All Roll Calls
Yes: 49 • No: 91
VermontH.4802025-2026 SessionHouseWALLET
An act relating to miscellaneous amendments to education law
Sponsored By: Sponsor information unavailable
Signed by Governor
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
17 provisions identified: 11 benefits, 2 costs, 4 mixed.
More tuition help for Guard members
Eligible active Vermont National Guard members can get tuition help for graduate degrees and multiple certificates, degrees, or recognized credentials. Having a bachelor's degree no longer bars participation. Approved out-of-state schools must qualify for federal Title IV aid, and the degree program must be unavailable in Vermont. Payments at UVM and Vermont State Colleges equal UVM's in-state tuition; eligible Vermont private and training schools have that ceiling. Training-school payments cannot exceed their standard tuition, and part-time benefits are reduced proportionally. Total benefits remain capped at twice UVM's full-time in-state tuition cost for an undergraduate bachelor's degree. Members must complete basic training, maintain satisfactory academic progress, and use available federal military tuition benefits, subject to statutory exceptions. They must submit a commander's good-standing statement within 30 days before each semester.
Extra reading help for struggling students
Covered schools must provide extra reading instruction to qualifying students from kindergarten through grade 12. Students qualify when reading falls significantly below grade level or keeps them from progressing in school. This applies to public schools and approved independent schools eligible to receive public tuition.
Public school students gain virtual options
The Agency of Education must maintain access to and oversight of a virtual learning provider. Vermont public-school students, including career center students, can enroll when virtual learning fits their personalized learning plan. A properly licensed educator must supervise the learning, and it must meet state expectations and standards. Virtual learning includes self-paced online instruction designed and delivered by trained online teachers. Districts must count qualifying enrolled students in average daily membership, which affects school funding.
Guard tuition help carries repayment duties
Guard members must sign a repayment promise to receive tuition help. One full academic year requires two years of Vermont National Guard service to earn the full benefit. Part-time study creates proportional service duties, up to 12 months per semester. Members who leave before completing required service must repay a proportional share through an interest-free repayment agreement. Loss of good standing, academic or disciplinary dismissal, or withdrawal without good cause can end benefits and trigger repayment. Members can also lose future benefits.
More career programs with student information sharing
Beginning June 27, 2025, secondary students can apply outside their region when their assigned career center lacks the desired program or cannot enroll them. Their home district must pay tuition under an agreement with the receiving district. Tuition changes from these enrollments follow the existing State Board reconciliation process. Beginning in 2025–2026, receiving centers can offer transportation, but are not required to do so. Districts with secondary schools must share requested student directory information with outside centers when local access is blocked by waitlists, denial, or missing programs. Outside centers may use that information only to tell students and parents about their programs.
School libraries must protect intellectual freedom
Beginning June 27, 2025, school boards and approved independent schools must maintain policies for choosing library materials. Superintendents and independent school heads must also set procedures for reviewing challenges and retaining materials. These rules must protect intellectual freedom and follow specified constitutional, civil-rights, and library principles. They must reflect Vermont's diverse people and history.
Schools cannot require student social media
Beginning June 27, 2025, schools cannot require social media for out-of-school schoolwork, sports, clubs, or school-sponsored activities. Schools, districts, and supervisory unions can directly message students through social media only on an approved platform. The district or independent school must approve the platform. It must archive all messages and prevent sent messages from being edited or deleted.
Students learn about military career options
Starting no later than grade seven, school career and college planning resources must include military-related opportunities. They must explain admissions processes and requirements. Personalized learning planning must use these resources to identify career and postsecondary options. Students are not required to choose military service.
Schools must assess and manage threats
Vermont districts and independent schools without threat assessment teams must establish teams and identify members by July 1, 2025. They must implement full threat assessment and management programs by October 1, 2025. Programs require staff training, including group-bias training, fair-use procedures, practiced emergency plans, and school-community education. Beginning October 1, 2025, the latest state model policy applies when a school fails to adopt its required policy. The same default applies when required procedures are not adopted.
Schools prepare for heart and sports emergencies
Effective July 1, 2025, districts and independent schools must develop heart emergency plans ready for the 2026–2027 school year. Beginning July 1, 2026, the state emergency plan template must cover sudden heart emergencies, staff roles, CPR training, and drills. It must address placement, marking, access, and upkeep of automated external defibrillators, or AEDs. Every athletic venue used for practices or competitions must have clearly marked, easy-to-reach AEDs. Public and approved or recognized independent schools with athletic programs must have plans for serious or life-threatening sports injuries. Athletic plans must follow Vermont Principals' Association standards.
Therapeutic schools keep approval through conversions
Beginning June 27, 2025, therapeutic approved independent schools keep approval when they change tax status or become nonprofits. This protection applies only when no other changes occur. It operates despite the continuing moratorium on initial approval of new independent schools.
