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February 28th, 2013
CALL TO ACTION 
BREAKING NEWS!

Dear School Choice and Independent School Supporter,

Members of the Senate Education Committee have introduced a bill that would severely impact Vermont independent schools, and possibly cause the closure of your child’s school. This bill is being rushed through a "stacked deck" committee that has strong leanings toward placing unfunded mandates on independent schools in the name of "leveling the playing field" for schools that receive publicly funded students. This bill is about ideology, not improving educational outcomes for Vermont kids.

S.91 proposes that any approved independent school with an enrollment that is more than one-third publicly funded must:

  • Maintain a "blind admissions policy," accepting for admission on a space-available basis all publicly funded students who apply.
  • Hire only licensed teachers and administrators.
  • Compel all students, whether publicly funded or not, to take the standardized tests required by the State and report the results to the Education Agency.
  • Be approved for special education in at least four disability categories and arrange for Special Ed services for any other categories if required in an enrolled student's IEP.
  • Provide free and reduced-price meals to enrolled students.


IN THE NEXT 48 HOURS PLEASE RESPECTFULLY SHARE YOUR OPPOSITION TO S.91 WITH YOUR SENATORS VIA EMAIL OR A PHONE CALL. A SAMPLE EMAIL IS BELOW, ALONG WITH A LINK TO CONTACT INFO FOR YOUR SENATORS.

Dear Senator ______________,

I am writing to voice my strong opposition to S.91 – a bill that threatens the existence of independent schools in Vermont.

The unfunded mandates proposed by S.91 would fundamentally alter the relationship between the State and independent schools that has been in place since shortly after the Civil War. Most independent schools would be unable to fulfill these requirements and would therefore no longer be able accept students from tuitioning towns; in essence forcing these schools to close.

(YOUR PERSONAL STORY CAN GO HERE)

Independent schools are among the best schools in the state. It would be a devastating loss to Vermont children if they were gone.  

Please speak on my behalf in strong opposition to this bill.

Sincerely,


IDENTIFY YOUR SENATORS:
http://www.leg.state.vt.us/legdir/FindMyMember.cfm

EMAIL ADDRESSES FOR SENATORS:
http://www.leg.state.vt.us/legdir/e-mail2.cfm?Body=S&Session=2014


Please also CC the following people on your email:
speaker@leg.state.vt.us  Speaker of the House
rmccormack@leg.state.vt.us  Chair of the Senate Education Committee
jcampbell@leg.state.vt.us Senate President Pro-Tem


Why School Choice? Education is Not One-Size-Fits-All

Finding the best educational fit for a child can mean the difference between success or failure, excellence or mediocrity, love of learning or apathy, cooperation or disruption. School culture, curriculum, size, extra curricular activities, support services, proximity to parents' place of work, and classroom dynamics are among the factors parents cite for wanting to choose their child's school.

Once again parents are working together to preserve
School Choice during the 2012 Legislative Session.
Do your Local Representatives support Vermont School Choice?

 Heard in the State House 4/16/2010:
“Mr. Speaker: It is always better when local communities, local school boards and parents make decisions for their own children. No one at the Department of Education, no state government official and no legislator knows what is best for my child’s educational placement. I do.” 

Rep. Branagan of Georgia
Vermont's Mother of the Year, 2010

 Heard in the State House 4/1/2010:
"For me this is an opportunity for us to recapture -- if decreased enrollment is one of our challenges -- capturing non -- independent towns that aren't part of a unified district -- capturing those towns and having a designated high school -- isn't this an opportunity for us to designate a high school that really encourages -- people -- kids to go to school in Vermont."

Rep. Clarkson of Woodstock
Mother of child attending the Groton School, Groton, MA
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