Dear Editor,
Act 73 of 2025, “An act relating to transforming Vermont’s education governance, quality, and finance systems”, is a call from Vermont’s Legislature and governor to make radical changes in how we view our children’s school districts. The requirements in this law include a large-scale reduction in the number of and corresponding increase in the size of these districts.
I have served on school boards for a local school district and a supervisory union. I chaired an Act-46-of-2015-related merger study committee that resulted in a new district made up of two communities from different SUs. I participated for a year and a half on a committee that merged two different sets of staff contracts into a single, cohesive framework.
I am under no illusion as to the difficulties that are before us when it comes to implementing the district restructuring as required in Act 73. Furthermore I come from a perspective based upon a long history of actively opposing forced school district consolidation.
However, since Act 153 of 2010 it has been the policy of Vermont’s Legislature and governors that a larger school district of the supervisory district type is the preferred model. Legislation over the last 15 years has emphasized this point as more mergers were encouraged in Act 173 of 2012 and then mandated in Act 46 of 2015. Act 73 of 2025 is simply one more logical step.
Our kids deserve better than to have their teachers, principals, superintendents and school boards dealing with constant changes in consolidation demands and expectations, and the task force can help provide a great deal of certainty by putting forth a redistricting proposal that will put the district consolidation issue to rest for 20 years or more.
There are countless details that will have to be left for future leaders and decision makers. The task force needs to focus on the big picture and creating a platform for those folks who follow to creatively and effectively work within.
Rama Schneider
Williamstown
