McClure Foundation urges modest update to Higher Education Trust Fund to benefit colleges serving low‑income students

Rebecca Copan, associate director at the McClure Foundation, testified to the House Education Committee on April 7 about the foundation's investments in career‑connected postsecondary pathways and urged a limited statutory change to the Higher Education Trust Fund distribution.

Copan described the foundation’s work supporting career pathways, community college persistence and a pilot called the free degree promise, which the foundation said accelerates debt‑free associate degrees for participating high‑school graduates. "Teachers are the profession that make all other careers possible," Copan said as she framed the foundation’s investments as workforce and equity initiatives.

On the Trust Fund, Copan recommended updating the statute that names beneficiaries so it explicitly lists the two Vermont State College institutions and the Community College of Vermont rather than a single reference to Vermont State Colleges. She argued that naming the institutions would better align distributions with where low‑income students enroll and estimated the proposed change would result in a redirection of less than $250,000 per year among beneficiaries.

The foundation also noted the broader context of roughly $120,000,000 in annual higher‑education funding and suggested the committee consider a FY27 budget letter change reflecting this modernization. Copan offered to provide language and data to committee staff and said the promising jobs list and free degree promise provide practical examples of programs that help low‑income students persist in postsecondary education.

No formal committee vote or action on the Trust Fund recommendation was recorded in the transcript; Copan concluded by offering follow‑up materials and contact information for committee members who want to pursue the statutory update.