Parents Up in Arms Over Act 46

More on the impacts of Act 46:
"Baker said the Vermont Board of Education recently decided that school districts merged under Act 46 no longer will have the option of school choice — a complete about-face from a promise made earlier."

 

By ALLAN STEIN | Sep 26, 2015

http://eagletimes.villagesoup.com/p/parents-up-in-arms-over-act-46/1417971

WEATHERSFIELD — A group of parents in Weathersfield believes the town should be allowed to withdraw from the Windsor Southeast Supervisory Union (WSESU) if the current program of school choice is eliminated under state legislation known as Act 46.

"So far, it's all been about budgets and numbers. We are trying to be the voices for our children," said Allison Hodgdon, who opposes Act 46 because she said it would deprive children of the ability to choose where to attend high school.

Hodgdon and eight other parents gathered Friday night at Evolution Salon and Spa in Weathersfield to voice their concerns as WSESU Superintendent David Baker provided a status report on the pending district restructuring.

Baker said the Vermont Board of Education recently decided that school districts merged under Act 46 no longer will have the option of school choice — a complete about-face from a promise made earlier.

The new legislation would force students within the four WSESU towns - Weathersfield, Hartland, Windsor and West Windsor - to attend Windsor High School.

The move would eliminate tuition payments under the current choice option, but each town would be required to send students to the high school, Baker said.

Act 46 requires Vermont school districts with enrollments of less than 900 students to merge by 2018. Otherwise, the state will intervene and do the merger.

A merger would eliminate both individual district school boards and separate school budgets and combine them into a single governing board and a single budget voted by the towns.

School districts that don't comply with Act 46 risk losing state aid to small schools as well as tax incentives.

Following the merger, the new district would receive five years of modest reductions in the school tax rate — 10 cents per $100 in year one and 8 cents the following year. There would also be a "one-time" transition grant of $150,000.

In 2013, the WSESU released a study that concluded that the four towns were not ready to merge because, if they did, all students would have to go to one high school.

The study concluded that the merger would be feasible only if choice remained an option.

Weathersfield parents Doris Villandry said the loss of school choice would lower property values by discouraging parents to want to relocate to the town.

"We want choice for our kids and their education. A lot of us feel we are being forced to go to Windsor High School. We want to be heard," said Villandry.

"I am so petrified that my kids will want to drop out of school. Their minds are set to go to different high schools," she said.

Parents said it would be better if the town withdrew from WSESU and form a new supervisory union allowing school choice.

Baker said breaking up would be hard to do under the provisions of Act 46. The town would be hard-pressed finding other school districts with student enrollments large enough to meet the state attendance threshold of 900 students.

"You can't go it alone. They are not going to allow it," Baker said.

Baker said that Act 46 mandates education based on "quality, efficiency, equity, and sustainability."

A study committee has been formed to examine the effects and implementation of Act 46 in the SU and report its findings in October, Baker said.