Anne Bordonaro, the Department of Education’s federal education and support division director, testifies on the possible effects of federal budget cuts on the state education system before a joint meeting of the House and Senate education committees at the Statehouse in Montpelier on Thursday, March 13. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger
“My job has never been so exciting,” Anne Bordonaro, who leads the Vermont Agency of Education’s work on federal education programs, told lawmakers in the House and Senate Education Committees Thursday.
Exciting, though, could easily be replaced with “chaotic.”
The fate of the U.S. Department of Education remains an open question. Just this week, the department’s new leader, one-time professional wrestling company CEO Linda McMahon, announced plans to cut the department’s staff in half. An onslaught of executive orders from President Donald Trump and his administration have destabilized public schools nationwide, and court cases challenging the president’s actions only add to the ever changing landscape.
“As you can imagine, just about anything you put on paper is obsolete about 30 minutes later,” Bordonaro told lawmakers.
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At the moment, the agency doesn’t expect “significant cuts” to “core education programs” as a result of federal funding reductions this school year or next, according to Bordonaro. But impacts in the 2026-27 school year are uncertain.
Through the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the state receives more than $68 million annually from the feds, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act provides another $37.5 million for Vermont’s schools, Bordonaro said, among other streams of federal dollars.
But while the biggest potential changes may not be imminent, the turmoil in Washington is already trickling down to local classrooms.
Brooke Olsen-Farrell, superintendent of the Slate Valley Unified School District, said in the joint hearing that her relatively low-income district relies on federal dollars to pay for all of its academic interventionists and school psychologists, among other staff.
Slate Valley’s school board, worried about drastic actions in Washington, instructed Olsen-Farrell to add language to the contracts of about 20 staff making their positions contingent on federal grant funding.
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“So they all received contracts today with that in it and to say there was a lot of emotion is an understatement,” she told lawmakers. “I’m significantly worried about retention and stability.”
— Ethan Weinstein
In the know
The Vermont Senate voted Thursday 22-8 to confirm Zoie Saunders as education secretary, ending a yearlong saga over her appointment.
Last spring, the Senate voted 19-9 not to confirm her as the education secretary, a rare rejection of a cabinet appointment. Now, with education policy dominating conversations in Montpelier, Saunders has served as the face of Gov. Phil Scott’s “education transformation proposal,” which seeks school district consolidation and a new education funding formula. The goal, she’s said, is to expand educational opportunities while also reducing costs.
“What she’s trying to do is provide the best opportunity she can for every kid in the state,” Sen. Seth Bongartz, D-Bennington, chair of the Senate Education Committee said, explaining his support for Saunders on the Senate floor.
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Yet many senators who opposed Saunders’ appointment last year once again spoke out against her confirmation. Sen. Becca White, D-Windsor, told her colleagues she’d heard even more opposition to Saunders from constituents this year than last year.
“I have to vote no,” White said. “We can resist school closures and consolidations.”
Read more about the confirmation debate here.
Federal fallout
With tensions rising between the U.S. and Canada, Vermont businesses have been caught in the crossfire of a simmering trade war between the two countries.
Already facing the prospect of price hikes and supply chain disruptions due to tariffs on Canadian goods that Trump has enacted and postponed multiple times, Vermont companies now have to contend with another knock-on effect of fraying tensions between the nations: Canadians are shunning Vermont goods.
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Signature Vermont brands from Skida to Barr Hill are paying the price. Read the story here.
— Habib Sabet
Funding aimed at making a struggling Williamstown farm more resilient has been paused. A program that distributes local, free food has been cancelled. The Department of Environmental Conservation is missing $10.7 million for clean water quality projects.
In the last few months, the new Trump administration has pulled back federal funding related to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, climate change and the Inflation Reduction Act, signed in 2022 by his predecessor Joe Biden.
Around Vermont, those funding changes are affecting farmers and the organizations that support them, prompting alarm and confusion. Altogether, the federal government has paused or cancelled tens of millions of dollars in funding for agricultural programs across the state.
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Read more about the federal funding cuts for farmers here.
BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – It was a pleasant Sunday with spring-like temperatures, but it also resulted in a few ice jams in rivers, which happened earlier than expected. The Ausable, Mad, Missisquoi and Great Chazy rivers flooded today due to ice jams. These rivers will recede tonight as temperatures get close to, or below, freezing. However, new ice jams may form, and additional rivers may flood on Monday as highs get even warmer. Expect partly sunny skies with highs in the upper 50s to low 60s. The wind may gust as highs as 40 mph. This will continue to support rapid snowmelt, which will run off into rivers and other bodies of water. Remember to never cross any flooded roads, and avoid going near river banks.
