As Vermont lawmakers prepare to dramatically restructure the education system through H.454—a bill that could consolidate school districts and shift how education is governed—there’s one number they haven’t fully confronted: what it really costs to educate a full-time K–12 student. Before they open this Pandora’s box, taxpayers deserve accurate numbers.
For years, Vermont’s public education system has been facing a quiet math problem: fewer students, more spending. As K–12 enrollment steadily declined, school budgets kept rising. That tension—shrinking headcount against growing expense—should have triggered alarm. But instead, the state’s reported “per-pupil spending” appeared relatively stable.
How?
In 2014, Vermont passed Act 166, creating universal access to publicly funded Pre-K. By 2016, it was fully implemented, offering up to 10 hours per week for 3- and 4-year-olds. It also added thousands of part-time preschoolers to the student rolls—counted right alongside full-time K–12 students when calculating average spending.
K–12 Enrollment Drops, But Total Headcount Rises
From 2010 to 2023, Vermont’s K–12 student population declined steadily, dipping below 83,000 by 2023. Meanwhile, Pre-K enrollment surged under Act 166:
| Year | Pre-K Enrollment |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 6,214 |
| 2016 | 7,301 |
| 2017 | 8,115 |
| 2018 | 8,598 |
| 2019 | 8,807 |
| 2020 | 7,745 (COVID dip) |
| 2021 | 7,483 |
| 2022 | 8,277 |
| 2023 | 8,355 |
By 2023, Vermont’s education system reported roughly 91,000 students—but over 8,300 of those were preschoolers, most of whom attend just 10 hours per week. When the state divides its education budget by that full number, it creates the illusion of efficiency.
What the Numbers Really Show
Take FY2023, for example:
- Total Pre-K–12 spending: $2.216 billion
- Total reported students (Pre-K–12): ~91,000
- Reported per-pupil cost: ~$24,350
But subtract out the Pre-K students and the costs dedicated to them—roughly $32–40 million in tuition reimbursements and grants—and the math changes:
- K–12-only budget: ≈ $2.176 billion
- K–12-only students: ~83,000
- Actual per-student cost: ~$26,200
That’s nearly $2,000 more per student than the figure most often cited.
And that’s not even the full picture.
The Hidden Costs of Shared Pre-K Services
Many Pre-K classrooms operate inside public elementary schools, drawing on K–12 resources: administrative time, custodial work, maintenance, building costs, even shared transportation. These costs are rarely broken out, but they don’t disappear just because a program serves younger children.
Education analysts argue that these embedded costs—though hard to isolate—exert real upward pressure on K–12 budgets while being absorbed silently into the system.
Do Preschoolers Really Add to School Costs?
Some Vermonters wonder: if a school already has empty classrooms, what’s the harm in adding Pre-K? Doesn’t it just fill space that’s already there?
Partly, yes—but not entirely.
Even when using existing buildings, Pre-K brings real costs:
- New staff (teachers, aides, substitutes, benefits)
- Admin time from principals and coordinators
- Transportation adjustments
- Custodial and maintenance work
- Child-sized furniture, learning materials, safety compliance
- Nutrition services for snacks or lunches
- Licensing and early ed program oversight
Many of these expenses don’t show up under a “Pre-K” line—they’re paid out of general district budgets, often lumped in with K–12 costs.
Yet when the state divides total spending by the number of students, those preschoolers count the same as full-time high schoolers. That’s how part-time kids drinking juice and eating toast can pull down the average cost per student.
Bottom line: Pre-K may be small and part-time—but its inclusion in Vermont’s per-pupil math helps mask the true cost of educating full-time K–12 students.
So Why Does It Matter?
Vermont now spends more than $26,000 per actual K–12 student—a figure that rises even higher when embedded Pre-K costs are fully accounted for. That’s well above the national average of ~$14,000 and higher than many private schools in New England.
And yet, public discussion continues to rely on the diluted $24K figure. That makes it harder for taxpayers, school boards, and lawmakers to evaluate whether Vermont’s education system is delivering value—or just absorbing cost.
The Takeaway
This isn’t about being against Pre-K. Early education access matters to many families. But when part-time Pre-K students are counted like full-time learners, the numbers stop reflecting reality.
This isn’t just about math. With H.454 on the table, the legislature and the governor are poised to rewire the entire system. But if the foundation is built on misleading averages—folding in part-time preschoolers to mask real K–12 costs—then the reforms risk being both misguided and mistrusted. Before we redesign public education, we need to see it clearly.
It’s time Vermont separated these systems when calculating cost per student. That clarity won’t solve the school budget problem—but it will finally make it visible.
Dave Soulia | FYIVT
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