Orange County

For Immediate Release: 04/14/2025

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​A Hail Mary Pass on Education Reform

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​In a bold move, House Republicans, working closely with the Scott administration, gave the 
green light to advance H 454, the education reform bill. Had some Republicans not voted with 
the Democrats, the bill would have died. If that had happened, any chance of real structural 
reform to the education funding system would have been killed with it. Leaving Vermonters in a 
situation where property taxes could continue to skyrocket. While it was clear that Republicans 
pushed back on the weak House version of the bill in the floor debate on Friday,  Republicans 
ultimately made the choice to give the Democrats the votes they needed to advance the bill to 
the Senate. Senate leadership has assured House Republicans that the upper chamber will 
work hard to return a bill that delivers real change in a timely manner that the entire legislative 
body can support and that the Governor can sign. However, only time will tell, and time is 
running out for struggling Vermonters.

 
House Republicans have shown time and again this session that they are willing to come to the 
table and work with the Democrat majority, and the education bill is no exception. H.454 was 
introduced by a coalition of Republicans on behalf of the Scott administration. The bill was 
meant to be a starting point for bold and effective change to the education funding system and 
deliver property tax relief, better student outcomes, and higher teacher salaries coupled with a 
reduction in cost. House Democrats chose to gut the bill, and in a strike all amendment, created 
a bill that falls extremely short of meaningful change. Their version of the bill extended the 
timeline for change by years, called for even more study, and would penalize rural schools. 
Leadership in the House has chosen to slow walk all the legislation so far this session that is 
critically important to Vermont's future. Bills that would repeal the Clean Heat Standard, promote 
public safety, and create housing have been left to wither and die on the wall. In layman's terms, 
the Democrat House leadership does not want to work on these very important issues. This is a 
far cry from what Vermonters demanded at the polls last November and is an unacceptable way 
forward. House Democrats have shown a complete disregard for their fellow Republicans in the 
chamber and are unwilling to work with them effectively. However, brave Republicans continue 
to come to the table and do what they can to work with Democrats and pass meaningful 
legislation.

There is still hope for education funding reform and property tax relief via the Senate. It will be 
up to House Democrats to truly work with their Republican counterparts when the Senate 
returns the bill to the House. House Republicans, in a bipartisan fashion, handed the  Democrat 
majority the votes they needed to advance the bill in its current weak form. However, they will 
not be party to the creation of a bill that does not achieve the goals of the Scott Administration 
or deliver on the promises they made to their constituents. While House Democrats may laugh 
and jeer at their fellow Republicans live on YouTube in the lower chamber, House Republicans 
are ready to shake it off in the interest of Vermonters and the spirit of change.