 On the floor appreciate it. Oh well deserved my gosh. I was thinking actually last night you have been working on these kinds of issues While many of us were in and this is not a This you've been working on them for a long time. Yeah, and I think that is important to recognize so Okay, good afternoon everyone. Welcome to Senate education It is Friday February 26 for those of you who tune in and to Senate education every day Please know that next week we will not be here. So you will have to watch reruns. We are in Town meeting week so senators will be With constituents getting caught up, etc. So Today we are going to start By returning to libraries and the work we've done on libraries with miscellaneous education We are then going to move toward Looking at a number of different bills that Hopefully will be able to move today Realizing that they have it looks like multiple stops some of them after Taking a look more carefully. It looks like Every all of them will be going to a prox and it looks like one will also make you making a visit to finance So with that The only other thing I think I need to mention is that we are working hard to put the schedule together for the week when we return and a few things have Are already plugged in senator Terenzini made the good suggestion to have the chancellor of the Vermont State Colleges come in To give us an update on their most recent vote and talk a little bit about Steps moving forward So that will be that is on our calendar. I believe already Additionally, we did receive a bill from Senate agriculture today as 100 that looks at universal school meals. I believe what I have asked the chair of natural resources and energy to Not we don't need to have the bill committed unless somebody would like to but it looks like the weatherization bill may have some certification Programming in for people doing weatherization. So I think this committee needs to see that section of it at the very least and we also will need to get some language to Senate appropriations language for After-school program or for summer programming basically in addition will have H 81 on our plates, which we will Have to make a decision on and we're going to talk a little bit about that later today So with that Mr. Unrath great to see you. Thanks for being with us You wrote to us in senator Chinden was kind enough to remind us of your email and so Welcome to Senate education and we're talking about what is now the miscellaneous education bill in that miscellaneous education bill We are looking at a working group on the status of libraries in Vermont. So with that the floor is yours and Look forward to hearing what you have to say Thank you chairperson and thanks senators for paying some attention to this bill. I appreciate it I do understand that State library and Jason Broughton spoke with you all yesterday about Moving the language forward as it was and if that's Jason's opinion after having reviewed What I sent along and I fully support what Jason has has decided I think that he has a good overview of what's going on in the state and I wouldn't want to contradict his perspective I did feel it was important to point out the work that The Green Mountain Library Consortium has done in terms of bringing libraries together Because they've done things like bringing ebooks to the state of Vermont. They've brought a shared catalog that a hundred libraries use They've brought a courier service and now the state runs So there has been some work on the ground by volunteer librarians to do some networking together with our resources All of this has been Organic and from the ground up and so that's why I wanted to send that on because I think it's really important that we do work with them in touch base, but as far as the language of What was in s26 I am perfectly okay with going forward with it as it is and I think that the important thing For me as the president of the Vermont Library Association and also as the director of the library in Shelburne is For you to know that librarians fully support this bill we think it's great to shine a light on the work we're doing and I fully support the bill and I think that In whatever form it ends up in it will be a wonderful thing to be able to see the work that we're doing And I had just a couple of reminders if I could take another minute, please One is that libraries are the most visited cultural institution Out of more than 10 according to a recent Gallup study So people come to libraries more than they go to the movies more than they go to sporting events more than they go to any other cultural Activity people use libraries last year We had five million visits and we checked out more than five million items at all of our school and academic and public libraries So we are a heavily used institution and then my other point is that Libraries were green before it was cool So you hear about the sharing of economy, but we've been sharing our space sharing our Resources and sharing our expertise for going on 200 years now in terms of public libraries It's something we've always done and the rest of the world is kind of caught up to that idea so I think it's It's important to recognize that libraries are on the forefront of that sort of shared resources and are actually a Highly green and environmentally friendly Organization so those are just a couple of points. I wanted to add to the testimony that I already heard Given and with that I'd be happy to answer any questions or let you get on to your business that you have at hand Thank you, Mr. Unruth. That's very helpful. Appreciate the reminder of what? How incredibly important libraries are to the landscape and to the people of Vermont Also appreciate your support of the bill. Please do know that As I mentioned to you earlier as it makes its way through the process the house if you do have a change of heart in any way the house can certainly Listen to those concerns questions and make any necessary amendments So that's something else just to keep in mind, but we appreciate all of your work and we appreciate you being with us today committee any questions Seeing I had a question sorry center hooker, please. Yeah, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Unruth for your work I'm just curious to have 15 members of your consortium and is this all volunteer voluntary membership You've talked about connecting 100 libraries and so how does how does your consortium? Work and