Chapter 45: Vermont

Vermont’s constitution (1777) was the first in English-speaking North American to mandate public funding for universal education. Since that time, the “brave little state” has reaffirmed its commitment to public funding for education—consistently ranking among the top five states nationally for per pupil public elementary-secondary education spending.¹ The state is also noteworthy in its approach to raising revenues to pay for public education. Vermont’s statewide property tax system is unique among states as is its approach to calibrating tax rates to reflect differences in educational costs among the state’s school districts. However, in recent years, the state’s education funding and governance systems have been challenged by a steady decline in student enrollments and strong preferences for local control over school district configurations and spending.