Report on Vermont Act 73: An Analysis of Education Reform in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals

A new legislative measure in Vermont, Act 73, has introduced significant reforms to the state’s education system, with immediate and profound consequences for independent schools. This report analyzes the law’s provisions and their impact, with a specific focus on their alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

Analysis of Act 73 Provisions and SDG Alignment

Effective July 1, Act 73 establishes new, stringent criteria for independent schools to receive public tuition funding. These changes reflect a legislative effort to standardize educational funding and operations, which can be viewed through the lens of SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) in its attempt to create more accountable systems.

New Eligibility Criteria for Public Funding

To qualify for public funds, independent schools must now meet two primary requirements:

1. Geographic Location: The school must be physically located within a supervisory union where at least one member school district does not operate its own public school for some or all grade levels. This provision directly impacts educational access in rural areas, a key concern of SDG 11.
2. Public Enrollment Threshold: Students funded by a Vermont public school district must have constituted at least 25% of the school’s total student body during the 2023-2024 academic year. This measure aims to ensure that public funds support institutions with a substantial public service role, aligning with the principles of SDG 10.

Private therapeutic schools serving students with special needs are exempt from these requirements, acknowledging the importance of specialized services under SDG 4, Target 4.5, which calls for equal access for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities.

Operational Mandates and Educational Standards

The act also imposes new operational rules that challenge traditional educational models and impact the delivery of quality education (SDG 4).

• Class Size Minimums: Effective July 2026, the law mandates minimum average class sizes, such as 18 students for grades 9-12. This could affect the personalized learning environments many independent schools offer.
• Multiage Classroom Restrictions: Multiage classrooms are now restricted to a two-grade-level span for kindergarten through eighth grade, a change that educators fear may negatively impact students with learning disabilities who benefit from skill-based rather than age-based groupings, a potential setback for SDG 4’s goal of inclusive and effective learning environments.

Impact Assessment on Educational Access and Equity (SDG 4 & SDG 10)

The implementation of Act 73 has created a landscape of uncertainty and significant change, with divergent outcomes for schools across the state. The Vermont Independent Schools Association estimates that the law will result in “the biggest reduction in access to independent schools in the history of Vermont’s education system,” disqualifying more than half of previously eligible institutions.

Disqualification and Reduced Choice

Several schools have been immediately disqualified by the 25% enrollment threshold, limiting educational options for families and impacting community stability, a concern related to SDG 11.

• The Grammar School (Putney): Head of School Nick Perry described the 25% threshold as a “non-starter,” projecting a “huge impact” on the school’s budget and its ability to serve students from neighboring towns that lack public middle schools.
• The Putney School: This high school will no longer receive public tuition but aims to continue serving Vermont students through its own need-based financial aid, highlighting a shift from public to private support systems.

Uncertainty and Challenges to Inclusive Education

For many communities, the future remains unclear as the Vermont Agency of Education works to validate enrollment data. In Bennington, the eligibility of the Southshire School and the Highland Hall School is uncertain. Rep. Will Greer expressed concern that the law’s restrictions on multiage classrooms will negatively affect these schools’ ability to serve students with diverse learning needs, directly challenging the principles of inclusive education outlined in SDG 4, Target 4.5.

Schools Maintaining Eligibility

Conversely, a number of institutions, including Long Trail School, Burr & Burton Academy, and St. Johnsbury Academy, will continue to qualify for public funding. However, leaders from these schools remain concerned. Colin Igoe, Head of Long Trail School, argued that the law fails to solve systemic funding issues and that new mandates, particularly on class sizes, could have a “devastating” impact on educational quality. He emphasized that independent schools often serve a vital “public purpose” by filling educational gaps in rural communities, an essential function for achieving SDG 11.

Conclusion: Reconciling Reform with Sustainable Development

Vermont’s Act 73 represents a significant attempt to reform the state’s education funding system, ostensibly to promote the goals of equity and accountability central to SDG 10 and SDG 16. However, stakeholder reports indicate that the legislation may simultaneously create unintended consequences that conflict with other critical development goals. The reduction in educational choice, the potential marginalization of rural communities (SDG 11), and the challenges posed to inclusive learning environments (SDG 4) suggest a complex trade-off. The long-term impact of this reform on Vermont’s commitment to providing equitable, inclusive, and quality education for all will require careful and continuous monitoring.