connect with so the the Green Mountain Library Consortium has over a hundred members and It's a purchasing consortium first and foremost So we pool money that's locally raised money from our municipalities or our institutional libraries And then we buy things like a shared catalog or ebooks or pay into a courier service They do have an executive board and then they have membership meetings but overall it's a way to pool our resources and Be a lot more efficient in terms of what we're spending And the state also does this with some of the money that comes either from taxes or from the Institute of Museum and Library Services But this is an all-volunteer organization that sort of came up organically When we realized a dozen years ago that we needed to start offering ebooks to people in Vermont Okay, and I had seen the number 15 on your website and it must have been the members the board members or something that I was looking at. Oh, yeah, it's it's over a hundred libraries and it serves Roughly two-thirds of all Vermonters are served by one of those Things that the Green Mountain Library Consortium provides. Okay. Thank you Okay, well, thank you, Mr. Unrath very much appreciate you taking the time and Look forward to seeing you again soon. Thank you Mr. Demeray good afternoon, how are you? Good afternoon. I'm fine. Good Would you be so kind as to take us through the miscellaneous? Ed bill as we have it Be a big help And I think my only yeah, I think that's it. So if senators have it Posted I've got I've got right here. I want to show because right one I Don't know if there have been any It's only draft 1.2. So the only change was related to Health and some Another little language change, but if you would just give us a broad overview and then highlight those couple of changes I know senators have seen this language quite a bit. Okay It's coming up in one minute Bear Okay, okay So Can people see this a bit bigger? Maybe a little bit bigger. I have mine in front of me, but That's perfect for me. Okay Okay, so for the record Jim Demeray we're walking through your Miscellaneous as education bill it does three things those two the libraries addresses the The coastal liaisons and addresses the Mestral prox and wellness policy. So the first part of this is libraries and this is unchanged Since the bill was introduced So I won't walk through this, but it's the same as you've seen before There's on quite a ways That's same here all library Then we get into the coastal liaisons And this is the same as you saw before No changes here. So we're adding this new Permission of fee all for towns and school districts to taught me fund coastal liaisons and then wellness program So we've been through this recently I did change this definition Senator hooker was very perceptive and noticed that the definition of comprehensive health Already includes nutrition. So there are no reasons to repeat that word so I've taken out taken out that word and Going on semester prox we just changed the The term I've got rid of hygiene. So wherever you see this I haven't highlighted them everywhere, but Everywhere, it's been changed semester prox and that is it Okay, so that was my question. So you've changed it from Um Hygiene products to menstrual products throughout right. Yeah. Oh good. Thank you senator hooker so With a relative to that today we passed a bill that would exempt Feminine hygiene products from tax taxes Are these terms used? interchangeably and Are we going to we're not going to run into any trouble by using menstrual products in this bill and feminine hygiene products in the other because we were tied to a Group that oversees the taxing of those types of products I Don't I don't think so because it's not tied to the tax policy itself And I'm just I'm curious to know if the terms are used interchangeably In statute in well, yeah Yeah, clearly right well, I'm not sure so I'm not sure I'm having worse than the tax bill But do you know when they define the term feminine hygiene products? I didn't see that in the bill But It's not defined in the bill It's the only reason it's there is and has to stay there is that's the way it is That's the terminology in the compact in the streamlined tax. Yeah in the streamlined tax. I call it a compact. I You know, this is this is internal to the to the to schools and I'm just No, I get your question. I think it's a good question that the only question would be for Jim is When the tax and when these are tax exempt products will include menstrual products in the same way it would feminine hygiene products That would be a question. I think for the tax. That's right More than me Well, maybe we could just say that Mastral high a menstrual products Will We put a little definition in there. I don't want to put the word tax in there that it goes Yeah, this will be going to finance if it's any comfort It will it needs to go to finance because of the relationship between the At least when I was in finance we would see things as it relates to the cultural liaisons and You know sharing You know what we're trying to do there. So they will have an opportunity to eye this as will appropriations I mean you have time and even Senator Hooker for what it's worth even we I suspect would have a significant amount of time I don't think this will see the floor until late March oh Okay, only because it has at least two other stops Okay, all right, just you know don't want to run into trouble later on finding out the wrong terminology, and I don't I don't want to see hygiene Right now I agree So if for example as we explore and other committees explore it, I think We can always amend it accordingly Jim do you mind taking the screen down just so I Of course other questions for Mr. Demeray Personally, I was just gonna say that I don't think we need to worry about the connection to the tax because I think all schools are non-profits So at least the ones we have in Vermont, so they're not going to be taxed anyway. So the great point Thank you Anything else? If not, I would welcome a motion to move the miscellaneous education bill center lines moves I will sorry go ahead Okay, no, I move that we pat that we Vote on and send the miscellaneous education bill as amended To the full Senate We don't need a second in that in the committee. Do we I don't think so now Is there a draft? Is there a draft that we should be identifying Jim? Yeah, so draft 1.2 of the miscellaneous education bill