New law will improve special education services in Vermont public schools

MONTPELIER, Vt. — Gov. Phil Scott has signed H.897, bipartisan legislation that improves the administration, effectiveness, availability and equity of services provided to students who require additional services.

Scott signed the bill on Friday, May 25. Chair of the House Committee on Education, Rep. David Sharpe (D-Bristol, Lincoln, Starksboro and Monkton) said the legislation, which took four years to complete, is the biggest change in special education in Vermont in decades.

“It should allow better delivery of services to children eligible for special education services and allow us to reinvest money in children in early grades who need support in order to succeed in school and be productive citizens,” Sharpe said in a press release.

Heather Bouchey, acting interim secretary of education, said the legislation “changes the way the state funds special education, which will result in – most importantly – better practices to ensure our students who need additional supports get a high-quality education and also cost-effectiveness in implementing those practices.” She also called the law “a critical step forward in protecting some of our most vulnerable students.”

The new law improves the way the state manages special education funding, including shifting from a block grant and reimbursement system to a census-based grant built on the best, evidence-based educational practices. Other provisions of the law modify the thresholds determining the amount the state reimburses and how independent schools will be reimbursed for services provided for students who require special services.

Tammy Kolbe, who holds a doctorate, is the University of Vermont education professor who led the team of researchers that produced the study informing the legislation.

“This is an exciting moment for special education policy in Vermont,” Kolbe said. “H.897 takes important steps toward improving the systems in place to support students with disabilities. It provides educators with the flexibility they need to implement innovative practices to better serve students with a range of learning needs, while at the same time bringing predictability to state and local education spending.”

Scott said the new funding system will improve the ability of schools to implement evidence-based best practices for students that need additional support while reducing administrative requirements and costs.

Scott said he has included this reform in his five-year plan to stabilize education tax rates and reinvest savings in reducing inequality and increasing opportunity for students.

“Our analysts estimate this new law will save about $2 million in fiscal year 2020 and increase to about $34 million in savings in fiscal year 2024. This gets us one step closer to a comprehensive plan that improves equity in our education system by better managing the $1.6 billion we commit each year to educate about 76,000 students,” he said. “If we continue to take this approach, we can provide more and better opportunities for all students, and some relief for taxpayers.”