The Governor’s education plan falls way short. The changes he and Secretary Saunders propose involve massive disruptions in school administration with enormous implications for students, teachers, families, and communities. You can access the Secretary’s 1/22/25 PowerPoint slide deck at: https://tinyurl.com/ykes6dt4.

At Monday’s legislative breakfast, Feb. 10, in Vergennes, Addison County legislators and community members aired many concerns and posed many questions about the education plan. I encourage community members to attend the next legislative breakfast on Monday, Feb. 24 (breakfast at 7 — RSVP, meeting from 7:30-8:45). There is a legislative lunch planned for Middlebury on Saturday, March 8, from 10:30-12:30 (RSVP for lunch that follows), which may fit into work schedules better.

You can access live stream and recorded Legislative Committee meetings here: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/ The Education Committee meets in the afternoon, and you can access recordings later at your convenience.

As cited in VTDigger, Rep. Peter Conlon, D-Cornwall, the Education Committee’s chair, said, “[The education plan is] very provocative … and we need provocative.” The plan is certainly provocative, stimulating a great deal of conversation, concern, and speculation about the non-existent details. This plan, and any changes, is sure to significantly impact students, families, teachers, communities. I encourage all who can to participate in the conversation!

Christina Wadsworth

Weybridge