Finding Affordable Education
Vermont is facing an affordability crisis, and our education funding system is the single largest driver in our recent property tax increases.
Our cost per student is the 4th highest in the nation, we have the 2nd highest property tax as percentage of income, and we’re only 19th in quality of education. This is a complex problem that our current supermajority legislature refuses to confront, “kicking this can down the road” for years, as Gov. Scott has said, as they passed an average 14% property tax increase overriding his veto.
To address this topic we must boldly consider diverse options with open minds not beholden to particular special interest groups. We must consider:
1) Increasing student-to-staff ratios. VT has the lowest ratio in the country, mostly accounted for in non-teaching positions, with no measurable performance benefit. VTDigger reports that school staffing ratios on par with neighboring NH would save Vermont $365M. That approximately 15% savings would have eliminated our recent tax increase!
2) There is no cost accountability back to the taxpayers. The current system lacks any incentive to control costs. The taxpayers vote on a local school budget, which only indirectly affects their local property taxes. The state redistributes tax money to meet all budgets so being wise stewards in our local school only means that we fund everyone else’s education bloat. When we say we need “local control” that’s what we mean!
3) Recognize that one size doesn’t fit all. From Burlington to Vergennes, and from one student to another, needs vary. We need to foster collaboration, specialization, and school choice among a broader distribution of schools, allowing each individual school to achieve excellence in defined areas and thus be more fiscally efficient. Our Tech Centers and many “Independent Schools” are great examples of this. We must also better utilize Job Corps, which is right here in our backyard, and seriously consider funding models employed in other states.
I am currently an educator myself. I teach high school math, Algebra 2 last year and Geometry this year. I also coach middle school and high school soccer. I can see for myself what works and what doesn't. It's not hard to see in the classroom that every student is different and each family situation is different and different approaches for different students is necessary. It's also obvious that smaller class sizes are preferable so I'm certainly not proposing that we reduce teaching staff. But reorganizing for specialization and efficiency to help students and families get the education they want and need is critical.
For more ideas on a path forward, see Gov. Scott's veto letter of the most recent tax increase bill, H.887, at this link:
https://governor.vermont.gov/sites/scott/files/documents/H.887%20-%20Veto%20Letter.pdf
I will work WITH Gov. Scott, not against him as our current representatives do.
Vote ROB NORTH for STATE REPRESENTATIVE
