Terms Used In Vermont Statutes > Title 16 > Chapter 23 - Courses of Study

• Accredited postsecondary institution: means a postsecondary institution that has been accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges or another regional accrediting agency recognized by the U. See
• Adaptive electric cycle: means an electric bicycle or an electric cargo bicycle that has been modified to meet the physical needs or abilities of the operator or a passenger. See
• Adult education and literacy: means a program of public education adapted to the needs of persons who are beyond compulsory school age, and who have not completed high school education. See
• Advice and consent: Under the Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate, and international treaties become effective only when the Senate approves them by a two-thirds vote.
• Agency: means the Department or a child-placing public or private entity that is licensed in this State to place minors for adoption. See
• Agency: means the Agency of Transportation. See
• Agency of Education: means the Secretary and staff necessary to carry out the functions of the Agency. See
• All-hazards: means any natural disaster, health or disease-related emergency, accident, civil insurrection, use of weapons of mass destruction, terrorist or criminal incident, radiological incident, significant event, and designated special event, any of which may occur individually, simultaneously, or in combination and that poses a threat or may pose a threat, as determined by the Commissioner or designee, to property or public safety in Vermont. See
• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
• Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
• Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
• Approved independent school: means an independent school that is approved under section 166 of this title. See
• Approved provider: means an entity approved by the Secretary to provide educational services that may be awarded credits or used to determine proficiency necessary for a high school diploma. See
• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• Best value: means the highest overall value to the State, considering quality and cost. See
• between: as used in this title in respect to a specified age of a student, shall mean the period of time commencing on the birthday of the child when he or she becomes the age first specified and ending on the day next preceding the birthday of the child when he or she becomes the age last specified. See
• biennially: shall mean the year in which a regular session of the General Assembly is held. See
• Blended learning: means a formal education program in which content and instruction are delivered both in a traditional classroom setting and through virtual learning. See
• Board: means the Transportation Board. See
• Career development: means the identification of student interests and aptitudes and the ability to link these to potential career paths and the training and education necessary to succeed on these paths. See
• Carnegie unit: means 125 hours of class or contact time with a teacher over the course of one year at the secondary level. See
• catastrophic incident: means any natural or manmade incident, including an incident of terrorism or a pandemic, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or any governmental entity. See
• Child: means a minor or an adult son or daughter, by birth or adoption. See
• CODIS: means the FBI's national DNA identification index system that allows storage and exchange of DNA records submitted by state and local forensic DNA laboratories. See
• Commissioner: means the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles responsible to the Secretary for the administration of the Department. See
• Commissioner: means the Commissioner of Public Safety. See
• Commissioner: means the Commissioner of Public Safety. See
• Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• comprehensive health education: means a systematic and extensive elementary and secondary educational program designed to provide a variety of learning experiences based upon knowledge of the human organism as it functions within its environment. See
• Concurrent resolution: A legislative measure, designated "S. Con. Res." and numbered consecutively upon introduction, generally employed to address the sentiments of both chambers, to deal with issues or matters affecting both houses, such as a concurrent budget resolution, or to create a temporary joint committee. Concurrent resolutions are not submitted to the President/Governor and thus do not have the force of law.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
• Cross examine: Questioning of a witness by the attorney for the other side.
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Department: means the Department of Motor Vehicles. See
• Department: means the Department of Public Safety. See
• Department: means the Department of Public Safety. See
• Design-build contracting: means a method of project delivery where a single entity is contractually responsible to perform design, construction, and related services. See
• Designated crime: means any of the following offenses:

• Develop: means the partition or division of any tract of land of any size by a person through sale, lease, transfer, or any other means by which any interest in or to the land or a portion of the land is conveyed to another person that will require the construction of permanent new or enlarged points of access to a State or town highway other than a limited access facility pursuant to subsection 1702a(a) of this title; excluding, however, tracts of land located entirely within a city or incorporated village. See
• Devise: To gift property by will.
• Director: means the Director of Vermont Division of Emergency Management. See
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• District: means a geographic subdivision of the State primarily established for maintenance purposes. See
• DNA: means deoxyribonucleic acid. See
• DNA record: means DNA sample identification information stored in the State DNA database or CODIS. See
• DNA sample: means a forensic unknown tissue sample or a tissue sample provided by any person convicted of a designated crime. See
• Domestic: when applied to a corporation, company, association, or copartnership shall mean organized under the laws of this State; "foreign" when so applied, shall mean organized under the laws of another state, government, or country. See
• Donor: The person who makes a gift.
• Dual enrollment: means enrollment by a secondary student in a course offered by an accredited postsecondary institution and for which, upon successful completion of the course, the student will receive:

