2025-26 Policy Agenda
Voices for Vermont’s Children believes that every child deserves to live in a community that prioritizes their wellness, development, and sense of belonging.
These commitments are carried out in our families and in longstanding institutions, many of which are now threatened by the rise of anti-democratic actions and a destabilizing concentration of wealth and power. The work of independent policy advocacy organizations like Voices is essential, and under threat by rising authoritarianism. Today’s young people need us to stand with them in defense of their futures.
2026 Legislative Priorities
Investing in a better tomorrow means uniting around the need for structural change. Our policy priorities for 2025 emphasize systemic investments to address the significant racial, social, and economic disparities that still exist among Vermont's children and youth, centering youth voice in the decisions and environments that shape their lives, and clear movement toward equity and justice in our homes, schools, and communities.
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As federal action begins to restrict and complicate access to lifesaving health insurance coverage, nutrition benefits, reproductive rights and more, Voices will work to bring timely data, analysis and the perspectives of the people most impacted to support Vermont’s response.
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Keep the Public in Public Schools campaign.
Community Schools - we support expanding access to resources for schools implementing the five pillars of community schools.
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The Reach Up program is long overdue for a cost of living increase, with basic needs grants covering less than half of what the state sets as a subsistence income. Vermont should eliminate the “ratable reduction” and set grants to automatically index to inflation.
Eliminate asset limits. Most states, including Vermont, eliminated asset tests for SNAP/3SquaresVT in recognition of the pointless administrative burden and the counterintuitive penalty against families saving for housing, education, training, or to buy a car – all investments in long-term financial security. But Reach Up still limits household assets to $9,000. Vermont should end this counterproductive policy.
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A recently published benefit-cost analysis found that a univeral PFML program would generate $11 million in annual net benefits for Vermont families, businesses and the state, with a return on investment of nearly 7:1. Learn more.