Homeschooling exodus = more empty desks, less revenue for Vt. school districts

MONTPELIER | During the final days of August, the Vermont House Education Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee will discuss a draft bill about how homeschooling affects public school financing. Details of the bill are unclear at present. The title for the joint committee meeting is "Financial Implications, Homeschooler Interface with Supervisory Unions, Draft Bill Addressing Average Daily Membership". As reported by VTDaily on July 21, Vermont homeschooling applications are up by 75%. Parents are concerned about children's health, their own health, and/or changes in the public school learning environment in response to COVID-19. Public-school funding is based partly on enrollment, so an exodus of students for any reason reduces revenue. Among those invited to testify in Montpelier is Jeff Francis, executive director of the Vermont Superintendents Association. In early August, Francis spoke with about record-high numbers of homeschooling applications affecting public school revenue. As reported by VTDigger on Aug. 4, "Jeff Francis, the executive director of the Vermont Superintendents Association, flagged sharp fluctuations in enrollment as a concern for legislators... and asked them to consider changing the state's education funding formula so that schools are not hit with a 'double-whammy' of plummeting enrollments and COVID-related expenses."

Signup for our newsletter

Homeschooling exodus = more empty desks, less revenue for Vt. school districts

COMPANY

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

SUBMISSION FORMS

BEYOND THE NEWS