Policy Briefs

Bridging the Gap: Pathways to Success for All Vermont Students

Voices’ report documenting the poverty-based achievement gap in Vermont and recommending a two-pronged approach to eliminating it: expanding the capacity of schools to create systems of academic excellence, and providing supports for families struggling to manage life in poverty.

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Children and Environmental Toxins

“Children and Environmental Toxins” explains why kids react to toxins differently than adults and lists the specific vulnerabilities that accompany each developmental stage of childhood in a two-page chart. It also provides information on twelve toxins that are considered dangerous for kids in another chart.

Vermont Child Economic Well-Being

The signs are everywhere that child poverty is on the rise in Vermont.

Asking the Right Questions About Vermont Schools

“Asking the Right Questions About Vermont Schools” follows the evolution of public school funding in Vermont since Act 60, explains the importance of local school board decision-making, looks at both sides of the school budget equation – spending and costs, and offers recommendations to meet some of the challenges our schools face.

Changes to Vermont’s TANF Program

“Changes to Vermont’s TANF Program” follows recent developments that are affecting Reach Up’s implementation and examines their implications for the future of the program.

Vermont’s Child Welfare and Juvenile Judicial Systems Undergo Comprehensive Reform in 2008

Vermont instituted a major policy shift in how we respond to reports of abuse and neglect of children, as well as how the legal system processes the cases of those children and families who are brought into the system.

Untapped Potential

Early Learning Investments in Vermont. Although the evidence that learning begins at birth is compelling, as
a society we continue to under-invest in children’s earliest and most formative years.

Read the report.