 I'm going to turn our discussion back to S100 and we have an update on a fiscal note regarding our independent schools. So, yes, oh, can you help us? Good afternoon. Good morning. I've been busy a couple days, I think, for all of us. I have been asked to provide an update regarding our estimates for independent schools. It's our understanding that currently this estimate should be covering the publicly tuition students at independent schools. So we estimate that in FY23 the cost of providing universal school meals to all public schools and to all public school students tuition at an independent school in Vermont would be approximately $29 million. So this includes the previous estimate that we had talked about earlier for FY23 of $28 million. But now we're thinking it would be $29 million when pulling in those publicly tuition kids. Yes, please. Rep. Just to semantics, when you say publicly tuition students at independent schools, these are independent schools that also participate in the federal food program. Yes. Yes. Thank you for that. Representative Asken. Is that based on the current participation or is that based on anticipated increase in participation? Yes. So that estimate follows the same assumptions for FY20 fiscal year 23 that we used for our previous estimate. So that assumes the average participation of the 60% participation in breakfast, 75% participation in lunch, as well as an overall 30% of eligibility. So it's following the same assumptions that we've walked through. I'm happy to talk more about those if that's helpful. But there's no real changes to the modeling other than there are more kids coming in, which is reflected in that increased cost. I will also add, I see that Rosie Krueger with AOE is here, I will add that there will probably be an additional administrative cost that's a maximum of $20,000. I will let Rosie speak to that if you have questions. That's the number that we got from AOE. So I'm happy to answer any other questions. I just want to see if Rosie Krueger has, would you be responding at this one or? Sure. So just where that number comes from is that we would need to make a one time change to our our claiming system that the schools use to submit their claims to allow for a separate line for independent schools to submit publicly tuition students that are in the paid status compared to publicly tuition students that are in non publicly tuition students in the paid status, since there is still some federal reimbursement for for those other paid students. So it's a fairly simple change. I've talked to our vendor a little bit about it. They haven't been able to do a full estimate, but it's it's definitely going to be under $20,000. That was sort of the the kind of maximum amount they thought it could be, but it's a fairly simple change. And then I guess if you were to not extend this further than one year, we would need to make that change back at the end. So again, I think 20,000 is a very generous estimate for the cost of this work. And we can work to get that refined in the next few days if if you are definitely going to go that direction. And I guess I will ask for the the additional cost to reverse that as well when I'm asking them for estimates. Thank you representative James. Just to confirm you said that the model assumes a 30% eligibility that's for free and reduced right for act. Okay, my only other question was I I thought we heard yesterday that we thought the independence group we're going to add 2.6 million, but now they're only adding 1 million. So I I do the back of the envelope calculation based on the number of students who are enrolled at independent schools participating in the national school lunch program. That number is actually higher than the number of publicly tuition students in Vermont in general at schools that are are not necessarily participating in the program. So that's why it came down to the envelope was on total enrollment, not the public public tuition students, right? And I hadn't realized there was such a difference there. But okay, thank you. And if I may also add to that, we do anticipate that these costs will increase over time as we've spoken about previously. So this 29 million estimate is for FY 23 with an increase of costs over time. So another difference is that with increased participation, of course, these costs will increase as well. Thank you. Just on the ground, does that mean that publicly tuition Vermont students will be with non publicly funded students and there'll be a separation of like in the cafeteria who gets universal free lunch and who doesn't? So my assumption about how that would work is that the schools, these independent schools charge tuition and that they would add some kind of tuition line or some some increased costs in their tuition to cover the cost of those non Vermont students so that they wouldn't need to differentiate. I think that would that would kind of be the only way of reasonably handling it. So you might ask some independent schools to share their perspective on how that would work, but that would I guess be my recommendation. Thank you. Anything else? This would change the fiscal bill that we've been working from 28 million to 29 million. Correct. If the committee decides to go in this direction. If the committee comfortable with putting in the 29 you feel like we can explain that? Okay. Committee discussion. I was just I was doing sort of a little roundup in my head of the possible pieces that we still had to have to fit in and the 29 million that we just heard about from Julia was sort of one of those boxes. Right. We will communicate that to the best is not here. So you got that communication then. 29 million? Yes. I see we do have the NEA in the room and we would if you are able to respond to this bill I think we've sent the bill. I have reached out to our other educational