Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Therapeutic independent schools tell Senate Education panel they serve high‑need students and need funding predictability
Summary
Directors from several therapeutic independent schools told the committee that their programs serve a small share of students but provide intensive clinical and educational services for children with complex trauma and special‑education needs, urged stable tuition and regulatory clarity from the Agency of Education, and described operational constraints including transportation and facility costs.
Elisa Walker, school director at the Mill School in Winooski, told the Senate Education Committee on Feb. 6 that therapeutic independent schools serve a tiny proportion of Vermont students—"less than 1% of Vermont's overall student population"—but a disproportionate share of high‑needs special‑education cases. Walker said students at the Mill School commonly face severe trauma, housing insecurity and multiple behavioral and clinical needs that public schools struggle to address.
"How would we ensure that all Vermont students receive the education that they need?" Walker asked the committee, and framed the question around two linked problems: ensuring those children can access education that meets their needs,…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
