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House Education hears update on community schools pilot; presenters warn federal funding is uncertain
Summary
Presenters updated the House Education Committee on Vermont's Act 67 community schools pilot, citing early outcomes (attendance and behavior improvements), a $1.9 million federal earmark and state grants that expanded the model to 11 districts and 38 schools, and warned FY27 federal budget proposals could eliminate key federal supports.
House Education Committee members on April 16 heard an update on Vermont's community schools pilot under Act 67, where presenters said the model has produced promising early outcomes but faces sustainability risks as federal funding prospects shift.
Jessica Careless, who said she drafted the community schools grant while formerly at the Agency of Education and now serves as an associate professor and principal investigator with the Catamount Community Schools Collaborative at the University of Vermont, told the committee "it's not an add on. It's not a program. It's really a way of approaching schooling that is integrated and doesn't...paralyze people." Careless and other presenters outlined how the framework braids existing services into a school-centered hub to address attendance, health and family supports.
Bernice Garnett, who identified herself to the committee, emphasized the role of the research-practice partnership with UVM in evaluating implementation. "Research to inform…
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