Vermont's statewide rate; witnesses urged quick, narrowly targeted action for Essex County while agencies work out operational details.
Sen. Hinsdale introduced S.214 on Jan. 30 to let school districts designated by the State Board as "geographically isolated" pay tuition for residents'prekindergarten at approved out-of-state programs, primarily aimed at children in Essex County who lack reasonable in-state options. The bill would authorize a district to pay for 10 hours per week for 35 weeks to a program approved under New Hampshire law and located within 25 miles of the Vermont border; payments would use the same statewide UPK rate Vermont pays in-state. The bill would require the Agency of Education and the Department for Children and Families to adopt rules defining "geographically isolated school district."
Why it matters: Committee members and witnesses said the measure addresses a narrow but acute access gap. Sen. Hinsdale said residents of sparsely populated Essex County "end up having, quite sparse representation" and called the situation "essentially taxation…
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