Lola Duffort

2 weeks ago | vermontpublic.org | Mark Davis |Peter Hirschfeld |Howard Weiss-Tisman |Lola Duffort

This post will be updated. From the Barton village square to the South Royalton green, the sidewalks of downtown Brattleboro to the brick walkway of Church Street in Burlington, thousands of Vermonters rallied Saturday afternoon in opposition to President Donald Trump and his policies. In Brattleboro a large crowd gathered in front of the First Congregational Church on Main Street to listen to U.S. Rep. Becca Balint speak.

2 weeks ago | vermontpublic.org | Lola Duffort |Peter Hirschfeld

The Vermont House advanced a state budget plan this week. But it relies on hundreds of millions in federal funding that many fear could evaporate in an instant if Congressional Republicans have their way. Already, lawmakers are hinting they may not be able to use more than $100 million in surplus funds to offset property taxes — and that far more difficult decisions may be in the offing.

3 weeks ago | vermontpublic.org | Lola Duffort

A sudden reversal by President Trump’s Education Department could leave Vermont schools holding the bag for millions of dollars in unreimbursed pandemic recovery projects. Jill Briggs Campbell, Vermont’s deputy education secretary, told state lawmakers Wednesday they estimated school districts statewide had about $16.7 million in collective exposure. In the wake of COVID-19, Congress signed off on over $189 billion in relief money to schools.

3 weeks ago | vermontpublic.org | Lola Duffort

Victor Taft has got it figured out. Until recently, the high school junior wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to do, but he had a vague sense that typical school wasn’t for him — and that he wanted to be in trades. And so he enrolled at the Central Vermont Career Center in Barre his sophomore year, and, after taking their exploratory classes, decided to apply to the center’s electrical program. He got in.

3 weeks ago | vermontpublic.org | Lola Duffort

Since the beginning of the 2025 legislative session, lawmakers in both the House and Senate have been working on their counterproposal to Gov. Phil Scott’s sweeping plan to overhaul public education. But it’s become clear that the two chambers are moving in very different directions. And disagreement over how many school districts Vermont should have — and how quickly that redistricting process should happen — could squelch any grand bargains over education reform this year.