In this course we will begin with an examination of the events that occurred in North Bennington, VT as the community voted to close its public school in response to Act 46, the new state law requiring school districts across Vermont to consolidate. The events surrounding Act 46 and the closing of the public school in North Bennington marked a “sea change” in education policy in Vermont, and are reflective of the complex issues facing education policy at both the state and national level. At the core of this debate are national, state, and local policy issues that characterize the profound struggle for the soul of education in America. We will look at the competing and often contradictory demands placed on educational services in areas such as funding, governance, and equity; and how this debate is playing out locally, across the state, and nationally.