The vast majority of local school budgets were approved on Town Meeting Day. Officials say voters supported the budgets because school boards did a good job in explaining the need to increase spending this year.

Vermont voters have strongly approved local school budgets all across the state. Only three budgets were defeated on Town Meeting Day - that's the lowest number in decades.

The Vermont Department of Education says most school boards are presenting level funded budgets to their communities on Town Meeting Day -- at a time when labor costs, fuel expenses and health care costs are rising for many school districts.

Even with Governor-elect Peter Shumlin's decision to use $19 million in federal stimulus for Vermont schools, districts will still face difficult funding choices next year. 

Vermont school districts which fell short of state budget goals earned a temporary reprieve this week.  But officials warn they'll still have to trim expenses in future budgets.

Governor-elect Peter Shumlin has given a one year reprieve to school districts struggling to come up with budget-cutting plans.

Normally, debates about how to spend local tax dollars erupt at town meetings in March and settle down by the end of mud season. But in this abnormal economy, a few cities and towns in Vermont are still waging budget battles. In St. Johnsbury, tempers have been flaring for months, and voters will vote for a third time Tuesday on a controversial school budget.

Despite the difficult economic climate, a vast majority of local school budgets passed at Town Meeting. Officials think that's because many school boards spent months preparing level funded budgets.

It's Town Meeting Day in Vermont, the state's annual exercise in direct democracy, and there's plenty to vote on this year.

VPR's Jane Lindholm talks with three school board members from different Vermont towns about managing and passing school budgets.

These were some of the voices in the week's news.

A majority of school boards have proposed budgets that wouldn't increase spending above this year's levels. The Douglas administration says that's good news, but there's concern that property tax rates might still increase significantly in many towns.  

The Burlington School Board and teachers are far apart on a new contract.

We hear from Education Commissioner Armando Vilaseca and Finance Commissioner James Reardon about their school budget cutting suggestions, and how they would change the school funding system.  Also, a new report looks at how charities fundraise.

The Douglas Administration wants local school officials to hold the line on next year's budgets. The administration also plans to go to the Legislature with proposals to trim spending on education.

VPR's Jane Lindholm talks with Grand Isle Supervisory Union superintendent Richard Taylor about difficulties in getting school budgets passed in the district.

In the wake of the passage of laws allowing same-sex marriage in three New England states, we'll examine what both sides in the debate are doing to rally support in other parts of the nation.  

Most school budgets in the state were passed back in March at Town Meeting. But five school districts have been unable to get voter approval of budgets -- and three of them are in the Grand Isle Supervisory Union.