The Vermont legislature reconvenes in just three short months to begin the second year of the biennium — an election year. Although it is an election year, voter turnout in Vermont is typically much lower during midterm elections than during presidential years. Those who do turn out are what Vermont political circles often call “super voters,” meaning they participate in every election, from local town issues all the way up the ballot. These “super voters” tend to vote based on issues, so legislators are especially motivated to pass strong policy during midterm years.

One such issue expected to come before the legislature is how Vermont treats its Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and schools. Last year, a sweeping education bill passed that targeted K–12 educational funding and institutions, seeking to trim costs and create more efficiencies in programming and districting. This year, CTE centers face similar measures and planning efforts.

ABC NH/VT was invited to a CTE legislative planning series featuring several legislative leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Kesha Ram Hinsdale, Senate Economic Development and Housing Committee Chair Alison Clarkson, Senate Finance Committee member Ruth Hardy, House Commerce Chair Michael Marcotte, and House Commerce member Edye Granning.
In addition to the elected officials, attendees included several CTE superintendents, representatives from the Vermont Department of Education, a technical education teacher from Otter Valley UHS, Vermont Construction Academy Chair Jon Pizzagalli, ABC NH/VT Vermont Regional Director Matt Musgrave, members of the Vermont Business Roundtable, and two CTE students.

The purpose of the event was to help legislators generate ideas for bills to be introduced in the 2026 session. Early drafts of a “CTE Bill” are already in the works, and it was suggested that Senator Ruth Hardy might sponsor the legislation. Although the drafting process is not secretive, advocates and the public typically do not see full bills until they are formally introduced in January or February, so this process serves as an input stage for legislators.

The first of several meetings to be held around the state focused on one key question:

1. Who should CTE serve?
   a. When should students learn about CTE — pre-grade, middle school, or earlier?
   b. How do we define CTE, and what does it look like at each stage of the continuum?

Before diving into the agenda, the CTE superintendents shared a presentation they had prepared for legislators, based on internal polling. The polling explored whether CTEs preferred remaining within local districts or would benefit from district consolidation — similar to the challenges facing K–12 schools. The PowerPoint presentation outlined their concerns and opportunities; however, the group was unable to reach a consensus on potential changes, concluding instead to maintain the status quo.

Participants then broke into four small groups to discuss the agenda questions. There were many familiar topics, but also valuable new insights. For example, CTE data revealed that by the time a student reaches 7th grade, they often already know whether they plan to graduate from high school. This finding underscores the importance of exposing students to different industries — including construction — earlier in their education.

A shared topic across the groups was what admissions requirements should exist for CTE programs. Stafford Technical Center in Rutland shared that it enforces very strict admission guidelines, including academic performance, attendance records, and behavioral background. The superintendent noted that even one unexcused absence could disqualify a student. In contrast, Hannaford CTE, just 20 miles away, has no such restrictions. This sparked a thoughtful discussion about barriers to access and inclusion within CTE programming.

The admissions discussion naturally led to the topic of tuition and funding. Participants questioned whether CTE programs create financial strain on K–12 budgets, and whether that influences admissions policies. Several attendees also suggested separating funding streams to clearly distinguish between school districts and CTEs.

Time ran out quickly, but many of the key questions were addressed and valuable notes were taken. The next meeting is scheduled for the end of October in Springfield, Vermont, and ABC NH/VT will be there once again — sharing the needs of industry with educators and legislators in hopes of advancing effective policy when the State House reconvenes in January.