Center Library
Roles for the Private Sector in State Parks Systems
A current trend in the state parks systems of the United States is "privatization" of certain functions and services. Privatization, as defined by author and Director Emeritus of Florida State Parks, Ney C. Landrum, is the "transfer of responsibility for selected state park functions or…
Curriculum Shifts in Vermont Public Schools
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) legislated state accountability in "meeting annual measurable achievement objectives" for student competence in mathematics and reading. The imposition of high-stakes testing is intended to encourage schools to improve education in these areas. The new law also…
Renewable Portfolio Standards in Energy Policy
A Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) is a policy mandate that a given proportion of power supplied by retail electricity providers be derived from approved renewable sources. While there is no uniform approach to the construction or implementation of an RPS policy, several common and important…
Career and Technical Education Participation in Vermont
Vermont's Career and Technical Education (CTE) program works with high schools to provide students with technical education programs for at least one of their last two secondary years, with the goal of satisfying Vermont's job placement and business demands. CTE offers 64 career and technical…
Establishing Wind Power in New Hampshire
Developing the full potential of wind resources in New Hampshire holds great promise for helping to meet the state's energy needs. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that about 179,000 acres in New Hampshire may be suitable for wind energy development. While much of this land is…
Medicaid in New Hampshire and Vermont
Like many states across the nation, New Hampshire and Vermont face the challenge of addressing the rising costs of health care within the constraints of their individual budgets. Both states’ Medicaid programs are struggling to extend high-quality, accessible, timely, and effective care to needy individuals…
State Renewable Portfolio Standards
Many states have established standards for renewable energy production and sales in the form of a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). An RPS specifies that a minimum percentage of the total energy a utility company sells must come from renewable sources such as solar power, wind…
Establishing Wind Power in Vermont
Developing the full potential of wind resources in Vermont holds great promise for helping to meet the state's energy needs. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that about 177,000 acres in Vermont may be suitable for wind energy development. While much of this land is…
Dry Cask Storage in Vermont
Vermont Yankee is Vermont’s only nuclear facility and produces a significant amount of the electricity consumed within the state. Although the plant’s license is set to expire in March 2012, the plant faces growing pressures to meet its storage needs in the short-term. Yankee currently utilizes…