School leaders tell Senate Education that rising student mental‑health needs outstrip school budgets and staffing

Members of the Senate Education Committee heard testimony on June 29 from school leaders who said rising student mental‑health needs have turned public schools into frontline mental‑health responders without the staffing or sustained funding to meet demand.

Angela Fillion, principal of Allenbrook School (a pre-K–2 public school), told the committee that she is seeing “significant increase in student mental health needs, anxiety, trauma responses, behavioral crises, and even suicidal ideation appearing earlier, lasting longer, and requiring more intensive interventions.” She said required trainings (harassment/hazing/bullying prevention, threat assessment, suicide prevention and CPI) often occur during the school day and remove highly skilled staff from classrooms, which temporarily deprives students with the highest needs of their most trained adults.

“We are asking for shared responsibility, coordinated systems, and sustainable resources that reflect the scope of what public schools are being asked to do,” Fillion said, urging the Legislature to invest in school‑based mental‑health staffing, cross‑agency training, early intervention and family‑centered prevention supports.

Jason Gingold, principal of Montpelier High School, described local strategies the school has used to support students, including two full‑time social workers, two full‑time guidance counselors, a part‑time 504 coordinator and a building‑based attendance team. Gingold said the school has redirected local funds to pay for meals, snacks and transportation and to preserve programs that support attendance and belonging, and he attributed part of the absenteeism and distress to housing instability, substance use and limited access to community therapists.

Gingold urged lawmakers to avoid adding unfunded mandates, to support community mental‑health capacity and to maintain flexibility in graduation pathways and career‑technical education so students have exposure to opportunities that build hope and engagement. He also spoke in favor of phone‑free school environments and restorative practices as tangible policies that helped his students.

Committee members asked witnesses whether they had made specific budget requests; witnesses said one‑time pandemic funds (ESSER) had supported positions but those funds ended, leaving unsustained services. Witnesses repeatedly emphasized coordination — connecting pediatricians, schools and community mental‑health providers — and early intervention as priorities over crisis response.

The committee did not take formal action on funding during the session; members thanked the witnesses and moved on to other agenda items.