Vermont family sues state over religious school tuition restrictions

A Christian family has filed a federal lawsuit against Vermont education officials, alleging that state laws discriminate against religious families and schools. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont, challenges the state’s Town Tuition Program and Dual Enrollment Program.

The plaintiffs, the Bishop family, argue that a recently enacted law prohibits public tuition assistance for students attending religious institutions. This exclusion reportedly prevents students from religious schools from accessing the Dual Enrollment Program, which allows high school students to take college courses at no cost. Eligibility for the dual enrollment benefit is tied to receiving Town Tuition funding, which the lawsuit claims is now unavailable to religious schools.

The legal action names Vermont Agency of Education Secretary Zoie Saunders, State Board of Education Chair Tammy Kolbe, and the Barstow Unified Union School District as defendants. Represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, the family is seeking injunctive and declaratory relief to allow their daughter to participate in these programs during her final year of high school.