To the full Senate Senator Chinden Well, be glad to second if needed, but I have a question. So we're going to the full Senate and not to the finance committee That's how it works. What will happen is similar to today. It will be introduced on the floor Similar to what happened with the agriculture bill and then it will be sent automatically to appropriations because they're an appropriation in there And then from there it'll go to finance or vice versa There's nothing we need to do though. We don't need to send it That's what and just so you know, senator Secretary Blumer will take a look at this in full Directed accordingly Great question Any other questions comments? Discussion if not senator Purchlick, would you call the roll? Yes, Senator Chitman Aye Senator Hooker Yes Senator Lyons, yes Senator Taranzini, yes Senator Purchlick votes yes and the chair senator Campion. Yes So six zero zero. Is there someone who's interested in reporting the bill? If you you would senator Hooker you're muted, but if senator Chitman didn't want to do it We talked a little bit about this I thought there's always the possibility also I know senedad last year shared some bills I think where people you know one person started the other Continued if that's something you'd like to do. I think it'd be great for senator Chitman to Feet wet. I think yeah, if senator chin is comfortable with it to report the bill and Just so you know, I am happy to Work with you as much as you'd like To write a floor report as I know Jim is happy to give you any pointers as well Yes, please always happy. It's not a matter of wanting. I just wanted to pass So if that would be better done with somebody else happy to yield But my question is do I report would this be reported right away? Or does it go to finance first and then come back and be reported? I don't get it. It's a great question So it'll go to appropriations And finance and then it'll end up on the floor. So what you'll end up doing is Either of those committees may amend this bill Or may not and you will probably be In a couple of weeks it'll be brought up On the floor after both of those committees have seen it Knowing that appropriations and finance have an extra week to look at these kinds of things You might not have to report it for Two to three weeks, but I would just recommend Spending a little time over town meeting week Just kind of gearing up and and I'll also start to to type up some things and send them your way to be helpful Senator hooker and I just want you to know senator triton that I volunteered because I think this is a great bill And I think that you're going to have a fun time reporting it Yeah Sure We all want we all want to do this bill, right? We all want to do this So count yourself lucky Okay, thank you senator chinden. So, uh, mr. Demeray and for genie. What do you need from senator chinden at this point? I well, I I need to um strip off the highlight in this bill. Yep. Um, so when I have a break, uh I'll do that and send that back to genie for processing Great, and then genie. What will you need? Um, the processes I have to send the record of action to the clerk Uh, who will confirm the vote the accuracy of the vote as I've tallied it Senator perchick will send me back Send me an email confirming the accuracy of the vote as I tallied it Then I send it to places the The reporter will email john bloomer and venessa davidson with the final version of the bill and the vote But I can talk to senator Chittenden about that later. That'd be great. Okay terrific Okay Thank you Okay School Discipline Advisory Council Which also will have a stop in appropriations. Um, I do not think it will go to judiciary But it will go to approach for certain um We're looking at draft 4.1 And mr. Demeray, if you wouldn't mind taking us through it, uh, we worked on this Uh, in fact, perhaps close to finalizing things. Um, let's have a look Okay, uh, so again for the record, uh, Jim Demeray, uh, let's console we're walking through s 16 Which is the act uh creating the school discipline advisory council There are not too many changes here. Um, so let's just go through and see what changed Okay, first of all, this has been changed, but before you pass this out of committee this bracket Uh, it needs to come out so I'm not sure what to do about that. That's the 15 000 is for the podium I mean burst and there was an open question As to whether the task force or a we need to additional Funding to carry out the duties of the task force that's a Unresolved point So Absolutely center turns eating Uh, thanks, and I apologize for personal reasons. I had to miss a committee meeting or two this week and i'm sure you guys covered it, uh, but That 15 000 I noticed that's is that 15 000 total for the committee members to draw down from that's not 15 000 per committee member, right No, that's the total amount. I think you've got 20 members of the committee And basically it's the charge of um, and you have uh, I think it's eight eight meetings I can't remember but it's it's just max. So it's 20 20 members times 125 125 dollars Per meeting. Okay, so okay times every meeting. Yeah Yeah, so so the the commissioners would get paid 125 dollars a meeting. It's not 15 000 stipend per commissioner Yeah, correct. They won't get paid 125. They'll be paid per dm I think of 50 and the rest is for reimbursement for travel. Um, so yeah Thank you. Yeah, okay question Uh, jim, would you say a little bit more about what exactly uh, are you feeling is? uh, you mentioned, um Something we still need to determine Well, this is the corporation. It's only for this but if we go down to line six. Yeah And for expenses incurred by the task force and carrying out out of its duties Go back up to its duties. It's got a lot of data to deal with. Um So it's analyzing Okay, so these are here so reviewing various things and then, um you come on to Analyze data, um And uh, so here's how the data they have to analyze right here um And then Yeah, so it's really the data part of the job where they need some support for that. I guess the um A we will be uh, preparing the data for them Uh, that's covered. So here you have Secretary getting all the data together for them For these years so for what? Um 13 to 19 for six years approximately uh, so it's not as if I have to collect it but they have to analyze it and The open point here was do they need some further resources to help them with that? I assume the