PASSED
in the State House of Representatives
on May 1, 2013, by a vote of 95-43
. Purpose: To continue the expansion of the state’s role in pre-kindergarten. Specifically, this bill mandates that publicly funded prekindergarten for 10 hours per week/35 weeks annually be made available at taxpayer expense to any “prekindergarten child” whom the parent or guardian wishes to enroll in an available, prequalified program.
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Analysis: Those voting YES on H.270 voted to saddle Vermonters with an estimated $10 million tax increase over the next five years, and to override local control regarding the decision of whether or not to offer publicly funded pre-kindergarten in the first place.
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The key language in the legislation states, “If a parent or guardian chooses to enroll a prekindergarten child in an available, prequalified program, then, pursuant to the parent or guardian‘s choice, the school district of residence shall [Emphasis added]: (A) pay tuition…” whether the towns and taxpayers in the district want to or not.
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When Act 62 (Vermont’s Public Pre-K Law) came into being in 2007, it came with some important assurances, the first being: “(1) a reaffirmation that prekindergarten education remains voluntary. School districts are not required to provide prekindergarten education [emphasis added], and children are not required to attend. (Guide for Implementing Prekindergarten Education in Accordance with Vermont’s Act 62, 2009) The first half of that assurance, a promise made to ensure support for the passage of the original bill, was tossed unceremoniously out the window by this vote. One wonders, given this legislature’s track record, just how long the second half will remain in effect.
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The $10 million price tag comes with the goal of enrolling 60% of eligible three, four, and five year olds into publicly funded pre-k programs. Currently, 36% of eligible children are enrolled.
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Given the steady march of pre-k legislation over the past 6 years in Vermont (First, codifying the concept of universal, publicly-funded pre-k into law. Then, removing the cost containment caps on enrollment numbers. Now, changing it from a voluntary to a mandatory program at the district level, all in short order…), it is not without reason to expect this program will, over time, be expanded from a 10 hour-per-week program to a 40 hour-per-week program administered and funded entirely through the public school monopoly system, at which point it will be extremely expensive.
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As Recorded in the House Journal, Wednesday, May 1, 2013: “Shall the bill pass? was decided in the affirmative. Yeas, 97. Nays, 43. (Read the Journal, p. 1043-1046.)
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