Superintendent sounds alarm over education reform legislation
May 19, 2025 | By Lisa ScagliottiAs the Vermont Senate gets closer to voting on legislation aimed at making major changes to Vermont’s public education system, Harwood’s superintendent is raising concerns to the community over what the impacts might be.
The focus on big-picture reform comes as school districts now have the finalized state information needed to calculate school-property tax rates for the coming year. And for the Harwood district, that will mean lower rates for most taxpayers.
The Senate version of H.454 was voted out of committee on Friday and is expected to be taken up by the entire Senate this week. The legislation is entitled, “An act relating to transforming Vermont’s education governance, quality, and finance systems.” But the Senate version of the proposal differs greatly from what the House initially approved, meaning the final details will need to be hammered out by a conference committee before it advances to Gov. Phil Scott’s desk.
On Monday afternoon, Harwood Unified Union School District Superintendent Mike Leichliter shared a letter with staff, families and the community through local news outlets in which he details key worries he has with the legislation. He warns that the steps outlined in the bill that’s gaining momentum with lawmakers could have grave detrimental impacts on school districts, including Harwood.
Leichliter said the Senate proposal could result in Harwood facing staff reductions of up to another 50 positions, which would mean cutting programs and potentially forcing school closures. Over the current school year and for the 2025-26 school year, Harwood already has trimmed more than 40 positions.
Leichliter is critical of the process the bill lays out that would create new large regional school boards and rely on them to determine local details. He also points out that lawmakers are not addressing the key factors driving increasing education costs, such as health care, housing and school facility needs.
“This bill would make deep cuts in funding for our schools while shifting decision-making to a regional board that does not adequately represent our communities. Quick policy changes without local input risk undermining what makes our schools strong, responsive, and accountable,” he writes.
Leichliter urges community members to learn more and to contact state lawmakers, particularly Washington County senators who will cast their votes on the measure very soon.
VTDigger posted this report on the legislation on Friday.
Also on Monday, Gov. Scott signed into law H.491, the legislation that sets the homestead property tax yields and the nonhomestead property tax rate for fiscal year 2026, which begins July 1. The measure relies on using $118 million in one-time funds to lessen the impact on local property taxes. Lawmakers estimate that will mean an average school-property tax increase of 1% statewide for the 2025-26 school year.
In the Harwood district, however, the final yield will mean that local school-property tax rates will drop in most communities by slightly more than school officials estimated before voters approved the 2025-26 budget on Town Meeting Day. District Finance Director Lisa Estler on Monday shared updated tax rates based on the final state figures. They show local tax rates dropping in all but Fayston, which was expected due to a large fluctuation in that town’s grand list. However, Fayston’s increase now comes in at 9.9%, rather than the 10.5% initially estimated.
In Waterbury, the tax rate will drop 1%, which will mean a tax bill lower by $56 on a home valued at $250,000, and $101 less for a home assessed at $450,000. Waitsfield and Warren will see similar drops, while Moretown and Duxbury will see 9-10% decreases. (see chart below)
Revised school-property tax impacts for HUUSD towns based on final state yield
Source: Harwood Unified Union School District
Scott in signing the bill, issued the following statement that refers to the remaining education reform legislation still in progress and headed for a Senate vote:
“After last year’s significant property tax increase, we knew it was important to provide Vermonters tax relief. But I want to be clear, buying down rates year after year isn’t good fiscal management and we should only view this as a bridge to the real education transformation our system needs. Before this session adjourns, it’s critical we work together to deliver an education bill that sets us on a path to a better more sustainable funding system, a more efficient and effective governance structure, and a commitment to doing the education quality work needed to make sure all students have access to educational opportunities, at a price Vermonters can afford.”
Below is the superintendent’s letter to the Harwood community in full.
Superintendent Leichliter: Concerns with Vt. Senate version of H.454
Dear HUUSD Families,
A few weeks ago, I shared my support for Vermont House Bill H.454, believing it to be a step forward in education reform. However, the Senate has since made major revisions that raise serious concerns for me.
The current version, which could be approved by the full Senate this week, would significantly impact public education across Vermont. If passed, the bill will move to a House-Senate conference committee before going to the Governor. VTDigger recently reported on this version.
As an educational leader in Vermont, I feel obligated to speak out. The Senate proposal risks doing real harm while failing to address the root causes of rising education costs.
Key Concerns:
It caps future education spending based on current budgets with an inadequate inflation index. This would force deep cuts in districts like ours.
Current modeling from the independent Joint Fiscal Office shows a 13.5% reduction—or $5.4 million—in the HUUSD’s budget by July 2027, likely resulting in the loss of 50 additional positions, significant reduction in student programming, and/or forced closure of some of our schools.
We’ve already reduced about 50 positions to balance this year’s and next year’s budgets.
The bill allows six legislators to redraw school district maps—with no help from Vermont public education experts—potentially merging HUUSD into a much larger district, which may prioritize financial redistribution over educational quality.
It does not address real cost drivers: healthcare, housing, aging school building infrastructure, or student mental health.
Only one current school board member from our six towns would serve on the transitional board of a merged district.
I urge you to learn more and, if you choose, to contact our local Washington County senators to share your views:
Sen. Ann Cummings: acummings@leg.state.vt.us
Sen. Andrew Perchlik: aperchlik@leg.state.vt.us
Sen. Ann Watson: awatson@leg.state.vt.us
Local control matters. This bill would make deep cuts in funding for our schools while shifting decision-making to a regional board that does not adequately represent our communities. Quick policy changes without local input risk undermining what makes our schools strong, responsive, and accountable.
Sincerely,
Dr. Mike
Michael G. Leichliter, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools, Harwood Unified Union School District