The Agency of Education has received a number of questions related to age restrictions for prekindergarten tuition under Act 166. In 2017, the Agency issued guidance stating that fiveyear- old students who are eligible for kindergarten in their district of residence are not also eligible for prekindergarten tuition reimbursement under Act 166. The previous guidance stated that the Agency would seek a legislative clarification of an apparent conflict in the Vermont statutes.
Because no legislative amendment is forthcoming this year, the Agency is revising its earlier guidance, which will be in effect beginning in the 2019-2020 school year. Accordingly, students who are five years old, as of the first day of school in their district of residence, who are either not eligible for or enrolled in kindergarten are entitled to receive 10 hours of publicly funded prekindergarten.