agency will help them anyway with that. So maybe maybe not But I'm not sure So you're saying that an outstanding question in your mind is whether or not the agency is going to assist them with this data collection They will know they will assist with the collection Yes, we're here It's all that the work done to analyze the data This will be a lot of it to analyze and do any help in that process Okay, can you say a little bit more because this is uh What your concern is exactly so that they might not have the staff that they might not have They might have to hire outside of the agency I don't really have a concern. I'm just noticing that the drops has had this language there for a long time Uh about expenses incurred for current duties, but it's never been Defined as to what they actually need for that or if they need that at all I see um Okay, then it sounds like we should it sounds like you're recommending that we hear from the agency on this language Or You you have a choice, right? I mean you could just take it out for now and it could get picked up later in the process All right. It's very subtle in the way. Um, you could you could wait to hear from the agency. Yeah I mean, I I would prefer to wait to hear from the agency but Again, this doesn't have to uh centerperson. Did you have a comment? Yeah, thank you. I was The way I read it before was that if there's basically if there's any of the $15,000 left over after paying the per diems and expenses to the commissioners that The the task force slash the agency would be able to use some for any other expenses, but I don't know what those expenses actually would be would be incurred by the task force So I'm okay with with taking it out Or waiting to hear if a we was thinking that they were going to somehow that $50,000 in brackets might change based on expenses incurred by the task force that were beyond per diems and travel mileage I think you're right that there will be room in that 15,000 given the fact that we're working remotely Um, so a part of that might not be spent and could be used for other things But Jim are I'm sorry go ahead Sonny Rapporte looked at you I was just gonna say that's been my experience on these that a lot of them don't a lot of people don't take it So you mean to put the maximum amount in there But people that are getting paid to be there can't take the per diems and a lot of people don't bother With it fill out the paperwork. So you they're usually in my work If it's a question of analyzing the data like I have no idea how Pasta have data analyzed who does the analyzing who's responsible for paying for that Yeah, I'm you're asking me Actually what I think would be good since mr. Demeray is raising these this for the first time. I think why don't we start from the beginning, Jim Why don't you take everybody through the bill? It'll be a good refresher for everybody Also for senator taranzini and let's not bounce around too much. So let's just go through the whole thing As a as a good review. This is an important Step if we take it So we've got the task force being created and um subsistence a Uh working with the agency To make recommendations to end suspensions in expulsions for all but the most serious student behaviors Um and collect and analyze data So remember this is a combination of the racial equity task force recommendation, which is the part here about Making recommendations that to end suspensions and expulsions for all but with serious student behaviors And then you have a serious language. Um, he proposed about analyzing data. So that's what this part is here There's like two main focuses of attention. Okay. So just hold on Jim. Let's take our time here. So again We have the task force Why don't you bring us through the membership? Yep membership is uh up to 20 not more than 20 members Well by the secretary Who should we belong at residence and the balance representation of educators administrators high school students special educators parents students school board members and members of community groups Right uh meant uh membership diversity Yep um, yep, so see to have a very sort of diverse membership Fair food. Yep senator lions. Do we ever talk about having someone? From the department of health on this I'm just as we're thinking looking at this and we're talking about student behaviors and Issues related to What's going on with kids the youth risk behavior survey is Something that might be helpful Well, maybe it's not a person, but maybe it's a access to At some point in here. I'm jumping ahead then to information that might be available on uh youth risk behaviors because they're the department of health has that information Based on school year based on age and and also school. So I'm I'm thinking out loud, but I think um That might be a neat link to put in just in case it doesn't happen organically To make sure that uh the committee itself, uh, yeah Yeah, access is that youth risk behavior survey. Yes. Yeah, I think that's a good idea. Yeah Okay, good Okay, so powers and duties again, um Working with the agency To make recommendations and suspensions, etc. And then following specific tasks. So um The equity racial task force recommendations Uh reviewing in in school services availability of these services um That are available to support students who otherwise face exclusion or discipline recommend, uh additional or more uniform in school services That should be available to two students who are under eighth and all other students Three to find the most serious behaviors that After considering all other alternatives in support should remain eligible for suspension or expulsion in four and then five best practices Practical procedures in my course context And from five on this is this is If you could speak a little bit closer to the mic, you're in and out quite a bit. Yeah I'm sorry Okay Much better. Thanks. Okay um, so five on are the ones uh from Center Sears So analyze our school districts to improve independent school basis The available that data and direct collection processes regarding suspensions and expulsions And identify collect and analyze additional data necessary to inform the work of the task force including The total number of instances of expulsions and suspensions in each grade Operated by the district or approved in parent school The total number of students in each grade operated by the district or approved in parent school Were exposed or suspended