Talbott Takes the Reigns

Education finance expert Bill Talbott is poised to take the reigns as the new interim education commissioner.  Talbott would probably be the first to tell you that he understands Vermont's education finance system but has never really found a way to get a handle on it.  But just understanding it puts him in the company of people that you could count on one hand and have fingers left over.

Mr. Talbott has been very helpful and patient in fielding my requests for information, and for that I am appreciative.  I was disappointed that I couldn't persuade him and Commissioner Cate to require that school districts report the percentages they spend on direct instruction in yearly budget reports that go out to voters.  It's required that school districts report to the state what percentages they spent last year, but not to voters what percentages they're proposing to spend this next year.   It still doesn't make sense to me, but the two top dogs at 120 State Street didn't seem interested in yet another mandate, albeit one that would take ten minutes to comply with.

I wish Mr. Talbott luck.  I know he knows the gruesome details of education finance.  But I hope he has the right vision and the political skills to carry it out.

Comments

[ColoComment]

My apologies for the public correction, but this is a bugaboo of mine:

reigns = rules from a throne, as in a king reigns

reins = straps used to guide a horse

[Curtis Hier]

And I knew that too. D'oh! Thanks for reining on my parade!