MONTPELIER – Some community members have reached out to me for updates on the new redistricting task force that is responsible for creating the maps that will be presented to the legislature in the upcoming legislative session, and it seems like a good time to make that information available to everyone:
The task force is currently meeting twice a month, and now has the first two meetings under their belt. They met for their second meeting on August 19, and their next meeting is scheduled for September 10. At that meeting, the task force reviewed the fact that since the first meeting, the AOE has not been able to provide meaningful data to inform decision-making. The task force discussed that it would be difficult to redistrict and evaluate the impact without data, and the group was clear that at the very least, they need to be doing no harm and be able to explain the rationale for recommendations to districts and to the public.
Senator Scott Beck explained that from his perspective on the conference committee, the purpose of redistricting is that we need bigger districts to facilitate a shift to a new funding formula. He has previously emphasized the need to just “draw lines.” It is agreed that there is clarity needed around the problem that they are trying to solve, as well as the goals they seek to achieve and the criteria needed to evaluate any proposals. Equity, quality, affordability, stability and feasibility remain key to that conversation.
The task force worked through a test template for proposing plans, using Hawaii (a single statewide public school district) as an example. The purpose was also to understand the kinds of trade-offs and questions that will likely need to be addressed in any proposed redistricting.
They discussed public engagement with Jay Nichols, the interim chair of the Commission on Public Education, who has offered to deploy the resources of the commission to support the public input process for the task force. There was conversation about the short timeline and real limits on the extent to which meaningful public engagement could take place given the timeline and lack of data.
They also discussed the process of the meeting, which is still very inaccessible to the public and which still has very poor audio quality. The secretary of administration again said she would work to improve audio quality. They discussed the importance of bringing the meeting to other regions, about which the secretary of administration expressed concern, due to the challenge of supporting tech and the short timeline. They have received numerous complaints about tech challenges and sound, including during the meeting.
They brainstormed work tasks to complete before the next meeting which include selection of a firm to support the operations of the task force (Edye Graning and Martine Gulick), revision of the problem and goals statements (Jay Badams and Beth Quimby), revision of the template to include evaluation criteria (Jen Botzojorns and Rebecca Holcombe), and initial mapping of two possible plans: redistricting around CTE districts (Scott Beck) and redistricting around counties (David Wolk).
Recurrent themes were lack of data and the need to be able to explain to the public how any plan could lead to improvement in quality, equity, affordability, feasibility or stability.
Future meetings, all of which will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., will be held Wednesday, Sept. 10, Monday, Sept. 29, Friday, Oct. 10, Tuesday, Oct. 28, Monday, Nov. 10 and Thursday, Nov.20.
Messages to the task force can be sent directly to [email protected] and you can follow its work at the AOA website at aoa.vermont.gov/school-district-redistricting-task-force.
Leanne Harple is a state representative for Orleans-4 House District, Albany, Craftsbury, Glover and Greensboro.
Rep. Leanne Harple
Leanne Harple represents Orleans-4, the towns of Albany, Craftsbury, Glover and Greensboro.
