Vermont 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: Enacted 1 D cosponsors

S 214 — An act relating to the provision of prekindergarten education in geographically isolated school districts

Last action — Senate Message: Signed by Governor June 8, 2026

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Senate
  4. ✓
    Passed House
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 07, 2026. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Phil Scott (Republican) on May 29, 2026.

Prognosis

Advancing 52% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 D).

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

In plain language

The bill provides prekindergarten education in remote school districts.

This legislation aims to ensure that prekindergarten education is accessible in geographically isolated school districts. It addresses the need for early education resources in areas that may have limited access to such programs.

What this means for you
  • Families: This means families in isolated districts will have access to prekindergarten education for their children.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

108 added · 22 removed

Plain-language change summary

The latest version of Bill S 214 includes provisions allowing the NEK Choice School District to pay for prekindergarten education at public schools in New Hampshire that are within 25 miles of the Vermont border. This change is important because it expands educational options for prekindergarten students by permitting them to attend schools in neighboring states, potentially increasing access to quality early childhood education. Additionally, the Essex North Supervisory Union has been designated to handle enrollment and tuition payments, ensuring a clear process for managing this program.

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AS PASSED BY SENATE S.214 Page 1 of 1 S.214 An act relating to the provision of prekindergarten education in geographically isolated school districts It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
BILL AS INTRODUCED AND PASSED BY SENATE S.214 Page 1 of 5 S.214 Introduced by Senator Ram Hinsdale Referred to Committee on Education Date:
January 7, 2026 Subject:
Education;
prekindergarten education;
geographically isolated;
tuition Statement of purpose of bill as introduced:
This bill proposes to allow a prekindergarten student that resides in a geographically isolated school district to use State funds authorized under 16 V.S.A.
§ 829 to attend a prekindergarten program in New Hampshire if certain conditions are met.
An act relating to the provision of prekindergarten education in geographically isolated school districts It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
§ 829 is amended to read:
§ 829 is amended to read:
PREKINDERGARTEN EDUCATION * * * (e) Rules.
The Secretary of Education and the Commissioner for Children and Families shall jointly develop and agree to rules and present them to the State Board for adoption under 3 V.S.A.
chapter 25 as follows:
* * * BILL AS INTRODUCED AND PASSED BY SENATE S.214 Page 2 of 5 (12) To establish a definition for “geographically isolated school district” as the term relates to the provision of prekindergarten education under subsection (i) of this section.
The Agency and Department shall establish a process for a prekindergarten student residing in a geographically isolated school district to enroll in a prekindergarten program located in New Hampshire, pursuant to subsection (i) of this section.
* * * (h) Geographic limitations Prekindergarten regions.
(1) Notwithstanding the requirement that a district pay tuition to any prequalified public or private provider in the State, a school board may choose to limit the geographic boundaries within which the district shall pay tuition by paying tuition solely to those prequalified providers in which parents and guardians choose to enroll resident prekindergarten children that are located within the district’s “prekindergarten region” as determined in subdivision (2) of this subsection.
(2) For purposes of this subsection, upon application from the school board, a district’s prekindergarten region shall be determined jointly by the Agencies of Education and of Human Services in consultation with the school board, private providers of prekindergarten education, parents and guardians of prekindergarten children, and other interested parties pursuant to a process adopted by rule under subsection (e) of this section.
A prekindergarten region:
BILL AS INTRODUCED AND PASSED BY SENATE S.214 Page 3 of 5 (A) shall not be smaller than the geographic boundaries of the school district;
(B) shall be based in part upon the estimated number of prekindergarten children residing in the district and in surrounding districts, the availability of prequalified private and public providers of prekindergarten education, commuting patterns, and other region-specific criteria;
and (C) shall be designed to support existing partnerships between the school district and private providers of prekindergarten education.
(3) If a school board chooses to pay tuition to providers solely within its prekindergarten region, and if a resident prekindergarten child is unable to access publicly funded prekindergarten education within that region, then the child’s parent or guardian may request and in its discretion the district may pay tuition at the statewide rate for a prekindergarten education program operated by a prequalified provider located outside the prekindergarten region.
(4) Except for the narrow exception permitting a school board to limit geographic boundaries under subdivision (1) of this subsection, all other provisions of this section and related rules shall continue to apply.
(i) Geographically isolated school districts.
(1) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, on behalf of a resident prekindergarten child, a school district shall pay tuition for prekindergarten education for 10 hours per week for 35 weeks to a BILL AS INTRODUCED AND PASSED BY SENATE S.214 Page 4 of 5 prekindergarten program located outside Vermont if the following conditions are met:
(A) the prekindergarten student is a resident of a geographically isolated school district as defined by the State Board of Education;
and (B) the prekindergarten program located outside Vermont is:
(i) approved to provide publicly funded prekindergarten education under the laws of New Hampshire;
and (ii) is located within 25 miles of the Vermont border.
(2) Payments made pursuant to this subsection shall be paid under the same statewide rate that is paid to prequalified prekindergarten providers located within Vermont, which may be adjusted regionally, that is established annually through a process jointly developed and implemented by the Agencies of Education and of Human Services.
Sec.
2.
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION;
PREKINDERGARTEN EDUCATION;
RULES On or before January 1, 2027, the State Board of Education and the Department for Children and Families shall initiate rulemaking, pursuant to 3 V.S.A.
chapter 25, to amend the prekindergarten education rules, Agency of Education, Prekindergarten Education (22-000-035) to ensure compliance with 16 V.S.A.
§ 829(e)(12) and (i).
BILL AS INTRODUCED AND PASSED BY SENATE S.214 Page 5 of 5 Sec.
3.
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EFFECTIVE DATE This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.
Sec.
1.
16 V.S.A.
§ 829 is amended to read:
§ 829.
VT LEG #388484 v.1
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Action History

