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Vermont Town Tuitioning

Scholarship. Tuition paid by your district.

90 private schools listed in Vermont
13 confirmed on the official list

Income limitsHow to applyTuition calculator

How Town tuitioning works

What you getTuition paid by your district. Each independent school sets its own tuition today. Act 169 of 2026 limits yearly increases in publicly funded tuition from fiscal 2028, and a later foundation formula would set tuition by student.
Who qualifiesStudents who live in a district that does not operate a public school for their grade. For elementary grades, the district pays independent school tuition only if voters gave the school board that authority. A district that has designated high schools pays only those, unless the board approves a parent’s request for another school.
How full it is3,541 students in 2022-23, according to EdChoice, the newest count we found.
When to applyThere is no state application, but there are deadlines for the next school year: notice for an independent elementary school must reach the school board before April 15, and a request for a high school other than a designated one is due on or before April 15. Your district pays tuition to the eligible school.
How the money movesThe sending district pays tuition to the school.
What it coversTuition only.
Federal tax credit, 2027Vermont was not on the IRS opt-in list for the federal scholarship tax credit as of September 14, 2026.

Worth knowing: Act 73 (2025) sharply narrowed which independent schools can take public tuition. Students who received public tuition in 2024-25 keep it at their school until graduation. A lawsuit filed in March 2026 challenges the law.

We read this on from: Vermont Agency of Education, Education Transformation (Act 73 independent school criteria and list); Vermont Agency of Education, independent schools; Liberty Justice Center, March 9, 2026, lawsuit; 16 V.S.A. 821, elementary tuition and the April 15 notice; 16 V.S.A. 827, designated high schools and parent requests. Rules change when the legislature meets, so check the official program site before you count on a number.

Related programs

Is there an income limit for Town tuitioning?

There is no income test. A student qualifies by living in a school district that pays tuition instead of running a school for the student's grade, and there is no priority order. Source.

How to apply for Town tuitioning

  1. Contact your school district or supervisory union office to confirm that your district pays tuition for your child's grade and whether it has designated particular high schools.
  2. Choose an eligible school: a Vermont public school, a public school in another state, an independent school that meets the Act 73 criteria or education quality standards, or a therapeutic approved independent school.
  3. For an independent elementary school, or a high school other than your district's designated school, give the school board notice or a written request before April 15 for the next school year.
  4. The district where you live pays the tuition to the school; if you disagree with the board's decision on eligibility, the amount or the school, you can appeal to the State Board of Education.

Steps and limits read on from: 16 V.S.A. 821, elementary schools or tuition; 16 V.S.A. 822, high schools or tuition; 16 V.S.A. 824, high school tuition; 16 V.S.A. 827, designated high schools; 16 V.S.A. 828, tuition to approved schools (as amended by Act 73); Vermont Agency of Education, Act 73 (not re-fetched; see notes). Limits change each year with the federal poverty guidelines, so confirm on the official site before you apply.

Run your own numbers

What would you pay?

We could not confirm this year’s Town tuitioning amount, so type in the figure from your award letter. An award can never be more than the school actually charges. This is arithmetic, not a quote.

Which schools take it

The Vermont Agency of Education lists the 18 non-therapeutic independent schools still eligible to receive public tuition under Act 73. Therapeutic schools and public schools in other states also remain eligible. Schools marked with the badge here are on that list of 18; we match by exact school name.

13 schools on the Town tuitioning list, by town Browse private schools in Vermont

Get one email when applications open

Most programs open once a year, and several ran out of money or seats in 2026. Pick your state and we will email you the day the next window opens, with the official link. That is the only email you get.

One email per application window. No calls, no sharing your details.

Questions parents ask

How much does Town tuitioning pay in Vermont?

Tuition paid by your district. Each independent school sets its own tuition today. Act 169 of 2026 limits yearly increases in publicly funded tuition from fiscal 2028, and a later foundation formula would set tuition by student.

Who is eligible?

Students who live in a district that does not operate a public school for their grade. For elementary grades, the district pays independent school tuition only if voters gave the school board that authority. A district that has designated high schools pays only those, unless the board approves a parent’s request for another school.

Does it cover the full cost of private school?

Not always. The award is a set amount and every school sets its own price. Ask each school for tuition plus fees, then subtract the award. The calculator on this page does the sum for you.

How do I know a school accepts Town tuitioning?

The Vermont Agency of Education lists the 18 non-therapeutic independent schools still eligible to receive public tuition under Act 73. Therapeutic schools and public schools in other states also remain eligible. Schools marked with the badge here are on that list of 18; we match by exact school name.

When do I apply?

There is no state application, but there are deadlines for the next school year: notice for an independent elementary school must reach the school board before April 15, and a request for a high school other than a designated one is due on or before April 15. Your district pays tuition to the eligible school.

Is there an income limit?

No. Eligibility depends on whether your district pays tuition for your child's grade instead of running its own school.

Can I use it for any private school?

No. Since Act 73, a Vermont independent school must have been approved by July 1, 2025, sit in an area with a non-operating district as of July 1, 2024, have had at least 25% publicly tuitioned students in 2023-24, and meet class size rules. Independent schools meeting education quality standards, therapeutic schools and out-of-state public schools also qualify.

Does it work for elementary school?

A district without an elementary school pays tuition to public elementary schools. It pays an independent elementary school only if voters gave the school board that authority and the parent gives notice before April 15.

What if my district has a designated high school?

The district pays only the designated school or schools. You can ask the board by April 15 to pay another approved school, and the board's decision is final.

How much will the district pay?

For an approved independent high school, the district pays up to the average announced tuition of Vermont union high schools, or more if voters approve it. Public high schools in Vermont or an adjoining state are paid their full tuition.

My child's school lost eligibility under Act 73. Can my child stay?

Students who received public tuition at a school in 2024-25 stay eligible for public tuition there until graduation, even if the school no longer meets the new criteria.

Other states

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