associations to respond. We would love that. Thank you. All have been missing in this conversation. So for the record, Con Robinson for money to get to see folks. I know an IRL right. As you heard from President Dantini, we're very supportive of universal school meals and we had an opportunity to briefly review the most recent draft and are comfortable with this approach. It's like we're getting the 29 million dollars. I believe right. That's the updated figure in the education funds are possibly that's an appropriate use while you further investigate how to with this program for so kids can have full belly so they can actually access their learning in school. And what do you think the impact will be on teachers when this is handled again for next year? As as we allow another year for universal school meals? Well, I think is this committee's probably heard many times over a hungry kid can't access their learning the same way a kid who can't get to school on a school bus can access their learning and by making sure that kids have full bellies, they're going to be able to have growing minds and those growing minds can absorb the instruction and also of course it you know I mean one of the impacts of the pandemic. But to be frank, it predate the pandemic. Students are coming to school with greater and greater social emotional needs. And when some basic needs are supported to grow healthy and strong bodies, that helps to maintain regulations so they're actually able to be healthy students and engage with their peers and their teachers and other educators in school. I think we have certainly hoped to find a long term path. But we have not been able to find a path forward to a long term path. So given that we are hoping that we're moving to endemic from pandemic that having that stability available to the schools next year struck us as a priority. Absolutely. We would prefer in many ways to have another resource. I'm speaking for a lot of committee members that as I say we I'm not speaking to have a long term plan. It's an option at this point. So during this transition time, if we can just keep that as a form of stability, I think this committee has heard loud and clear that you don't want new initiatives. This is not necessarily a new initiative, but it's definitely a way of spending money that that was not anticipated. We have looked at the need to provide some sense of stability to a stressed system. I hope that this is one way that we can address that. And we know that, you know, schools have been doing this for for two years now. And it's had positive impacts and definitely maintaining. We can't think of many better uses for this unique moment that we have with the surplus in the Education Fund. If we take it away. Well, I'm sure there are others in the room and you've heard from others who can speak more eloquently with greater expertise on that than I, but I think is just common sense dictates that you're going to have kids who are going to struggle to access the food that they need to be able to be successful learners. Continuing to work with our federal delegation. Thank you. Yeah, yes, representative Austin. So what I'm hearing from some of my constituents is, you know, they're going near the children that need to be fed is determined by the federal government are being fed. And they are wondering why we're asking hard working from office to pay from middle and upper income families lunches. Yeah, I mean, you know, basic premise of public education is that Vermonters come together to provide equitable education to all learners. And, you know, we don't ask families of different socioeconomic statuses to pay for their children's textbooks. We don't ask children of different socioeconomic statuses to pay a bus fare when they get on the bus. As we've seen over the past several decades, schools oftentimes are the only maybe the only when the few safe, stable places in the child's life and creating opportunities for them to receive the supports that need to be successful learners has expanded. And the pandemic has only shown that in greater ways. And so as schools have shouldered that responsibility, we have not, I don't think as a mission of public education, delineated lines between those families that might have means and those that might not. So I would say that providing high quality food to students that they can learn at this point is a cool function of providing and ensuring our education system is able to do what it needs to do to support those learners in the same way making sure that they have high quality curriculum and textbooks is there's no stigma getting on the bus, because we can all get on the bus. There's no stigma that's considered about we get the textbook and other getting that there still remains stigma about food and access to food. So we're trying to bring that into the conversation for those that are struggling. Okay. Midi discussion. I'm realizing that we have some missing voices in the room. I've reached out to our other education social nations, trying to see if we can get them in, at least to respond by one. And I know that there are definitely there's definitely always that concern that we could use that money for something else. And we know that there are other pressures, certainly related to our facilities and things like that. Just trying to figure out how we might might be able to do it all, or at least to do the best we can. I appreciate your contribution. Yeah. Good to see you all. Okay. Thanks for doing this work. Okay. So we'll have an opportunity to hear from some education associations where we vote. I think that we owe that to the field that we listen to. And I don't know if we'll be able to get that done by one club today or not. But I'm going to do a quick call with them a little bit later and see if we can get them to come in or to at least give us