Act 170 – School Transformation

Enacted by the Vermont Legislature in June 2026, Act 170 marks the next phase in reshaping public education across the state. Building upon previous education legislation, Act 170 aims to improve educational opportunities for students, strengthen access to programs and services, increase operational efficiency, support financial sustainability, and encourage greater equity across Vermont’s public education system. Rather than imposing mandatory state-directed consolidation, Act 170 establishes a structured, district-led process to explore voluntary mergers by mandating the participation in cooperative educational service areas (CESAs) and statewide merger study committees. Formal merger proposals recommended by the study committees must be submitted in a final report by Sept. 1, 2027. Proposed unified union districts will then be put to local public votes on March 7, 2028.