Burlington's is the largest and most diverse school district in Vermont. The system is overseen by the Board of School Commissioners whose 14 members are elected to two-year terms. Connections with five institutions of higher education, including the University of Vermont and partnerships with a variety of businesses, including IBM, support the high standards for learning in the Burlington schools. On average, teachers in the district hold master's degrees coupled with 15 years of experience.
The following is a summary of information regarding the Burlington public schools as of the 2004–2005 school year.
Total enrollment: 3,532
Number of facilities
elementary schools: 6
junior high/middle schools: 2
senior high schools: 1
other: 4
Student/teacher ratio: 11.8:1
Teacher salaries
average: $50,754
Funding per pupil: $7,264
Chittenden County is also home to a number of parochial elementary and secondary schools along with several dozen private institutions.
Public Schools Information: Superintendent of Schools, Burlington School District, 150 Colchester Ave., Burlington, VT 05401; telephone (802)865-5332; fax (802)864-8501
Burlington is home to the University of Vermont, founded in 1791, which offers more than 90 fields of study in 8 undergraduate divisions and graduate programs, including medicine. The campus resides on 450 acres and educates 8,000 undergraduates, nearly 1,300 graduate students, and about 400 medical students. The College of Medicine received a ninth-place ranking (of 125 medical schools nationwide) in a 2006 survey by U.S. News and World Report for its primary care training. Established in 1878, the private Champlain College provides its 1,700 fulltime students 29 undergraduate-degree programs and two master's degree programs. Also located in the city is Burlington College, an alternative liberal arts private college; St. Michael's College, renowned for its theater program; and the Community College of Vermont.
Burlington's Fletcher Free Library contains more than 100,000 books along with CDs, audio books, videos, and children's materials. The Romanesque-style Billings Library, built in 1885 and rededicated in 1962 as the Billings Student Center, houses the 12,000-book collection assembled by George Perkins Marsh, author of Man and Nature, still regarded as the ecologist's bible. Four libraries at the University of Vermont boast 1.4 million volumes and 20,000 periodicals along with a variety of other resources, while Champlain College features 60,000 volumes and 6,000 electronic books. Libraries are also maintained by Trinity College, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, and the National Gardening Association.
Research on heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses is conducted by Fletcher Allen Health Care in conjunction with the University of Vermont College of Medicine. The university also conducts research in such areas as international studies, rural studies, art objects, maple trees and other flora, water needs of cold areas, engineering, business, chemistry, and product development.
Public Library Information: Fletcher Free Public Library, 235 College St., Burlington, VT 05401; telephone (802)863-3403; fax (802)865-7227