Vermont H. 101: An act relating to drug-free workplace workers' compensation premium reductions

Bill Text

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H.101 1
Introduced by Representative Graning of Jericho 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Education; Agency of Education duties 5
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require the 6
Secretary of Education to (1) provide statewide technical assistance to school 7
districts and supervisory unions on the implementation of all statewide 8
requirements and (2) conduct a comprehensive program evaluation and 9
organizational analysis of the Agency of Education and report back to the 10
House and Senate Committees on Education with recommendations for 11
changes to the Agency of Education. 12
An act relating to the role and structure of the Agency of Education 13
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 14
Sec. 1. 16 V.S.A. § 212 is amended to read: 15
§ 212. SECRETARY’S DUTIES GENERALLY 16
The Secretary shall execute those policies adopted by the State Board in the 17
legal exercise of its powers and shall: 18
(1) Coordinate the educational work of the public schools with higher 19
education in the State. 20

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(2) Identify the educational goals of the public schools, provide 1
alternative methods of attaining those goals, and promote education in the 2
State. 3
(3) Evaluate the program of instruction in the public schools. 4
(4) Advise the General Assembly concerning proposed laws affecting 5
the public schools. 6
(5) Supervise and direct the execution of the laws relating to the public 7
schools and ensure compliance. 8
(6) Supervise the expenditure and distribution of all money appropriated 9
by the State under the provisions of this title for public schools. 10
(7) Arrange conferences and summer schools for superintendents and 11
teachers and employ suitable speakers, lecturers, and instructors for the same; 12
fix the amount of tuition for the instruction; provide for educational gatherings, 13
institutes, summer schools, and other supplementary educational activities; and 14
provide for cooperation with the Board of Libraries established by 22 V.S.A. 15
§ 602 or the State Librarian. 16
(8) Inform citizens of the condition of and opportunities within the 17
public education system and provide other educational publicity for the 18
enlightenment and well-being of the citizens of the State. 19
(9) Establish requirements for information to be submitted by school 20
districts, including necessary statistical data and other information and ensure, 21

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to the extent possible, that data are reported in a uniform way. Data collected 1
under this subdivision shall include budget surplus amounts, reserve fund 2
amounts, and information concerning the purpose and use of any reserve funds. 3
(10) Make recommendations to school boards regarding transportation 4
policies. 5
(11) Provide an educational facilities planning service to make available 6
technical assistance and comprehensive information on school construction, 7
school systems design, component technology and suppliers, and similar 8
subjects to public schools, school districts, and independent schools, for the 9
purpose of helping them to achieve flexibility and economy in construction, to 10
retain the potential for modification and expansion of educational facilities, 11
and to attain the lowest maintenance costs consistent with educational needs. 12
(12) Distribute at his or her the Secretary’s discretion upon request to 13
approved independent schools appropriate forms and materials relating to the 14
education quality standards for elementary and secondary students. 15
(13) Ensure the provision of services to children and adolescents with a 16
severe emotional disturbance in coordination with the Departments of Mental 17
Health, for Children and Families, and of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent 18
Living pursuant to the provisions of 33 V.S.A. chapter 43. 19
(14) Annually, communicate to each superintendent a list of information 20
that a supervisory union, a school board, a school district, a school, a school 21

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district employee, or a supervisory union employee is required under State or 1
federal law to make available to the electorate, community members, parents, 2
or students. It is the intent of this subdivision that the Secretary shall make a 3
good faith effort to compile a complete list of the information to be made 4
available. Due to the difficult nature of compiling such a list, it is also the 5
intent that failure to include relevant information on the list shall not constitute 6
grounds for an action against the Secretary. 7
(15) Annually, with the Commissioner of Health, shall jointly inform 8
superintendents and principals of appropriate practices regarding students with 9
life-threatening allergies and chronic illnesses; and