and the number of instances of expulsion or suspension or both for each student The duration of each instance of expulsion and suspension The infraction for which each expulsion was um And each each instance of referral to local law enforcement authorities or the juvenile juvenile justice system And then recommend changes to the types of debt they collected and the day collection processes Regarding suspensions and expulsions as necessary for the collection of all appropriate data related to school discipline And review how other states address exclusionary discipline Um uh, the first due uh this year in november uh to you And uh, I'll be shared with uh, my educators, etc. Um Uh, the secretary calls to being by august 1st um Even more than six times Has the assistance of the AOE So, um Back to this question about what support they need It might be the agency has enough resources to help them through this process um I don't know. Um And then compensation reimbursement is just standard language Um, and here comes the appropriation So when we're talking about line six, uh carrying out is duties It's duties would be to analyze all that data coming in And that data will be coming in from the secretary. So secretary here will collect and distribute to the members all this data uh for six years worth of of Six years worth of data um That's it Questions center lines. Yeah, so The concern that jim was expressing earlier is probably a legitimate concern So we have all the data We're getting a report um And are we our do we ask for recommendations later on? I think we talked about this a little bit We do ask for recommendations. Yeah, okay. I thought we had okay I'm I'm good for now okay I mean you could just increase the appropriation by 5 000 bucks or something just to Help cover expenses. Um, and if it's not used, it'll be referred back I mean, you know, I I think Props is going to be the ones that really are going to be digging into this that piece and our first look Question on a different part. Yeah, go ahead um In the make two two questions. One is on the makeup of the committee number two Line 19 it says administrators Do we want to be more specific? I mean Administrators could be pretty broad. I wondered if we'd rather say superintendents or something or principles principles, I mean we have yeah School administrators. Is that go without saying that's the school? That's a good point. That's a good point. Um I mean, I guess for me I like school administrators because it could be dean of students some schools will have a dean of students some would have um director of something else How do people feel about school administrators center perspective? Do you feel that specific enough? Yeah, that's okay okay in my other My question comment is on the power of the duties and the next page mine Where it says the task force shall in conjunction with the agency of education It does seem like yeah, no, we're setting up the task force to be its own entity I can't really spend money or anything. So You know kind of does a question about whether if we gave them money how that how they'd spend it They they don't they wouldn't really be able to spend it because they're not a real entity. So since they're since the agency is It's staffing them basically I don't If they had expenses, they would just it would be part of their budget and we wouldn't need to put it in here I guess unless they said that that was required Um, I just that it struck me is a little interesting that their task force is going to do it in conjunction with the agency But the agency secretary is a member of the task force I didn't know where that Anybody else thought that was a strange the way that's worded Say a little bit more in terms of uh Well as the task force issuing the report, but yeah, but it's recommendations Is in conjunction with the agency? I guess our every is everything underneath that line where it says the task force shall in conjunction with the agency of education And then it has a sentence and then a whole bunch of numbered points is everything after that Being in conjunction and when you do it in conjunction Does that mean they have they each kind of like? vote or It just seems like other times. It's just the task force shall do these things But here we say the task force shall do things and they have to do it in conjunction with the agency And i'm just not sure what in conjunction Yeah, no, it's a it's a good point. You know for me I guess the way i'm thinking about it is Given some of the complexity of it and you know, you put this group together I would I feel like they would need that sort of agency support If that makes sense, you know, you've got a couple, you know, you have two teachers. You have two school administrators. You have students um, and I don't know if this is what you're getting at but uh I feel like without the agency it would be hard to do Uh this kind of work and so in conjunction, but in conjunction, you know, what that definition is um I guess I look to uh, mr. Demeray on that When you use that in conjunction with the agency, I mean, I don't I don't think you need this here I We're we're losing you Jim often, you know Sorry, um, I don't think you need to have this language about in conjunction with um Because the agency is going to give support to the task force in any case And the secretary's on the task force. So this language probably got picked up from um other task force like other language, but I don't see why it has to be here Senator perswick, are you concerned that there might be uh That the task force might not have a level of independence that it needs if it has the agency involved. Is that at all concerning? um I guess it could be something like that because I I think that the support is there because down below we say they'll they shall have the administrative support. Yeah, but it's I just didn't know what to mean. I think if everybody is in agreement, it'll be fine and nobody it'll never come up But if if the task force members Want to make recommendations that the agency doesn't like yeah, but they then say hey, we got to do this in conjunction. So It's a good point. Yeah, go ahead. I just didn't know what it meant. So I thought We should just make sure we're saying what we mean Or meaning what we say. Yeah Now I think it's it's a good point if they were to bring forward certain policies in the agency You know doesn't want them. Does the agency then sort of trump that those recommendations should that be I Mean in other I'm just trying to think to other We talked a little bit about this with literacy also in other creations of these kinds of task forces and things Do they usually have a level of independence from other agencies? Yeah, like right now. I'm on that after-school task force. Yeah, we have to support aoe is doing a lot of the work but We were not issuing a report in conjunction with agency education. We're just issuing a report of the task Yeah, and as I think of you know the act 250 that the 50 year Thing it was similar. There was that independence from the agency of natural resources They were there to support us But it was the task force that if you will this the group that um That issued the report center hooker that make the recommendations that make the recommendation Purpose of the task force if it isn't to be independent and make recommendations, I guess. