An act relating to the creation of the Youth Participatory Action Research Project

This bill establishes the Youth Participatory Action Research Project, a state-funded initiative that brings together diverse middle school students across Vermont to identify and address issues in the education system. The program uses a nonprofit facilitator to select students in grades eight through ten, who will first gather feedback from peers statewide, then design a week-long summer institute where they develop a blueprint for educational change using data-driven methods. A $100,000 appropriation from the General Fund supports the project, with the Agency of Education required to report outcomes to education committees by December 1, 2025. The initiative aims to create long-term partnerships between students and educators while ensuring representation from all regions of the state.