The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Vermont House Bill 698 Reverts Education Policy Changes from 2025 Act 73 Regarding Minimum Class Sizes, Tuition Fees, Pupil Weights, and Property Tax Classifications
Last action · January 15, 2026: Read first time and referred to the Committee on EducationSponsors: Martha Feltus and 10 others
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What This Bill Would Do
This bill updates several education policies from 2025 Acts and Resolves No. 73 by removing class size minimum rules, eliminating receiving-school tuition surcharges, reverting unused voting ward working group funds to the General Fund, adding secondary student weights to the foundation formula, and repealing changes to the property tax classification system.
School districts and property taxpayers face altered funding calculations, tax liability provisions, and weighting formulas governing state education payments and local tax rates.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
School districts
School districts experience changes in tuition fee rules, pupil weighting formulas, reporting requirements, and the removal of class size minimum mandates.
Property taxpayers
Property taxpayers are subject to revised statewide education tax rates and reverted property tax classification rules.
Joint Fiscal Office
The Joint Fiscal Office receives a $400,000 appropriation and is directed to contract for foundation formula updates and provide reports to legislative committees.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to minimum class size rules under this bill?
Does this bill change how property taxes are classified?
What funding is provided for updating the foundation formula?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
1 action- Jan 15, 2026HouseIntroducedRead first time and referred to the Committee on Education
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Legislative Reversal of 2025 Education Reforms
H.698 systematically repeals multiple controversial or complex components enacted under 2025 Acts and Resolves No. 73, signaling a legislative pivot on class size mandates, tax classifications, and tuition rules.
Connected Entities
Sources
legislature.vermont.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy60Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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