Schools gain flexibility when buying food
School boards can buy food using nonprofit school food services accounts without following the usual public-bid requirements. The exemption applies only to food purchases funded through those accounts. It does not guarantee lower prices or change who qualifies for school meals.
Startup grants help schools share services
The law provides a one-time $10,000 grant to one supervisory union in each eligible group exploring a cooperative education services board. At least two boards must vote to explore forming the shared-services board. The board must be formed under Vermont's education law after July 1, 2024. Grants can pay formation costs, including proposed articles of agreement. The law sets aside $70,000 from the Education Fund for fiscal year 2025, and unused money carries forward.
Parents lose required reading level updates
Schools no longer have to give assessment-based reading level updates to parents of students receiving extra reading help. The removed requirement covered current reading proficiency measured through valid, reliable assessments. Schools must still provide required extra reading instruction.
Students face school day phone limits
The Secretary of Education must publish a model device policy by January 1, 2026. School boards and approved independent schools must adopt equally strict or stricter policies by July 1, 2026. Enforcement begins in 2026–2027; schools without a policy are treated as adopting the current state model. The policy generally bars student use of phones and personal connected devices from arrival through dismissal, excluding school-issued devices. Exceptions cover documented health needs, individual education plans, Section 504 accommodations, and alternative documentation for certain international students. Limited administrator-approved school use and compliance with federal protections for students experiencing homelessness are also exceptions.
Vermont updates college aid authorization list
Vermont adds Vermont Law and Graduate School to its college authorization list for federal financial-aid compliance. It removes College of St. Joseph, Goddard College, Green Mountain College, and Marlboro College. It also removes New England Culinary Institute and Southern Vermont College. The list grants exempt status and authorization only as needed for federal aid compliance. The change does not specify new student aid amounts.
School energy contracts need no vote
Beginning June 27, 2025, districts can sign energy performance contracts lasting up to 20 years without voter approval. This includes contracts with payments extending beyond 10 years. Districts must seek proposals and assess savings and contractor qualifications; work must meet state and local building codes. Selected contractors must prepare a detailed energy audit. Audit costs enter the contract if the project proceeds; the district pays them if it abandons the project. Districts can seek help from Efficiency Vermont and the School Energy Management Program.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
There is no primary sponsor on record.
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 3/20/2025
Which was disagreed to on a Roll Call Failed -- Needed 70 of 140 to Pass -- Yeas = 49, Nays = 91
Yes: 49 • No: 91 • Other: 1
Actions Timeline
House message: Governor approved bill on June 27, 2025
6/16/2025HouseSigned by Governor on June 27, 2025
6/16/2025HouseDelivered to Governor on June 23, 2025
6/16/2025HouseHouse message: House concurred in Senate proposal of amendment
6/16/2025HouseRep. McCoy of Poultney moved to deliver the bill to the Governor forthwith, which was agreed to
6/16/2025HouseSenate proposal of amendment concurred in
6/16/2025HouseRep. McCann of Montpelier asked and was granted leave to withdraw amendment
6/16/2025HouseRep. McCann of Montpelier and Waszazak of Barre City moved to concur in the Senate proposal of amendment with a further amendment thereto
6/16/2025HouseAction Calendar: Unfinished Business
6/16/2025HouseAction Calendar: Unfinished Business
6/13/2025HouseAction Calendar: Unfinished Business
6/11/2025HouseAction Calendar: Unfinished Business
6/9/2025HouseAction Calendar: Unfinished Business
6/6/2025HouseAction Calendar: Unfinished Business
6/5/2025HouseAction Calendar: Unfinished Business
6/2/2025HouseAction Calendar: Action postponed until 5/30/2025
5/30/2025HouseRep. Brady of Williston moved to postpone action until 5/30/2025, which was agreed to
5/29/2025HouseAction Calendar: Senate Proposal of Amendment
5/29/2025HouseNotice Calendar: Senate Proposal of Amendment
5/28/2025HouseSenate Message: Passed in concurrence with proposal of amendment
5/27/2025SenateRules suspended & messaged to House forthwith, on motion of Senator Baruth
5/27/2025SenateRead 3rd time & passed in concurrence with proposal of amendment
5/27/2025SenateNew Business/Third Reading
5/27/2025Senate3rd reading ordered
5/23/2025SenateProposal of amendment agreed to
5/23/2025Senate
Bill Text
As Enacted (ACT 72)Opens in a new window
7/3/2025
As Passed by Both Chambers
6/18/2025
As Passed by Both Chambers (Unofficial)
6/18/2025
Senate Proposal of Amendment
5/28/2025
Senate Proposal of Amendment (Unofficial)
5/28/2025
As Passed by the House
3/26/2025
As Passed by the House (Unofficial)
3/26/2025
As Introduced
3/14/2025
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