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, exactly And I'm still um and as far as Support from the agency. I guess I'll go back to the analyzing the data Maybe that's where the support from the agency comes in the task force hands over the data. The data is analyzed um I don't know if that You know, is that Kosher. I don't I don't know if that's the way it's done But it's see it just seems to me when we talk about analyzing data and we're looking for you know People to do it and time spent on it. There's going to be some cost incurred there So we're who's going to pick up that tab Yeah, centerperson On that on that point Analyze could mean very different things. I mean, there's very complicated analysis, but then there's also just Towing up the numbers. That's analysis. You could just say Okay, this you know like the The numbers underneath there to say you're just like Telling us what the numbers are. So the analysis could be like taking all the data and putting it into a table or it could be Kind of running it through a model or something. So It could be also that we're not looking to have it analyzed but just shared Yeah, I don't know if analyze is the right word or not right more more like Have brought to light focused on yeah, so that we know what we're talking about because otherwise I just you know, we talk about this Expulsion being a pipeline to Corrections. I mean, is that the type of analysis we want? Do we want to see how many how many kids end up? Right. How far does this task force? How far does the charge for this task force go? You know, it's a really good point. I'm glad we're talking about it I was thinking a little bit about it last night just looking at the makeup of the task force to analyze What is what exactly do we mean? I am more inclined to collect the data and share the data I mean a lot of research has already been done out there Data has been analyzed across the United States that shows, you know, the trends that we're trying to stop so I think I don't know how others feel but maybe it is Reporting the data. I just don't see this task force sitting around within six meetings to analyze data And then if we use the word analyze Analyze to what end centered alliance Maybe we're going to ask them to offer suggestions about how the data might be analyzed and used uh In a in a next step so This is a group as you said that First of all, they don't have the resources to do all the work that's needed. I'm thinking this could be a Herculean task, but yeah, maybe there they would have some thoughts about identifying uh next steps to analyze the data For to help develop appropriate statewide local policies So I mean something like that where they're looking at so we have them submitting a written report and with the findings which is basically the data and addressing um And and coming up with legislative act legislative idea or legislative possible recommendations for legislative action So that kind of feels good to me center hooker And and maybe it's just a question of the frequency, you know, how often is this happening and comparing it to data that's already been collected And and analyzed and you know, where where do we Want to go from there? You know, this is the frequency of these actions within our school systems. Yeah how according to different Either benchmarks or or groups and then what do we do with that? Yeah, and I'm inclined to think that that's even too much for a group that's meeting six times to do I think what we do is as we have submit a report which is you know submit the data that's collected um It suggests next step suggests the recommendations for legislative action. I mean, that's really otherwise I don't know how we get anywhere. I mean, we'll take that data and we'll take their suggestions They're going to come back to both committees in the house and senate and Report this information and that's going to be knowledge and helpful for all of us to know center personally Yeah With what you said there and thinking about it. I think if we just say compile instead of analyze I mean they can still analyze it on their own to meet the other things We're asking them to but if we say compile both in the two instances then analyzes in that paragraph change to compile That works for me Yeah, that makes me feel much more comfortable as well center lions Sounds good to me. Okay center hooker Uh, just going down here center tarenzini center chitenden Okay So compile that data. Okay jim. How does that feel to you? That's fine. Yep. Okay, and then I think we also that kind of eliminates jim's concern about how You know that that expense in terms of analyzing would it be um, they're just compiling it and they're giving recommendations. So that's uh That is a change as well as senator lion's suggestion referencing the report on uh, youth risk behavior um What do we want to do with uh You know in that also to me it it makes me feel more comfortable separating this the agency from the task force in other words getting rid of the word in conjunction again, uh We'll let the we'll let the task force do their work. So uh jim. I think um The task force will make recommendations to end suspensions and expulsions Um, it doesn't need to be in conjunction with the agency. They will have the agency's report support as outlined in this bill But I think it does create a conflict if the agency disagrees with the with the direction or some of the recommendations This is an independence group They have the agency support Um, they're