If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride – as that saying from the 16th century goes. This adage came to mind watching the Vermont Legislature work through complicated Senate and House versions of a bill aimed to drastically reframe how education is configured and executed in our state.
Witnessing this, while our own school board considers spending time (and money) this summer exploring each of our seven school campuses with an eye to upfitting, renovating, closing, expanding, etc., feels like being tugged in multiple directions at once.
Does it make sense to spend money assessing reconfiguration options when reconfiguration may be forced on us (and everyone else) by the state? Is exploring our own local options a good and critical step to be taking while the state process plays out? Does it position us in a good position to have this data while we’re told to merge with Montpelier and Barre districts?
Since before our district merged under Act 46, my co-workers and I have often asked ourselves how we’d configure the schools in our towns if no schools currently existed. Surely that would lead to an efficient, logical, well-mapped out system of schools.
As the state contemplates forcing school districts on us (in a number that has yet to be determined) does it make sense for us to start reaching out and exploring our options with our geographic neighbors? Should we get out ahead of any state mandates by trying to determine our own fate? Does crafting alliances and planning give us a leg up or make things worse?
It's hard to predict if “this time” is the year when the Legislature will change how education is delivered or whether these efforts will collapse due to lack of political conviction.
There is growing outcry over closing the state’s small schools which are the heartbeat of local communities, ours included. But reality keeps intruding in the form of declining state enrollment numbers and increasing costs.
It's hard to know whether to wait or begin forming alliances in an effort to control our own fate. If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride and our next steps would be clear.
