Welcome to A Vermont Design for Education, a place to share ideas for improving public schools in Vermont. Here we look at Governor Scott’s plan for reform, and propose alternatives designed by Vermonters from all walks of life. Please read, comment, and suggest a positive path forward toward schools that better serve our students.
This website is coordinated by Jim Lengel of Duxbury. Here’s a note from Jim:
Ever since I began teaching in Vermont in 1972, I have been thinking about how we might better organize and pay for our schools. As Deputy Commissioner of Education in the 1980’s, I traveled the state with former Governor Phill Hoff and State Treasurer Emory Hebard to listen to Vermonters’ thoughts on this topic. Our plan was thwarted by statehouse politics, but has always been on my mind.
Since then I’ve worked with schools and education leaders all around the world to help them improve their schools. I’ve witnessed up close the many ways that states and countries organize and pay for their schools. I am happy in my retirement to gather and share ideas from fellow Vermonters.
Full disclosure: Jim is a member of the following special interest groups:
Vermonters
Parents
Grandparents
Voters
Taxpayers
Small business owners
Retirees
Sugarmakers
Sailors
And he is currently reading from the following playbooks:
Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare
Macbeth (the Scottish play), also by Shakespeare
All’s Well That Ends Well, same author
The Prince, by Nicola Machiavelli
The Flying Wedge Offense, by Amos Alonzo Stagg
Gandhi on Non-Violence, by Mahatma Gandhi
Now you’re telling me You’re not nostalgic Then give me another word for it You who are so good with words And at keeping things vague
