Title 16, Title 16: Education

§ 554. School board meetings; majority vote, quorum, Robert’s Rules, public participation (a) A majority of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum. Notwithstanding 1 V.S.A. § 172, the concurrence of a majority of members present at a school board meeting shall be nece…

§ 555. No liability for unauthorized or deficit spending (a) It is the intent of the General Assembly that school boards should spend within the amount authorized by the electorate pursuant to this title and should not incur a deficit. However, the General Assembly recognizes tha…

§ 556. Liability for damage to textbook or learning materials The parent or guardian of a student shall be liable to a school district for damage occasioned by loss, destruction, injury, or detention by the student of a textbook or other learning materials, to be recovered in an …

§ 557. Gratuity or compensation prohibited (a) A member of the State Board, a supervisory union board, or a school board, the Secretary, and any person employed by one of the boards or by the Agency shall not solicit or receive directly or indirectly any gift or compensation for …

§ 558. Eligibility for election to a school board; employment of school board members (a) A legal voter in a school district shall be eligible for election to a school board; however, a member of a school board may not be regularly employed by the school district or by a school d…

§ 559. Public bids (a) Cost threshold. When the cost exceeds $40,000.00, a school board or supervisory union board shall publicly advertise or invite three or more bids from persons deemed capable of providing items or services if costs are in excess of $40,000.00 for any of the …

§ 560. Condemnation for school purposes A school board, or the board of trustees of a public school, may acquire land for school purposes by condemnation. Condemnation shall be accomplished by the procedures and be governed by the limitations established in 24 V.S.A. chapter 77, …

§ 561. Election of school board members; oath; chair; clerk (a) School board members shall be sworn before entering upon the duties of their office. At the meeting next following the election of a school board member, the school board shall elect one of its number to serve as the…

§ 562. Powers of electorate At a school district meeting, the electorate: (1) Shall conduct meetings in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order, unless other rules of order are specifically adopted at a meeting. (2) Shall elect a moderator at the annual meeting who shall preside …

§ 563. Powers of school boards; form of vote The school board of a school district, in addition to other duties and authority specifically assigned by law: (1) Shall determine the educational policies of the school district. Board policies shall be of general application to the d…

§ 563a. Prevention, identification, and reporting of child sexual abuse and sexual violence Each school board of a school district and governing body of an approved or recognized independent school shall ensure that adults employed in the schools within its jurisdiction receive o…

§ 566. Authority to borrow Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision 562(9) of this title, if a budget for the support of schools for the ensuing year has not been approved on or before June 30 of any year, the school board may borrow funds necessary to enable it to operate t…

§ 567. Surplus If an audit reveals that a school district has surplus funds, the school board shall carry the funds into the next year as revenue unless authorized by the voters, at an annual or special meeting warned for the purpose, to: (1) deposit the funds into a reserve fund…

§ 568. School branding (a) Definitions. As used in this section: (1) “School” means a public school or an independent school approved under section 166 of this title. (2) “School board” means the board of directors or other governing body of an educational institution when referr…

§ 569. Purple Star Campus designation (a) As used in this section, “military-connected student” means a student who is a dependent of a current or former member of: (1) the U.S. military serving in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, or Coast Guard on active dut…

§ 570. Harassment, hazing, and bullying prevention policies (a) State policy. It is the policy of the State of Vermont that all Vermont educational institutions provide safe, orderly, civil, and positive learning environments. Harassment, hazing, and bullying have no place and wi…

§ 570a. Harassment (a) Policies and plan. The harassment prevention policy required by section 570 of this title and its plan for implementation shall include: (1) A statement that harassment, as defined in subdivision 11(a)(26) of this title, is prohibited and may constitute a v…

§ 570b. Hazing The hazing prevention policy required by section 570 of this title and its plan for implementation shall include: (1) a statement that hazing, as defined in subdivision 11(a)(30) of this title, is prohibited and may be subject to civil penalties pursuant to article…

§ 570c. Bullying The bullying prevention policy required by section 570 of this title and its plan for implementation shall include: (1) a statement that bullying, as defined in subdivision 11(a)(32) of this title, is prohibited; (2) a procedure that directs students, staff, pare…

§ 570f. Harassment; notice and response (a)(1) An educational institution that receives actual notice of alleged conduct that may constitute harassment shall promptly investigate to determine whether harassment occurred. After receiving notice of the alleged conduct, the school s…

§ 570i. Definitions As used in this subchapter: (1) “Educational institution” means a Vermont public or independent school or a postsecondary school that offers or operates a program of college or professional education for credit or a degree in Vermont. (2) “Organization” means …

§ 570j. Unlawful conduct (a) For purposes of this subchapter, “hazing” means any intentional, knowing, or reckless act committed by a student, whether individually or in concert with others, against another student: (1) in connection with pledging, being initiated into, affiliati…

§ 570k. Civil penalty; Judicial Bureau; waiver penalty (a) A person who commits an unlawful act under this subchapter shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than $5,000.00. (b) Any law enforcement officer may issue a summons and complaint for an act of hazing, which shal…