The threat for ice jams will continue into Thursday. A backdoor cold front may touch off a few showers on Tuesday, otherwise it will be partly sunny with highs ranging from the 40s north to the 50s and low 60s south. Computer models continue to bring a low pressure system in our area on Wednesday. It’s continuing to look a little warmer, though the heavier rain is now inching farther into Canada. That said, some rain is likely, and high temperatures will be at least in the low 40s, and may reach the 50s in southern parts of the region. Morning rain on Thursday will change to afternoon snow. A few inches accumulation is possible. Early highs in the 30s will fall through the 20s by afternoon, and overnight lows will be in the teens and low 20s, so everything will freeze up.
Friday will start off with some sunshine, then another, weaker system could bring a light rain/snow mix late in the day and overnight. A few inches of snow can’t be ruled out. A return to more seasonable temperatures will happen over the weekend with highs mainly in the mid-30s and lows in the teens and 20s. There’s the chance for snow showers both days, but significant weather isn’t expected.
MONTPELIER — The 20th annual Vermont Organics Recycling Summit (VORS) will be held on Wednesday, March 25, at the Montpelier Performing Arts Hub. It is organized by the Composting Association of Vermont (CAV) and the Agency of Natural Resources.
VORS brings together composters, farmers, businesses, educators, policymakers, and community leaders to advance solutions to keep clean organic materials out of landfills and return nutrients to Vermont soils. Additional workshops, tours, and hands-on learning opportunities will be held across the state on March 26..
“The 20th annual Vermont Organics Recycling Summit is guided by the theme, Compost! Feed the Soil that Feeds Us,” said Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Misty Sinsigalli. “This is a cornerstone gathering for Vermont’s growing organics recycling ecosystem. Whether you’re a backyard composter, a farmer, a municipal leader, or a sustainability advocate, VORS provides a critical forum for cross-sector collaboration.”
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A highlight of this milestone year will be the keynote presentation from Jayne Merner. Merner is a lifelong compost practitioner and co-owner / operator of Earth Care Farm in Rhode Island. She grew up working in compost production and now leads one of the region’s best-known large-scale compost operations. Merner also hosts The Composter podcast and has taught composting and soil stewardship around the world.
Each year, VORS fosters connections, sparks innovation, and helps translate policy and research into real-world action. The summit welcomes all who are passionate about creating healthier communities through composting.
CAV is partnering with ORCA Media to record sessions for post-event viewing.
To learn more and register for VORS, visit compostingvermont.org/vors-2026.
The Department of Environmental Conservation is responsible for protecting Vermont’s natural resources and safeguarding human health for the benefit of this and future generations. Visit dec.vermont.gov and follow the Department of Environmental Conservation on Facebook and Instagram.
SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – The Vermont National Guard held a change of command ceremony Saturday, with a new adjutant general taking the helm.
The passing of the state’s colors marked the transfer of authority. The flag used was the Green Mountain Boys flag, which has flown around the world.
Maj. Gen. Gregory Knight stepped down after seven years leading the Vermont National Guard. Incoming Adjutant General Harder, who previously served as deputy adjutant general, has 36 years of service across multiple roles within the organization.
At the ceremony, Knight reflected on the periods when the National Guard was deployed, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2023 floods and current overseas deployments with soldiers in Iran.
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“Our duty is to hand both the uniform and the mission forward in better condition than when we received it,” Knight said. “The mantle of leadership doesn’t belong to us. We borrow it for a time and our responsibility is to leave it stronger for the next person who wears it.”
Harder said the role carries significant personal meaning.
“Leading this organization is the honor of a lifetime,” Harder said.
Gov. Scott, a Republican, spoke to Harder’s qualifications during the ceremony.
“General Hank Harder’s service to our nation has proven him to be a distinguished leader with the right character and curiosity to continue the work of guiding the guard into the future,” Scott said.
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Harder acknowledged Knight’s tenure during the ceremony.
“Your leadership has left the Vermont National Guard stronger, more capable and ready for the future,” Harder said.
160 Vermont soldiers are currently in Germany on a training mission with Ukraine. Several hundred more are deployed in the Middle East.
Harder addressed the deployed service members during the ceremony.
“We are so proud of what they do each and every day and we’re supporting them from afar and we know what it’s like and we look forward to them completing their mission and coming home,” Harder said.
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Harder said the guard has no control over what happens once troops are overseas but is actively providing support to service members’ families in Vermont.
The ceremony was attended by Gov. Phil Scott, members of the military and family members.