only meeting six times the compiling data and making recommendations Um removing the analysis piece We as the legislature can direct the agency or the agency may do analysis on this. Um Can I ask this question? I'm I've lost touch with which task force we talked about yesterday Uh, and who's being elected chair here? How the chair is chosen? and then We don't need terms with this but certainly we don't want The secretary of education being the chair of the task force. But so is there anything in here about the organization? Yes, uh, there is um, so on page seven Okay, because I don't have I haven't put it up on my ipad. Yeah, no problem. Yeah, it's right here. So So it basically so the secretary of education will call the first meeting Um, and it says the task force shall selected chair from amendment its members And then it goes on to talk about quorum requirements Um in the number of times it meets and then that's then we get into the assistance It'll have the administrative technical and legal assistance from the agency of education Perfect. Yeah, and I think it's your rights on our line yesterday. We talked, uh, as we'll see when we look at literacy We made the the new director Uh, uh, yeah Jim do you have enough uh to go on for uh to get us uh another draft? I do. Um, this is finished up with the bill. Um, I'm not sure that we've gone through the whole thing. So we've certainly gone through this a lot. Um Yeah, I've been there So I see we've made changes Okay, um, this is a change from the last draft clarifying that a school may expel uh, the student Is the student poses a threat of harm or danger to the school so others in the school, right? Yeah and then, um That was it. Yep. So I can update that draft Okay, uh, Jim just in terms of us trying to possibly move things along today If we were to take a break is that possible for you to work on that and then come back And then we'll do this again and then move on. Oh, of course Does that work? Sure, of course. Yeah. Okay, great. So committee. Why don't we then uh break? It gives people an opportunity to review things. Um, and Jim will come back at two thirty and And look at if it works for you, Jim. Uh, yep a clean draft and see What the committee's feeling is at that point Sheriff kedian. Yeah, please. Two thirty is the tin ash event. I was planning to attend Right, right Good reminder What if we, uh Keep working keep working for 15 minutes And or 10 minutes and we'll set this aside and we'll move on to literacy And kind of make our way through that and then we'll do the, uh Tim ash event senator tarenzini. You weren't here yesterday. There is an event for the former pro tem. Um They're a painting. Uh I hope he's not watching. I hope he's not watching as well. Uh and um Anyhow that event is going to go from two thirty until about Uh two fifty so feel freed either stretch or attend or both um Okay, so that feels to me And I may be the only one that loves this kind of stage of the work, but it does feel better it really feels tighter and better and uh, certainly as we go through this It makes me more comfortable. Um as we raise the questions Because we'll get the answers now and fix things before, uh, we another committee or we get asked questions on the floor So with that, um Jim, uh, I want to bring us through Uh literacy And this is draft Uh I have six point one Yes, um I've got six point one two, um Just trying to make sure I get the right document to open point five. Yeah, this one And please, uh, go ahead and begin senator hooker. You have the floor. I'm just going to use the washroom, uh, or you have the you have the power Go ahead Jim Okay, all right Let's go for the record. Uh, jim damary of this console. We're walking to draft six point one of your literacy belt um So let's go through changes Actually jim, uh before I walk all the way down the hall to the washroom Um, would you be so kind as to bring every just bring us through the whole bill? I you know senator tarenzini Uh, it's not only because of senator tarenzini, but I think just an overall review before we um Move forward with that. It's just helpful. Thank you Okay, all right. So we're starting with findings and you're talking about um The implementation of act 173, which is reforming special education um, and the dmg report And some of those findings about literacy outcomes So you're talking about these three areas here or we then but um And then it goes on to talk about the data Um indicate that we need to improve our literacy outcomes So you have some examples of that And then we go into cobit. Um saying it's getting getting worse because of cobit 19 Um, then we go on to the purpose. Um, we just to continue the ongoing work To improve the receipt of students in the state While recognizing that achieving this goal Will require a multi-year and multi-dimensional effort Requiring a continued focus by the joint assembly administration and school leaders Then we have the grant funding. So we have a three million dollar appropriation um Again, we have a bracket here because we're not sure where it's coming from so we'll have to come back to that um and that will be used to Have the agency provide grants to su's and school this supervisory districts On behalf of their member school districts To provide professional development for teachers and methods of teaching literacy um age to see what minister the grant program Uh, similar which sd's and su's are eligible Based on its assessment of all the need Taking into account the following factors across applicants Uh, there's assessments of students the number of literary instructors for all students The percentage of students eligible for free free or reduced price meals The percentage of students who are english language learners that's new came from Chelsea um In a five discrepancies in outcome data on literacy for students from historically underserved populations Including to the extent that the data is available In compliance with privacy laws students who are black indigenous people of color and students on IEPs And six the extent to which uh teacher professional development is integrated with a multi-tiered system of supports So those are the criteria upon which the secretary will grant funding Then we have a staffing session Saying that the following position is created One full-time director level classified position to serve as statewide literacy coordinator in the offices of the secretary New language