2013 Vermont Statutes
Title 16 Education
Chapter 21 MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS
§ 827 Designation of a public high school or an approved independent high school as the sole public high school of a school district

827. Designation of a public high school or an approved independent high school as the sole public high school of a school district

(a) A school district not maintaining an approved public high school may vote on such terms or conditions as it deems appropriate, to designate an approved independent school or a public school as the public high school of the district.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this section, if the board of trustees or the school board of the designated school votes to accept this designation the school shall be regarded as a public school for tuition purposes under subsection 824(b) of this title and the sending school district shall pay tuition to that school only, until such time as the sending school district or the designated school votes to rescind the designation.

(c) A parent or legal guardian who is dissatisfied with the instruction provided at the designated school or who cannot obtain for his or her child the kind of course or instruction desired there, or whose child can be better accommodated in an approved independent or public high school nearer his or her home during the next academic year, may request on or before April 15 that the school board pay tuition to another approved independent or public high school selected by the parent or guardian.

(d) The school board may pay tuition to another approved high school as requested by the parent or legal guardian if in its judgment that will best serve the interests of the pupil. Its decision shall be final in regard to the institution the pupil may attend. If the board approves the parent's request, the board shall pay tuition for the pupil in an amount not to exceed the least of:

(1) The statewide average announced tuition of Vermont union high schools.

(2) The per-pupil tuition the district pays to the designated school in the year in which the pupil is enrolled in the nondesignated school.

(3) The tuition charged by the approved nondesignated school in the year in which the pupil is enrolled.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary:

(1) the school districts of Pawlet, Rupert, and Wells may designate a public high school located in New York as the public high school of the district pursuant to the provisions of this section;

(2) unless otherwise directed by an affirmative vote of the school district, when the Wells board approves parental requests to pay tuition to a nondesignated approved independent or public school, the board shall pay tuition in an amount not to exceed the base education amount as determined under section 4011 of this title for the fiscal year in which tuition is being paid; and

(3) unless otherwise directed by an affirmative vote of the school district, when the Strafford board approves a parental request to pay tuition to a nondesignated approved independent or public school, the board shall pay tuition to the nondesignated school pursuant to section 824 of this title for the year in which the pupil is enrolled; provided, however, that it shall not pay tuition in an amount that exceeds the tuition paid to the designated school for the same academic year. (Added 1969, No. 298 (Adj. Sess.), 58; amended 1989, No. 271 (Adj. Sess.), 5; 1991, No. 24, 4; 2009, No. 44, 13, eff. May 21, 2009; 2009, No. 153 (Adj. Sess.), 21a; 2011, No. 156 (Adj. Sess.), 33, eff. May 16, 2012.)