AGENCY OF EDUCATION
ARCHIVED INITIATIVES:
EDUCATION GOVERNANCE

In May 2006 Commissioner Richard Cate released a white paper entitled "The Governance of Education in Vermont – 1777 to 2006." The paper, meant to stimulate a year-long discussion, outlined a plan for changing the governance model of the education system in Vermont. As part of this discussion, the department hosted 30 facilitated meetings across the state. The goal of these meetings was to engage a large and diverse group of Vermonters in a conversation about governance in the Vermont education system. These meetings were held at local schools across the state between January and May.

This page contains the Commissioner's report to the legislature addressing the results of the public engagement process and other archived education governance resources.

Legislative Report Recommendations on Act 82. Section 19: An Act Relating to Education Quality and Cost Control (Education Governance)
Section 19 of Act 82 of the Acts of 2007 directs that: “On or before December 1, 2007, the commissioner shall submit a report to the house and senate committees on education that describes insights obtained from the recently concluded public engagement process. The report shall consider other governance models and shall also outline any proposals the commissioner wishes to make for restructuring governance in Vermont, which shall include proposals to provide financial incentives for consolidation. Any proposed changes should foster increased cooperation and collaboration among public schools and provide support for the new demands and expectations placed on schools by an increasingly technological and global society.” The act also required that the commissioner request recommendations on this topic from the Vermont Superintendents Association, the Vermont School Boards Association and the Vermont National Education Association.

Detailed reports addressing the results of the public engagement process, other requirements of the act and the recommendations of the education organizations appear below as attachments to this report. Also attached is a summary of an education governance law that was recently enacted in the State of Maine (Appendix H).

• Appendix A: The Governance of Education in Vermont – 1777–2006
• Appendix B: A Report on the Findings of a Vermont Agency of Education Survey of the Public’s Beliefs Regarding Specific Methods to Govern Vermont’s Schools
• Appendix C: A Report on the Vermont School Governance Public Engagement Process of 2006-2007
• Appendix D: Educational Governance in the United States: A 2007 Report
• Appendix E: Recommendations from the Vermont School Boards Association
• Appendix F: Recommendations from the Vermont Superintendents Association
• Appendix G: Recommendations from the Vermont-National Education Association
• Appendix H: Summary of Public Law 2007, Chapter 240, Part XXXX

Schedule of Statewide Education Governance Meetings
View the schedule of meeting dates and locations.

Agenda and Materials for Education Governance Meetings
This agenda includes the two questions that guided the education governance conversations. The materials included a message from Commissioner Cate, a rationale for the conversations, as well as organizational charts showing the current and proposed education governance structures.

Maps of Current SU Regions
These maps, handed out at the meetings, show the current regional supervisory unions and districts. It also lists student enrollment numbers by school district.

Map of Locations for Education Governance Meetings
This map shows the meeting locations, by town, for the Education Governance Statewide Discussion Meetings. It demonstrates the attempt to hold the meetings at locations that represent a variety of population, geographic and education governance structures.

Interim Education Governance Public Engagement Process Report (2/28/07)
This report summarizes the key points heard from members of the public at the meetings held through February. The goal of this report was to update the Legislature, State Board, Governor and the public on some of the major themes that have been shared at the Education Governance meetings held so far across the state. A final report will be created once all the meetings have been held, and the survey has been completed.

Input from Public Meetings
These documents are word-for-word dictations of specific public comments offered at meetings held across the state:

Governance of Education in Vermont (1777-2006)
This white paper outlines a proposal for changing the governance model of the education system in Vermont. It addresses several concerns about education in Vermont, including the cost and quality of education, stagnant student enrollment and a short supply of school leader candidates.

What is Education Governance? A Brief Primer
This document outlines the key factors affecting Vermont education governance. It also outlines what the term education governance means, and what Vermont’s current education governance structure looks like. Finally, it includes the two questions that guided the discussions on education governance at meetings across the state.

Related Press Releases

• Education Governance Recommendations Report Released by Commissioner Richard H. Cate (12/3/07)
• Agency of Education Releases Governance Survey Results (6/15/07)
• Clarification Regarding Governance Meetings (1/17/07)
• Education Governance Meeting Schedule Announced (1/5/07)
• Education Governance Public Engagement Sites Announced (11/15/06)
• Commissioner Selects Education Governance Public Engagement Team (10/19/06)
• Commissioner Cate Proposes Education Governance Reform Model (5/16/06)

A Vermont Government Website Copyright © 2013 State of Vermont. All rights reserved