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For Immediate Release
Contact: Laura Sibilia Phone: 802-384-0233 lhsibilia@gmail.com |
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Dover School Board issues protest of closed state redistricting meetings
The Dover School Board
has sent the following letter of protest and freedom of information request to
Vermont Education Commissioner Armando Vilaseca regarding seven closed meeting
scheduled in March.
Dover School Board
9 Schoolhouse Road
East Dover, VT 05341
March 8, 2010
Commissioner Armando
Vilaseca
Vermont Department of Education
120 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05620-2501
Commissioner Vilaseca:
We are writing to strongly protest your decision to
hold seven closed meetings in March with the Education Challenges Design Team
you recently appointed. We understand
the charge to the group is:
1. To improve student
learning and reduce costs of administration – This is a multiyear process which
many school districts have already begun to work on and which the legislature
and the administration are anxious to support and encourage.
2. To improve special
education student outcomes, including graduation rates and employment
These challenges are to
result in lower administrative and special education costs of $17 million in
FY2011 and $40 million in FY2012.
The design response to
these challenges will be guided by the following outcomes:
(1) Increase electronic and
distance learning opportunities that enhance learning, increase productivity,
and promote creativity.
(2) Increase the secondary
school graduation rates for all students.
(3) Increase the
aspiration, continuation, and completion rates for all students in connection with
postsecondary education and training.
(4) Increase administrative
efficiencies within education governance in a manner that promotes student
achievement.
(5) Increase cost
effectiveness in delivery of support services for students with individualized education
plans.
(6) Increase the use of
early intervention strategies that enable students to be successful in the
general education environment and help avoid the later need for more expensive interventions..
Our protest of the closed meetings is based on the
following:
Pursuant to the state open
records act and
The
Vermont Constitution’s Declaration of the Rights of the Inhabitants of the
State of Vermont ~ Article 13.
[Freedom of speech and of the press]
That the people have a right to
freedom of speech, and of writing and publishing their sentiments, concerning
the transactions of government, and therefore the freedom of the press ought
not to be restrained.
Vermont Statutes
Title 1: General Provisions
Chapter 5: COMMON LAW; GENERAL RIGHTS
1 V.S.A. § 312.
Right to attend meetings of public agencies
1 V.S.A. § 313. Executive sessions
Furthermore, we request that
you provide us with copies of all documents, data, minutes and recordings considered
or otherwise utilized during the Education Challenges Design Team meetings as outlined
in:
Title 1: General Provisions
Chapter 5: COMMON LAW; GENERAL RIGHTS
1 V.S.A. § 317. Definitions;
public agency; public records and documents
If our request is denied in
whole or part, we ask that you justify all deletions by reference to specific
exemptions as sited in Vermont Law.