§ 570l. Criminal prosecution and civil action Nothing in this subchapter shall limit or preclude a criminal prosecution or any criminal or civil action based on any act that may constitute hazing. (Added 1999, No. 120 (Adj. Sess.), § 9; amended 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 81, ef…

§ 571. Contracts to construct and operate joint schools By a majority vote of the voters present and voting at a meeting, duly warned for that purpose, a town school district or incorporated school district may authorize its school directors to enter into a contract or contracts …

§ 572. Joint boards for joint, contract, or consolidated schools (a) The control of joint, contract, or consolidated schools, set up by two or more school districts, shall be vested in a joint school board from the forming school districts, and the members of the joint school boa…

§ 581. Intent It is the intent of the General Assembly for all students in Vermont to access the benefits of a phone- and social media-free school environment, which promotes focus, improved mental health, and increased social cohesion. (Added 2025, No. 72, § 17, eff. June 27, 20…

§ 582. Definitions As used in this subchapter: (1) “Cell phone” means any device capable of using cellular technology to facilitate voice service through a commercial telecommunications company, regardless of whether the device can access internet services and electronic mail. (2…

§ 583. Student use of cell phones and personal electronic devices in schools (a) Model policy. (1) The Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Vermont School Boards Association, the Vermont Independent School Association, and a representative from the Vermont Coalition f…

§ 584. Use of social media platforms in education Schools, school districts, and supervisory unions shall be prohibited from: (1) utilizing social media for communication with students directly unless the program or platform is approved for such communication by the school distri…

§ 601. Policy It is the policy of the State to allow and encourage supervisory unions to create boards of cooperative education services to provide shared programs and services on a regional and statewide level. Formation of a board of cooperative education services shall be desi…

§ 602. Definitions As used in this chapter: (1) “Educator” means any: (A) individual licensed under chapter 51 of this title, the majority of whose employed time in a public school district, supervisory union, or board of cooperative education services is assigned to furnish to s…

§ 603. Creation of board of cooperative education services; organization; Secretary approval (a) Establishment of boards of cooperative education services. When the boards of two or more supervisory unions vote to explore the advisability of entering into a written agreement to p…

§ 604. Powers of boards of cooperative education services (a) In addition to any other powers granted by law, a BOCES shall have the power to provide educational programs, services, facilities, and professional and other staff that, in its discretion, best serve the needs of its …

§ 605. Financing, budgeting, and accounting (a) Education cooperative fund. A BOCES shall establish and manage a fund to be known as an education cooperative fund. All monies contributed by the member school districts and all grants or gifts from the federal government, State gov…

§ 606. Annual report; public information (a) The board of a BOCES shall prepare an annual report concerning the affairs of the BOCES and have it printed and distributed to the boards of the member supervisory unions. The annual report shall include, at a minimum: (1) information …

§ 607. Employment (a) A BOCES shall be considered to be a public employer and may employ personnel, including educators, to carry out the purposes and functions of the board. Annually, the board of a BOCES shall conduct an area survey of the salaries of the educators and staff em…

§ 701. Policy It is the policy of the State to provide substantially equal educational opportunities for all children in Vermont by authorizing two or more school districts, including an existing union school district, to form a union school district for the purpose of providing …

§ 702. Definitions As used in this chapter: (1) “Board clerk” means the individual selected to be clerk of the board of a union school district by the members of the board from among their number pursuant to the provisions of sections 714 (initial members of union school district…

§ 703. Application of other laws and articles of agreement (a) Other education laws. The provisions of this chapter are intended to be in addition to the general provisions of law pertaining to schools, school districts, and supervisory unions. General provisions of law shall app…

§ 706. Proposal to form study committee; budget and membership (a) Establishment of committee. When the boards of two or more school districts vote to establish a study committee to study the advisability of forming a union school district or are petitioned to do so by at least f…

§ 707. Approval of study budget; appointment of study committee; participation (a) Proposed budget exceeding $50,000.00. (1) If the proposed budget established in section 706 of this chapter exceeds $50,000.00, then subject to the provisions of that section the board of each pote…

§ 708. Study committee; necessary and advisable districts; contents of study committee report and proposed articles; dissolution of committee (a) Study committee; process. (1) The superintendent shall convene a study committee’s first meeting when the committee’s members are appo…

§ 709. Review by local school district boards; consideration and approval by State Board of Education (a) If a study committee determines that it is advisable to propose formation of a union school district, then the committee shall transmit its report and proposed articles of ag…

§ 710. Vote to form union school district Subject to the provisions of subsections 706(c) (proposal to form study committee; existing union school districts) and 708(b) (study committee; necessary and advisable districts) of this chapter, the voters of each school district identi…

§ 711. Vote to elect initial members of the union school district board (a) Election of initial members of union school district board. At the meeting warned to vote on formation of a union school district under section 710 of this chapter, the voters shall also elect the initial…