Analysis of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • The article’s central theme is a new education law in Vermont (Act 73) that directly impacts the state’s education system. It discusses access to primary and secondary education, the quality of learning environments, and the financing of education, all of which are core components of SDG 4. The law’s new eligibility requirements for independent schools to receive public funds directly affect the availability of educational choices for students, particularly in rural areas.

2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • The article highlights how the new law may increase inequality. It restricts educational options for students in rural districts that do not operate their own public schools. The article notes, “parents have fewer options and do not know if they will be able to afford the tuition without the public funding program,” suggesting the law creates a financial barrier that could deepen inequalities based on economic status and geographic location.

3. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • The article details the creation and implementation of public policy (“Act 73”). It describes the legislative process, the role of government bodies like the Vermont Agency of Education in executing the law, and the concerns of lawmakers and advocates about the law’s effectiveness and consequences. This focus on governance, policy-making, and institutional accountability connects directly to SDG 16.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education. The article discusses how the new law limits access to independent schools that have historically served as the de facto secondary school option for students in certain public school districts. A lobbyist is quoted saying the law “results in the biggest reduction in access to independent schools in the history of Vermont’s education system.”
   • Target 4.5: By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities… The article mentions that restricting multiage classrooms could negatively impact “many students with learning disabilities (who) benefit from being paired with students with similar skill sets, rather than students who are in the same grade.” This relates to ensuring equal access and quality education for vulnerable students.
   • Target 4.a: Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all. The law imposes new rules on learning environments, such as minimum class sizes and limits on multiage classrooms. The head of Long Trail School expresses concern that these requirements could have a “devastating” impact on the educational experience, linking directly to the effectiveness of learning environments.

2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices… The article explains that Act 73 creates new eligibility criteria for schools, which in turn reduces the educational opportunities for students in specific rural districts. This policy change directly affects the equality of opportunity for these students compared to those in other parts of the state.

3. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels. The article describes the Vermont Agency of Education’s role in implementing the new law, noting the “validation process for eligibility remains underway” and that the agency set a “July 28 deadline for schools to certify their 2023-2024 enrollment data.” This highlights the function and accountability of a state institution.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicators for SDG 4 (Quality Education)

   • Percentage of publicly-funded students: The article specifies a new eligibility rule that “students funded by a Vermont public school district during the 2023-24 school year must comprise at least 25% of the student body.” This 25% threshold is a direct, measurable indicator.
   • Number of eligible schools: The article implies a clear metric by stating an estimate that “more than half of Vermont’s independent schools that were previously eligible for public funding will now no longer be eligible.” The change in the number of eligible schools is a key indicator of the law’s impact.
   • Class size minimums: The article explicitly lists the new required minimums: “an average of at least 10 students per classroom would be required in first grade, 12 students in grades 2 through 5, 15 in grades 6 through 8; and 18 students for grades 9 through 12.” These numbers serve as direct indicators for measuring compliance with the new quality standards.
   • Student enrollment data: The article mentions that the Agency of Education is working to “validate enrollment data for the state’s independent schools.” The total number of students attending independent schools (9,680) and the number of publicly funded students (3,540) are cited as key statistics.

2. Indicators for SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

   • Number of educational options for rural students: The article implies this indicator by stating that for parents in certain towns, “fewer options” are now available. Tracking the number of accessible, publicly-funded school choices for students in districts without public schools would measure this.
   • Financial burden on families: The concern that parents “do not know if they will be able to afford the tuition without the public funding program” suggests that tracking the affordability of tuition and the number of students seeking financial aid could be an indicator of increased economic inequality in access to education.

3. Indicators for SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

   • Implementation of new legislation: The existence and enforcement of “Act 73” itself is an indicator of institutional action.
   • Institutional process and timelines: The mention of the “July 28 deadline” set by the Agency of Education for schools to certify data is a specific indicator of the administrative process being used to implement the law.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: vtdigger.org