the person hired as the statewide literacy coordinator So hold a master's level degree or have equivalent expertise based on work experience In the field of evidence based literacy instruction The appropriation for that is 150 thousand dollars Section five And then existing statute Uh, 2903 which uh is a statute dealing with preventing Failure, but it was focusing on reading and you're focusing on literacy So this immense that section to give it the framework that you're now using It's essentially what we're doing here. It's just replacing the word reading with literacy. Um So I won't go through all this. Um, but we're updating this statute here to conform with your framework around uh literacy So jim if I could just interrupt there for a moment Last night when I was looking at this. So this is we are just updating um The statute here correct getting you know eliminating reading Making some other technical changes um And I guess a few policy changes Well, no not not too much and this recommendation came from whom this section do you remember from me for me because When secretary french mentioned this section I was I was unaware of it When I read I realized it's not fitting into the framework you're using got it. I also also has the vision that the plan the vision is here. Um Where is it? Um, yeah support will develop a plan. Yeah, so we have a lot of language in this bill around this plan yeah, uh, so Updating it to make sure that fits in with what you want to do here. Great That's very helpful. Yep center hooker Senator campion. I don't know. I think you received an email last night as I did uh from mr. Hobbson perhaps And talking about when this statute was last updated because I don't know if I spoke in in error, but I thought I heard the uh secretary saying that it hadn't been updated since 2009 and I was told that um, I believe it's the school board association had looked at it and worked on it in 2019 So I just want to clarify, you know get a clear reading on When that statute was updated and I think this was in Oh, go ahead. Jim. So I think there's two things happening here One is when the statute was last updated, but secretary french I think was talking about when the plan Uh, that's required by the statute was last updated Okay, um, yeah, so I think he said the plan hasn't been updated since 2009 the statute uh, I have it in front of me. I can tell you um It was last amended in 2009 Yeah, I think it's the um I'm not sure But I just wanted to make sure that I hadn't misspoken So I I think I was correct in saying that the secretary had cited 2009 and this was in regard to the fact that we had a plan in place where we were going to put a plan in place ask for one to be um created in this Bill that we're we're proposing and the secretary had said that there was already a literacy plan And I think that's how we got to this point It's correct we had We are we you have a requirement for a vision to be developed And he said well, there's already a plan which is basically a vision. Yeah, but it hasn't been maintained Yeah So I I don't know if we want to take a look at um the plan that was looked at in 2019 like not that it I don't know what effect it would have on this bill, but I'll look at it Okay, uh, maybe yeah, I'm a little bit unclear in terms of um That but let's let's continue and then we can we can also have a conversation Wherever that plan is this is going to require it to be updated. Um, so this bill um Okay, so I missed a couple and the last iteration. I missed a couple of these changes from read literacy So I picked those up now And Yeah Then we used this definition of evidence-based literacy instruction Uh, this came over from Chelsea So we're using this definition um for this purpose And then we have a new section 2903 a Which is your new advisory console on literacy. This is your permanent console um Purpose is to uh, by the agency of education the board state board and you uh, how you improve proficiency outcomes um For all students in pre kc grade 12 and how to sustain those outcomes Membership is 18 members Eight members. This is new language who shall serve as excess official members And they're here So we have a review it. We we have the state whether it's your coordinator the new and be hired We have a member of the status board We have the v's um Right through here And then we have 10 members who will serve I said to your terms, but you could do three or wherever you want to do um um So you have a rep appointed by the vermont curriculum leaders association For teachers appointed by the vermont NEA Uh, we teach literacy one of whom which will be a special ed There's a t-shirt and two of these two of whom shall teach literacy to students in pre kc grade three You have two family members guardians or education targets of students who struggle or have struggled with literacy proficiency appointed by the vermont family network You have two high school students or recent high school graduates Who struggle or have struggled with literacy proficiency appointed by aoe And lastly you have one member appointed by the vermont legal aid disability law project She is doing language so the members which who have two year terms um So remember with a term limit So for a term of two years And until a successor is appointed Uh terms will begin on January 1st of the year of appointment around to uh, December 31 of the last year of the term Terms of these members shall be staggered so that now all terms expire at the same time If they can see creative before the expiration of a term should be filled in the same manner As your original appointment And the member with a term limit shall not serve more than two consecutive terms remember pointing to the vacancy period before the Expiration of the term shall not be deemed to have served the term for the purpose of the subdivision this language came from Emron And it's used in the for the state ethics commission Okay, and this might this leader in the ball will go through I think we might we'll come to a transitional Yeah, we're I think we're going to pause there jim. I think it's a pretty good spot So when we return we'll pick up with powers and duties Yep, yep powers and duties Um, so we'll come back. Let's say at five minutes to three because it might run a little long Uh, so let's say 255 And jim if you don't mind staying on i'm gonna be a little late to the to the party. Um, and you and I can chat for a minute