2005 Vermont Code - § 4028. — Fund payments to school districts

§ 4028. Fund payments to school districts

(a) On or before September 10, December 10, and April 30 of each school year, one-third of the adjusted education payment under section 4011 of this title shall become due to school districts; except that districts which have not adopted a budget by 30 days before the date of payment under this subsection shall receive one-quarter of the base education payment, and upon adoption of a budget shall receive additional amounts due under this subsection.

(b) Payments made for special education under chapter 101 of this title, for technical education under chapter 37 of this title and for other aid and categorical grants paid for support of education shall also be from the education fund.

(c) Any district which has adopted a school budget that includes excess spending, as defined in 32 V.S.A. § 5401(12), shall, upon timely notice, be authorized to use a portion of its excess spending penalty in obtaining an education operations consultant, as follows: The district may employ a consultant for recommendations on how to reduce its future education spending, and the department of education shall pay the consulting costs from the property tax revenue to be generated by the excess spending increase to the district's spending adjustment as estimated by the commissioner, up to a maximum of $5,000.00. "Timely notice" for this purpose means written notice from the district to the commissioner within 60 days after the budget is adopted. The consultant may not be an employee of the district or of the department of education. A copy of the consultant's final recommendations shall be submitted to the commissioner, and each affected town shall include in its next town report an executive summary of the consultant's final recommendations and notice of where a complete copy is available. No district is authorized to obtain consulting funds under this section more often than once every five years. (Added 1997, No. 60, § 18, eff. July 1, 1998; amended 1997, No. 71 (Adj. Sess.), § 70, eff. July 1, 1999, § 118, eff. March 11, 1998; No. 147 (Adj. Sess.), § 159(b); 1999, No. 152 (Adj. Sess.), § 166b; 2003, No. 68, § 20, eff. June 18, 2003; 2005, No. 38, § 10, eff. June 2, 2005.)