Letter to the Editor: Addison town leaders considers withdrawal from ANWSD school district
Editor’s note: Get the link to the Zoom meeting, Sept. 1 at 7 p.m.at the Town of Addison website.
To control costs, gain local control and own our town’s viability and destiny, the Addison selectboard is considering the voter option of dissolution of the ANWSD (Addison Northwest School District) union, which is under the purview of town municipalities.
Dissolution of the ANWSD would once again create K-12 districts in one operating fashion or another; public or school choice school governances. Dissolution of the ANWSD would close the current central office.
The Addison selectboard has been collecting information leading to their decision to pursue school governance options on behalf of the Addison voters (Act 153). In November of 2019, the Addison voters disapproved of closing the Addison elementary school; 373 opposed and 123 in favor. Ignoring the voter results and the Act 46 Articles of Agreement’s four-year guarantee, the ANWSD school board closed Addison Central School June 30, 2020, using reconfiguration authority.
Prior to the Act 46 ANWSD Union, combined local school actual education spending increased $1.2 million from FY2012 through FY2017 (181 student enrollment decline).
Every consolidation effort has been brought to a vote without projected budgets.
Under the Act 46 ANWSD Union, actual education spending increased $2.3 million from FY2017 through FY2020 (with 31 student enrollment decline). With Addison Central School closed, education spending has been projected to skyrocket another $6 million by FY2026 (108 student enrollment decline).
The Addison selectboard will offer a Zoom meeting Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. for community members to join a discussion with Tom Martin regarding the withdrawal from, or dissolution of the ANWSD union; (16V.S.A. 721a and 16V.S.A. 724). Tom Martin’s resume and the links to join the board discussion can be found on the Town of Addison website under the Board Minutes and School Option Study committee links.
School Option Study Committee
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