LETTER: Harwood School Board leaders sound off to lawmakers on education reform proposal
February 20, 2025 | By Ashley Woods and Cindy Senning Editor’s note: The following is a letter from the chair and vice chair of the Harwood Unified Union School District School Board to state lawmakers representing the communities in the district as well as members of key legislative committees regarding Gov. Phil Scott’s administration’s proposal for sweeping reforms to public education in Vermont.
Dear Vermont legislators,
We are the leadership team (Ashley Woods, chair, and Cindy Senning, vice chair) of the Harwood Union Unified School District board in Central Vermont. Our 14-member board represents six towns and provides education to 1,751 students from pre-K to 12th grade. Our communities exemplify how rural Vermont towns can work together effectively while maintaining their individual character and voice in education.
Like many districts across our small but mighty state, we face significant challenges in sustainably funding our schools. However, the recent proposal put forth by the Governor and his Secretary of Education raises serious concerns. Most notably, there appears to be no data supporting the claim that consolidating school districts – the centerpiece of their plan – will generate meaningful cost savings. If such data exists, we urgently request to see it.
The strength of Vermont's educational system lies in its local school boards, comprised of community members who deeply understand their towns' needs. The Governor's proposal would replace this with massive consolidated districts spanning up to 47 towns – diluting local voices and creating unnecessary bureaucratic distance between communities and their schools. This approach fundamentally misunderstands Vermont's character and the vital role schools play as the hearts of our communities.
Furthermore, the current proposal fails to address the most pressing challenges facing Vermont's education system:
Education Funding System: The current property tax-based system needs reform. We suggest:
Moving to an income-based educational tax system
Considering a small income-tax surcharge on extremely high incomes
Implementing modestly higher rates for second homes
Transferring non-education expenditures like healthcare and pension plans to the general fund
Healthcare Funding Reform: The rising cost of healthcare for teachers continues to strain local budgets. This is a statewide issue that requires a statewide solution.
Infrastructure Crisis: Our school buildings are aging, and deferred maintenance has reached a critical point. Many of our facilities require substantial renovations or complete replacement to meet modern educational needs and safety standards. The state currently provides no construction aid, leaving individual districts to shoulder these massive capital costs alone. This is unsustainable and creates inequities between wealthy and less affluent districts.
The proposed universal tuition system is equally concerning. It would potentially divert resources from public schools while creating a two-tier system where private schools can be selective while public schools must – and should – serve all students regardless of their needs.
We urge you to reject the Governor and Secretary's consolidation proposal and put together an alternative that focuses on:
Maintaining local voice in educational decisions
Implementing both a fair and simpler funding system
Developing a comprehensive plan for addressing school infrastructure needs and deferred maintenance
Addressing healthcare costs at the state level
Vermont isn't Florida or other states with county-based systems – we're a state built on community connections and local engagement. Any meaningful reform must respect and build upon these strengths while addressing our real challenges with concrete, data-driven solutions.
Thank you for your consideration of these crucial issues.
Sincerely,
Ashley Woods, Warren
Cindy Senning, Duxbury
Chair and vice chair of the Harwood Union Unified School District Board