  1. Senate Message: Signed by Governor June 8, 2026

  2. Signed by Governor on June 8, 2026

  3. Delivered to Governor on June 2, 2026

  4. As passed by Senate and House

  5. House message: House passed bill in concurrence

  6. Passed in concurrence

  7. Action Calendar: Third Reading

  8. Third Reading ordered

  9. Rep. Kascenska of Burke recommended for the Committee on Appropriations

  10. Rep. Burkhardt of South Burlington recommended for the Committee on Ways and Means

  11. Rep. Quimby of Lyndon reported for the Committee on Education

  12. Read second time

  13. Action Calendar: Unfinished Business

  14. Action Calendar: Favorable

  15. Notice Calendar: Favorable

  16. Pending entry on Notice Calendar, referred to Committee on Appropriations per Rule 35(a)

  17. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means per Rule 35(a)

  18. Notice Calendar: Favorable

  19. Read first time and referred to the Committee on Education

  20. Read 3rd time & passed

  21. New Business/Third Reading

  22. 3rd reading ordered

  23. Recommendation of amendment by Committee on Education agreed to

  24. Reported favorably by Senator Brennan for Committee on Appropriations

  25. Reported favorably by Senator Beck for Committee on Finance

  26. Read 2nd time, reported favorably with recommendation of amendment by Senator Heffernan for Committee on Education

  27. Favorable report by Committee on Appropriations

  28. Favorable report by Committee on Finance

  29. Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Education

  30. Unfinished Business/Second Reading

  31. Favorable report by Committee on Appropriations

  32. Favorable report by Committee on Finance

  33. Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Education

  34. Unfinished Business/Second Reading

  35. Favorable report by Committee on Appropriations

  36. Favorable report by Committee on Finance

  37. Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Education

  38. Unfinished Business/Second Reading

  39. Favorable report by Committee on Appropriations

  40. Favorable report by Committee on Finance

  41. Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Education

  42. Second Reading

  43. Favorable report by Committee on Appropriations

  44. Favorable report by Committee on Finance

  45. Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Education

  46. Second Reading

  47. Entered on Notice Calendar

  48. Referred to Committee on Appropriations per Senate Rule 31

  49. Favorable report by Committee on Finance

  50. Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Education

  51. Second Reading

  52. Entered on Notice Calendar

  53. Referred to Committee on Finance per Senate Rule 31

  54. Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Education

  55. Second Reading

  56. Entered on Notice Calendar

  57. Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Education

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 189 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (189)

189 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 189 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

education
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors S 214?
S 214 is sponsored by Kesha K Ram Hinsdale (Democrat).
What is the current status of S 214?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 07, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track S 214?
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