Article of note - links to more news items are below
Opinion piece from education Commissioner Armando Vilaseca - 3/13/12 
The op-ed by Bill Mathis published March 7, “School choice: What does research say?” does little to provide clarity to the school choice discussions currently happening across the state and in the Legislature this session.

The governor, the state Board of Education and I have all come out publicly in favor of high school choice, an option which is already available to students in over 90 towns across the state. We are proposing that this choice be available to all Vermont high school students to attend any of the Vermont public high schools and four independent academies, and that the existing school choice agreements remain unchanged.

It is not related, as Mathis' letter indicates, to levels of disability or poverty. We believe this model of expanding the existing choice structure can only improve options for all students, many of whom currently do not have those options.

We have heard from communities that currently offer choice that this is something the students, the parents and community members all see as an advantage to where they live. In fact, by expanding choice to all students in that age range, it is possible that some of our public high schools might expand on current strong programs in order to entice students.

Transportation continues to be an issue in our rural state, one that is not easy to address. It is hardly insurmountable, as we can build on the strong solutions currently found under the existing school choice system. Further, if we examine our statewide governance and reexamine our 271 separate districts, we may find that we are better able to provide these services to our students, to work together and to provide greater opportunities and outcomes for all.

From the local media, in reverse chronological order.
* Indicates an article is an opinion piece

VT senate panel urged to expand school choice Boston.com (AP News), February 2, 2012 

Lawmakers push free choice for students Fox News 44, February 2, 2012 

North Bennington committee recommends taking school independent Bennington Banner, February 2, 2012 (May be behind paywall)

Ending School Choice not Popular in Halifax Brattleboro Reformer, January 28, 2012

Choice (an opinion piece by Emerson Lynn) Vermont Tiger, January 24, 2012

School Choice: Proposal or Empty Slogan? Times Argus, January 16, 2012  

Shumlin Pushes Public School Choice Vermont Today, August 10, 2011

Shumlin Pushes to Expand School Choice VPR, August 23, 2011

Flood Brook Schools Consider Leaving Supervisory Union
(They have an interest in preserving school choice) VPR, May 16, 2011

Fairfax and Fletcher receive first merger waiver request
VTDigger.com, Nov. 17, 2010

Fairfax, Fletcher first to consider merging School Boards  VTDigger.com, November 12, 2010 

Waiting for School Choice  Vermont Tiger *opinion piece* October 14, 2010

VPR Covers the new school choice movement in Vermont  VPR, October 4, 2010

Candidates missed mark at school choice forum *opinion piece*  Brattleboro Reformer, September 24, 2010

Act 153: Towns in favor of merger study
Rutland Herald, September 28, 2010

Candidates Share Views During School Choice Forum
Brattleboro Reformer, September 24, 2010

Rep. Peter Peltz starts positioning for Act 153 school choice changes in upcoming legislative session
VTDigger.com, September 21, 2010

Ed Commissioner Armando Vilaseca on VPR's Vermont Edition
VPR, September 17, 2010

School Choice is Becoming an Election Year Issue
Brattleboro Reformer, September 18, 2010

Commissioner wants to eliminate Arlington supervisory union
Rutland Herald, September 16, 2010
* Under current VT law, SU consolidation does NOT affect school choice

Education commissioner gets an earful in Barre
Rutland Herald, September 11, 2010
*Note DOE movement appears to be shifting toward SU consolidation

Weyridge and Ripton eye options including privatization and choice
Addison Independent, August 5, 2010

Staff tuition break will continue one more year
Bennington Banner, July 9, 2010

School boards share ideas
Bennington Banner, July 1, 2010

Supervisory Unions Talk Mergers
WCAX, June 28, 2010

Officials see moves toward school district mergers
Times Argus, June 27, 2010

School bill becomes law without signature
Vermont Press Bureau, June 5, 2010

Vermont lawmakers, governor spar in public, negotiate in private
Burlington Free Press, May 6, 1020

State to keep pushing school consolidation
Brattleboro Reformer, May 6, 2010

*Miller: Challenges for Change a springboard for school transformation
Vermont Digger, May 4, 2010

*Gilbert of the ACLU: School merger incentives could lead to funding inequities
Vermont Digger, April 30, 2010

Guard Mom Pushes for School Choice Bill
Rutland Herald, April 26, 2010

House Ed Nearly Runs Aground on 'Challenges'
VT Digger, April 11, 2010

Controversial Education Savings Proposal Derailed by House Panel
Times Argus, April 9, 2010

Overwhelming Majority Want to Keep School Choice
Bennington Banner, April 7, 2010

Vermont Senate Meets to Discuss School Spending
Rutland Herald, April 7, 2010

School District Consolidation Plan Draws Opposition
VPR, April 6, 2010

School Consolidation Loses Steam
Rutland Herald, April 5, 2010

Vilaseca Recommends Mandatory Redistricting
Vermont Digger, April 2, 2010

Public Mixed on School Consolidation
WPTZ News 5, March 30, 2010

Commissioner Will Take Recommendations on Advisement
Vermont Digger, March 29, 2010

"Choice" Towns Decry School Plan
Times Argus, Montpelier, March 11, 2010

Consolidation Plans Pack State House
Deerfield Valley News, March 11, 2010

Vermont Edition: School Consolidation
VPR, March 11, 2010

School Consolidation up for Discussion in Montpelier
WCAX, March 11, 2010

Consolidation Opponents Pack State House
WCAX, March 11, 2010

Hundreds Of Parents Angry Over School Consolidation Bill
WPTZ, March 11, 2010

School Consolidating Forum in Montpelier
Fox News 44, March 11, 2010