Editor’s note: This commentary is by Cherie Giddings, Readsboro School Board chair, Mary King, Readsboro School director, and Susan Edgerton, Readsboro School director. It was sent to Gov. Peter Shumlin, Sens. Brian Campion, Dick Sears and Ann Cummings, Reps. Laura Sibilia, Agency of Education Secretary Rebecca Holcombe and the State Board of Education. Readsboro has about 62 students in pre-K-8.
[W]e are writing to express our concern with several articles being considered for education reform in Vermont. The purpose of reform is to enhance education and to address rising costs. The effects of recently proposed legislation would fail on both counts. The pressure to consolidate due to both the elimination of small schools grants, and the accelerated reduction of phantom students, would jeopardize the existence of the 92 small schools as well as the communities they serve.
Data shows that school districts with higher numbers of students actually spend more per pupil than roughly half of those with fewer students. Where is the savings in consolidation if it will lead to higher per pupil costs? If small towns are economically decimated by the loss of their schools and jobs, the state will surely lose property tax revenues from the drop in property values and the departure of more families.
Readsboro Central School serves our community by offering strong educational opportunities to our students while being respectful of its taxpayers. Our children perform at and above the standard after graduation — competing favorably with students from larger schools. One hundred years of educational research finds that authentic relationships between educators, students and community provide a strong predictor of student success; those relationships are less likely to materialize in large classes. We are poised to offer proficiency based learning and personalized learning plans, where our small class size, individual attention and community supported programs are a strength, not a weakness.
We do recognize the value in collaboration among schools; our supervisory union is small, but it has already found ways to share resources to enhance educational opportunities among its member small schools, and we are working on more – especially through the use of computer technology.
Small schools are the very heart of our rural communities; their activities bring the community together at ball games, ceremonies, fundraisers, talent shows, science fairs, open houses, concerts, and more. It’s where we meet for town meeting, vote, gather for a snowshoe races and funeral receptions; there’s Bingo, volleyball and art festivals. In Readsboro our school building houses town offices and the town library — neither of which could support the building should the school close. If Readsboro Central School were forced to close, it would devastate the town, taking away teachers, custodial, secretarial and food-service jobs — it would cause hardship, not offer more “opportunity” to our children.
When Act 153 went into effect in 2009, there was a K-8 school in Whitingham, 7.6 miles from Readsboro. That school building was turned into a high school two years ago when Wilmington and Whitingham elementary schools consolidated, isolating Readsboro, now 12.2 miles from the nearest K-8 facility. Children traveling greater distances over snow covered roads much of the school year are at increased risk, and are less likely to participate in extracurricular activities — in many cases the extra mileage would be a severe hardship both in time and money for parents. If the intent of consolidation is to enhance opportunity, the effect might just be the opposite.
We do recognize the value in collaboration among schools; our supervisory union is small, but it has already found ways to share resources to enhance educational opportunities among its member small schools, and we are working on more – especially through the use of computer technology. We do this without the added stress and costs of daily busing.
Putting an across-the-board percentage cap on school spending would also be problematic. Schools that currently have higher per pupil spending will be allowed a greater increase than schools with lower per pupil spending. Readsboro is at a distinct disadvantage as it has one of the lowest per pupil costs in the state. For small towns in similar situations a percentage cap will increase inequality in educational spending, not decrease it. Inequality in spending results in inequality in educational opportunity.
As you look for ways to enhance the educational opportunities in Vermont, please support the work we do rather than harm us, as the recent proposals in the Legislature would do.
Thank you for your serious consideration in this matter.