• Early college: means full-time enrollment, pursuant to subsection 4011(e) of this title, by a 12th grade Vermont student for one academic year in a program offered by a postsecondary institution in which the credits earned apply to secondary school graduation requirements. See
• Electric cargo bicycle: means a motor-assisted bicycle, as defined in 23 V. See
• Emergency functions: include services provided by the Department of Public Safety, firefighting services, police services, sheriff's department services, medical and health services, rescue, engineering, emergency warning services, communications, evacuation of persons, emergency welfare services, protection of critical infrastructure, emergency transportation, temporary restoration of public utility services, other functions related to civilian protection, and all other activities necessary or incidental to the preparation for and carrying out of these functions. See
• emergency interim successor: means a person designated pursuant to this chapter, in the event the officer is unavailable, to exercise the powers and discharge the duties of an office until a successor is appointed or elected and qualified as may be provided by the Constitution, statutes, charters, and ordinances or until the lawful incumbent is able to resume the exercise of the powers and discharge the duties of the office. See
• Emergency management: means the preparation for and implementation of all emergency functions, other than the functions for which the U. See
• Employee: means a person employed by the Department. See
• Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.
• EPCRA: means the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act, 42 U. See
• Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. ^{Source: U.S. Courts}
• Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
• Facility: means transportation infrastructure that is, or if developed, would be, within the jurisdiction of the Agency or eligible for federal-aid funding managed through the Agency. See
• Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
• FBI: means the Federal Bureau of Investigation. See
• Fees: shall mean earnings due for official services, aside from salaries or per diem compensation. See
• Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
• Flexible pathways to graduation: means any combination of high-quality academic and experiential components leading to secondary school completion and postsecondary readiness, which may include assessments that allow the student to apply his or her knowledge and skills to tasks that are of interest to that student. See
• following: when used by way of reference to a section of the law shall mean the next preceding or following section. See
• Forensic unknown sample: means an unidentified tissue sample gathered in connection with a criminal investigation. See
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
• Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
• Hazardous chemical or substance: means :

• Hazardous chemical or substance incident: means any mishap or occurrence involving hazardous chemicals or substances that may pose a threat to persons or property. See
• highway: includes rights-of-way, bridges, drainage structures, signs, guardrails, areas to accommodate utilities authorized by law to locate within highway limits, areas used to mitigate the environmental impacts of highway construction, vegetation, scenic enhancements, and structures. See
• Homeland security: means the preparation for and carrying out of all emergency functions, other than the functions for which the U. See
• Independent school: means a school other than a public school, which provides a program of elementary or secondary education, or both. See
• Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
• inhabitants: shall mean the population of the political division referred to, as ascertained by the national census last completed before the time when such population is a material fact. See
• Joint committee: Committees including membership from both houses of teh legislature. Joint committees are usually established with narrow jurisdictions and normally lack authority to report legislation.
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• Justice: when applied to a person, other than a Justice of the Supreme Court, shall mean a justice of the peace for the county for which he or she is elected or appointed. See
• Kindergarten: means an educational program for children of one year adapted to the needs of students who will attend first grade the following year. See
• Laboratory: means the Department of Public Safety Forensic Laboratory. See
• Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). ^{Source: OCC}
• Local adult education and literacy provider: means an entity that is awarded federal or State grant funds to conduct adult education and literacy activities. See
• Minor: means a person who has not attained 18 years of age. See
• Missing person: means an individual:

