Agency of Education seeks $700,000 reappropriation to expand literacy coaching under Act 139

The Agency of Education asked the Senate Appropriations Committee on Feb. 6 to revert and reappropriate $700,000 in existing general funds so the state can resume and scale a literacy coaching initiative required by Act 139.

Jill Briggs Campbell, deputy secretary of education and chief of operations, told the committee the funds are not new money but a replacement for federal ESSER/GEER resources that the agency can no longer use. "The advantage of having it in the BAA is that it gives us more time to plan," Campbell said, describing the request as a reappropriation of dollars that were previously converted from federal ARPA/SFRF into general fund through administrative action.

The agency says approximately $1.4 million of those converted funds remain; about $700,000 is already committed to finish three IT modernization projects and the remaining $700,000 is earmarked for literacy work. Campbell said the reappropriated funds would support the Read Vermont Literacy Institute, which the agency launched in a pilot phase in November. "We have 11 pilot schools, which represents 70 educators and leaders, 6-week coaching cycles," she said, describing coaching cycles, professional learning and classroom implementation as the core strategies.

Campbell told the committee the $700,000 would help scale the program over the next school year by funding a summer convening for about 200 educators statewide and expanding intensive coaching in lowest-performing districts while offering best-practice supports elsewhere. The agency also plans to rely on Title II and Title IV federal professional development funds, FY25 and FY26 carryforward dollars, and philanthropic partnerships to broaden the work.

Committee members pressed agency staff on timing and durability. One committee member asked whether the requested amount only covers 12 months and whether additional funding would be required in subsequent years. Campbell replied the amount is intended to carry the work through the 2026–27 school year and that the agency is assembling other funding layers to avoid the "start and stop" that previously interrupted the effort.

Campbell emphasized that Act 139 requires development and use of statewide universal screeners, and the agency is working to make screener results more timely and useful for classroom instruction. "We assess so that we can drive instruction," she said, noting the agency is working on data cycles and technical supports to deliver more immediate, actionable feedback to teachers.

The committee did not take a formal vote on the request during the Feb. 6 session; staff indicated the proposal would also appear in the FY27 budget package if not included in the current BAA (budget adjustment) process.

What happens next: committee staff said they will carry open several items for further review, and the agency's reappropriation request will be tracked in both the BAA and the FY27 budget discussions.