As the cost of education rises, financing Vermont's education system is increasingly painful. Central Vermont, like most of the state, is experiencing

• Declining enrollment
• Increased Spending
• Struggling small schools
• Climbing per pupil costs
• Tax Increases

Is the continued upward spiral out of control, or are the results worth the expense?

Would changing the funding mechanism cure the real problem,or do we need to bite the bullet and find ways to radically cut expenses?

Can school consolidation be effectively managed within our current government structure?

Are Charter schools, Cyberschools and school choice the answer to both education quality and costs control?

Could statewide contract for teachers, transportation services, and other universal costs gain control over increased spending?

The facts are clear:

• declining enrollment
• smaller classroom size
• increasing per pupil spending
• rising property taxes.

Are we geting the best bang for our buck?

Some feel things are fine as they are: personalized instruction, substantial investment in education, and hightest scores.

However, with businesses reporting having the worst time ever in finding quality employees, another question arises: might there be a gap between what businesses need and what's being tested?

Would simply changing the method of funding education really fix the problem, or simply postpone it?

Our three panelists each have a unique perspective on these real issues.