• Month: shall mean a calendar month and "year" shall mean a calendar year and be equivalent to the expression "year of our Lord. See
• Municipality: shall include a city, town, town school district, incorporated school or fire district or incorporated village, and all other governmental incorporated units. See
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• Oath: shall include affirmation where by law an affirmation may be substituted. See
• Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
• office: includes all State and local offices, the powers and duties of which are defined by the Constitution, statutes, charters, and ordinances, except the office of Governor, and except those in the General Assembly and the Judiciary. See
• Parent: means a person who is legally recognized as a mother or father or whose consent to the adoption of a minor is required under subdivision 2-401(a)(1)-(4) or (6) of this title. See
• Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
• Person: includes a municipality or State agency. See
• Person: shall include any natural person, corporation, municipality, the State of Vermont or any department, agency, or subdivision of the State, and any partnership, unincorporated association, or other legal entity. See
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Plea agreement: An arrangement between the prosecutor, the defense attorney, and the defendant in which the defendant agrees to plead guilty in exchange for special considerations. ^Source:
• political subdivision: includes counties, cities, towns, villages, school districts, fire districts, authorities, and other public corporations and entities whether organized and existing under charter or general law. See
• Population database: means anonymous DNA records used to assist statistical evaluation. See
• Postsecondary planning: means the identification of education and training programs after high school that meet a student's academic, vocational, financial, and social needs and the identification of financial assistance available for those programs. See
• Postsecondary readiness: means the ability to enter the workforce or to pursue postsecondary education or training without the need for remediation. See
• President pro tempore: A constitutionally recognized officer of the Senate who presides over the chamber in the absence of the Vice President. The President Pro Tempore (or, "president for a time") is elected by the Senate and is, by custom, the Senator of the majority party with the longest record of continuous service.
• Presiding officer: A majority-party Senator who presides over the Senate and is charged with maintaining order and decorum, recognizing Members to speak, and interpreting the Senate's rules, practices and precedents.
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• Project: means the capital development of a facility. See
• Proposal: means a conditional offer of a private entity that, after review, negotiation, and documentation, and after legislative approval if required under this subchapter, may lead to a P3 agreement as provided in this subchapter. See
• Proposer: means an individual, firm, corporation, limited-liability company, partnership, joint venture, sole proprietorship, or other entity that submits a proposal. See
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Public safety agency: means any municipal, county, or State agency or organization within the State that specializes in protecting the safety of the public and includes municipal police and fire departments, volunteer fire departments, county sheriffs, and constables who exercise law enforcement authority. See
• Public school: means an elementary school or secondary school operated by a school district. See
• Quality: means those features that the Agency determines are most important to the project. See
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Radiological incident: means any mishap or occurrence involving radiological activity that may pose a threat to persons or property. See
• real estate: shall include lands, tenements, and hereditaments and all rights thereto and interests therein, and pews or slips in places of public worship shall be treated as real estate. See
• Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
• Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
• road: shall include bridges thereon and their approaches. See
• said: when used by way of reference to a person or thing shall apply to the same person or thing last mentioned. See
• Scenic road: means any road designated pursuant to this title. See
• School district: means town school districts, union school districts, interstate school districts, city school districts, unified union districts, and incorporated school districts, each of which is governed by a publicly elected board. See
• seal: shall include an impression of the official seal made upon paper alone or by means of a wafer or wax affixed thereto. See
• Search and rescue: means the deployment, coordination, and utilization of available resources and personnel in locating, relieving the distress, and preserving the lives of and removing persons who are missing or lost in the backcountry, remote areas, or waters of the State. See
• Secretary: means the head of the Agency who shall be a member of the Governor's Cabinet responsible directly to the Governor for the administration of the Agency. See
• Secretary: means the Secretary of Education. See
• Selectboard: includes village trustees and city councils. See
• sexual orientation: means female or male homosexuality, heterosexuality, or bisexuality. See
• State: means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. See
• State: when applied to the different parts of the United States may apply to the District of Columbia and any territory and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. See
• State Board: means the State Board of Education established by chapter 3 of this title. See
• State DNA data bank: means the repository of DNA samples collected and maintained under the provisions of this subchapter. See
• State DNA database: means the Laboratory DNA identification record system. See
• State Police: means the sworn law enforcement officers who are employees of the Department. See
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• Superintendent: means the chief executive officer of a supervisory union and each school board within it. See
• Supervisory union: means an administrative, planning, and educational service unit created by the State Board under section 261 of this title, that consists of two or more school districts; if the context clearly allows, the term also means a supervisory district. See
• sworn: shall include affirmed. See
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
• Town: includes incorporated villages and cities. See
• Town: shall include city and wards or precincts therein; "selectboard members" and "board of civil authority" shall extend to and include the mayor and aldermen of cities; "trustees" shall extend to and include bailiffs of incorporated villages; and the laws applicable to the inhabitants and officers of towns shall be applicable to the inhabitants and similar officers of all municipal corporations. See
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• unavailable: means either that a vacancy in office exists and there is no deputy authorized to exercise the powers and discharge the duties of the office or that the lawful incumbent of the office (including any deputy exercising the powers and discharging the duties of an office because of a vacancy) and his or her duly authorized deputy are unable to exercise the powers and discharge the duties of the office. See
• Unemancipated minor: means an individual under the age of majority who has not married and who resides with a parent or legal guardian. See
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• Village: shall mean an incorporated village. See
• Virtual learning: means learning in which the teacher and student communicate concurrently through real-time telecommunication. See