a written response. That's where we are. We had a couple of things before us. One of the committee wanted to consider some of those things. We had one question about putting in language that represent Coupoli mentioned about requiring some that the General Assembly contacts the, you know, stays in touch with our federal delegation. There's some note that we already have maximizing federal requirements. Why don't you look at that quickly and see if there's something we have? We've got one final version of that. Yeah. Go ahead. Go ahead. We have one final version coming to us this afternoon. We need to address we need to address the number. We need to address who gets the report back. And those are in process. But those changes have been made. Those changes have been made. That's great. That's great. So those are in the current draft and that draft is posted right now. I have made those changes. I didn't know if the committee was going to make further changes or any other discussion and I would have sent you draft six and then seven and eight. Right. We would love that as well. I also see we have the agency of education. Ted Fisher, are you prepared to respond to the current draft? And that's 100. The record is 10. Join us. Join us. My manager, I'd like to defer to my colleague who is our expert. Okay. But in terms of the support for moving forward in this direction. We've got the word we have the expertise in the room. Now we need to to see if this is something that we have worked to try to respond to the concerns that the administration has had in terms of how this is funded. And we're trying to hold with the the desire to at least keep this program going for one more year as we figure out what it truly will cost. So we're looking I know that the end of the day yesterday, but I'm trying to run up spares during lunch break and check to see and also check in with our bosses on the road that we'll be doing this afternoon as well. Great. Thank you. Right now. So we will try to get that understanding you're working to get this done as possible. Yes. Of course I haven't anything more since yesterday. Okay. Thank you. Yes, Representative Williams. Yes. Will you give me clarification as to the route this bill takes after it leaves this committee? Yes. Here's today's weather report. The current plan because this addresses the ad fund, it's required by rule to go to the Ways and Means Committee. So they will be taking this bill up and reviewing it. We can pass this out of committee. It will go straight there automatically. From there it's possible. Yes, it would go to the Appropriations Committee as well, I believe. There's the language we have in about the positions that's traveling. It's a little bit sort of currently on the wall and centered appropriations related to the positions. So I have to sort that out how this would likely if the Ways and Means Committee approved and wanted to approve or amend this, it would likely come after the waiting study bill, the waiting bill. That would be my guess in terms of timing because there are pieces of this that are related to the work there. Then it would go to the floor and if we can pass it, you know, someone could decide that we need to pass the flag still on it, which would not be appropriate. Please don't put that in the press. So then it would go to the Senate and they would look at it and then decide. Still got a pretty long road down now. This is the legislature. We work slowly. One thing's done quickly, this is not the place to come. We're a very deliberative body and sometimes things take a long time. Thank you. Ways and Means, we would have an opportunity to we would respond to it, respond to any amendments that the Ways and Means Committee would do. We have an opportunity and we would need to report a response to any amendments that the Ways and Means Committee made, would report whether we're in favor or not. So for it to become law, the last leg for the governor is the Senate. It depends. So we pass it, we pass a bill. It goes to the Senate. Then you have an opportunity to review it. They could amend it. And then if they amend it, it comes back. They can accept it. They can, they can just sign off and say we concur. Then it goes to the governor. All right. Got it. They can offer an amendment. Then it comes back to the house. Then we can offer an amendment back or we can say a committee of conference where we iron out our differences. Okay. Thank you. So any comments before we, we break? Come back, coming back at one. To representative Coupoli's desire to sort of urge our congressional delegation to really pursue this vigorously. We have issues with sort of putting it in a bill that binds the future legislature to do that. I would, I would fully be on board with resolution that would call for that. It would be happy to assist in its creation and support. Yeah, I was going to say, I think that's a good idea. It might even have more, I don't know if that would have more punch or impact, even then putting it in the, by Nizersen. We did get a response from the post office on our post office. We did get a response from the post office. That was a little jolt. Yeah. Yeah. So they pay attention. Oh, yes. To the record, again, from our agency of education, my football does not have an update, but I did just want to express the agency's appreciation for you are particularly to make sure that it is adequately resorted and implementable. We really appreciate that we are going to do this work. Thank you. Yes, we've done it with the appropriations for positions that does go to the appropriations committee. Okay. We'll be back at one o'clock. We will not have our ledge council in the room. So if there are any other amendments, we need to note up that now. Before we move on to the next slide. And I'll see if we have the opportunity if we'll be ready to vote for it.