What do Vermont youth think are the pressing issues of their generation?
Youth from across the state advised policymakers on issues impacting young Vermonters. What do they think should be the state's priorities?
In its official capacity, the Vermont State Youth Council on Tuesday made its first set of recommendations to the General Assembly since the Legislature established its formation in 2022.
The group is made up of 28 youths ages 11 to 18 who serve three-year terms. The members also belong to subcommittees that consult on five topics: climate change, education, equity and anti-racism, youth mental health, and youth voice. The body has met monthly to discuss and prepare their recommendations to legislators.
The Chittenden County representatives include Nisha Hickok of Hinesburg, Augustus Krueger of Underhill, Astrid Longstreth of West Bolton and Graciela Sanchez of Williston.
Only two of the 10 most populated Vermont cities and towns have a representative sitting on the council − there are two representatives each from Bennington and Brattleboro.
Here are the action items the youth are asking lawmakers to address on their behalf.
Recommendations to combat climate change
"Vermont youth will be living with the results of our actions today, so we must adapt to environmental needs to ensure a safe environment for youth in the future," the council said in its recommendation document. The group notes environmental science is evolving and it believes it is necessary to learn about humanity's continued effects on the environment.
The council's specific recommendations include:
Require study of climate change and environmental problems in school curriculum.
Reduce the state's carbon footprint by 90% by 2040 through investment in alternative energy sources. The council suggested tax incentives and affordable renewable energy options as well as increasing compost and recycling participation and electric vehicle purchases.
Minimize animal and vehicle collisions through speed limit reductions and increasing speeding penalties in wildlife areas.
Protect 50% of Vermont's state forests and bio-diverse working lands by 2040.
Ways to promote equitable, high-quality education
The council said all Vermont youth deserve access to high-quality, inclusive, safe and equitable learning environments.
The areas the council suggests legislative action for are:
Youth should be screened for dyslexia and reading disabilities starting at an earlier age. It suggested annual screenings for kindergartners through third graders.
All students receiving special education services through an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 plan to have access to mental health services as well. The council suggested monthly counselor visits for these students.
Schools increase pay for teachers, staff, social workers and mental health contractors to ensure equitable, living wages.
Equity and anti-racism policy recommendations
The council said it believes all youth deserve to experience belonging and equitable access to opportunities to promote well-being. But, it notes, historically systemic barriers have prevented some from accessing these rights and it believes the way to cultural change begins with education.
The council recommends:
Expand social studies curriculum standards and graduation requirements to include an explicit equity focus.
Suggestions for curbing youth mental health crisis
All Vermont youth must have access to high-quality mental health care, the council said.
Specific recommendations to address the youth mental health crisis include:
Build and fund an in-patient eating disorder facility in the state.
Guarantee five mental health-related excused absences to each student every school semester.
Advocate for Medicaid to be able to be used across state lines so youth have affordable access to specialized care.
Ensure schools have more counselors.
Augmenting youth voice
"All Vermont youth must know they will be asked, believed and respected in making decisions important to and impacting them, thus having a voice in their lives and communities," the council wrote in its recommendation statement.
The council proposed two action items:
Extend the Vermont State Youth Council's duration beyond 2026 to 2030.
Pass a resolution to offer support to municipalities extending voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds.
How to encourage youth to stay in Vermont
The youth council was asked to address ways the state could encourage youth to make Vermont their permanent home, preserving the state's traditions, rural character, activities and professions.
The council had four suggestions:
Encourage development in urban centers in Vermont, where economic and cultural opportunities tend to attract young Vermonters.
Modify the real estate tax structure to make it more affordable for young people to buy land for agricultural or forestry businesses.
Update utility infrastructure and encourage housing development in order to lower housing costs for young people.
Elevate the importance of cultural and racial diversity and an inclusive society in order to retain young Vermonters while also attracting a diverse workforce to the state. The council suggested continued investment in refugee resettlement and other programs promoting diversity and inclusion.
Contact reporter April Barton at abarton@freepressmedia.com or 802-660-1854. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter @aprildbarton.
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont youth council recommendations on climate change, education
